Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

In the intro to the show, Mariann and Jasmin discuss the huge coronavirus outbreaks at slaughterhouses and talk about some Bloomberg reporting regarding how the meat industry is just not going to do anything about it. They also reflect on how they both recently watched Christopher Robin to cheer themselves up during this challenging time and to feel not quite so weird about their deep attachment to their own stuffed loved ones. In our continuing effort to support vegan businesses, Jasmin is shouting out Happy Ice LA. If you’re looking for a summer treat and you’re in Los Angeles, do yourself a flavor and grab a Happy Ice! Lastly folks, don’t forget to Register to Vote! Kristof Dhont, PhD, is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Kent and the founder and director of SHARKLab, a research group that studies human intergroup and human-animal relations. He has a particular interest in the psychological and ideological roots of speciesism, racism, and sexism. Gordon Hodson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at Brock University in St Catherines, Ontario, where he directs the Brock Lab of Intergroup Processes. His main research interest is political ideology and its relationship to prejudice, intelligence, and climate change denial. Kristof and Gordon have recently edited, and contributed to, a book entitled Why We Love and Exploit Animals: Bridging Insights from Academia and Activism. Kristof and Gordon join the show today to delve into why they wanted to bring together perspectives from academics and animal advocates on why so many people are able to be involved in the exploitation of animals for food, clothing, and entertainment while also professing to love animals. They discuss how we can better understand our relationship with animals through well established findings in political psychology and how maintaining speciesism comes at a psychological cost to individuals who must maintain the denial necessary to continue behaviors deleterious to animals. Kristof and Gordon also share their thoughts on how animal advocates can structure their messaging to highlight the disconnect between loving animals and eating them without alienating people. “A lot of the ways we think about and treat animals has to do with rationalizing our thoughts, justifying it and turning a blind eye to what we’re doing” – Gordon Hodson This Week in Our Hen House: How having different perspectives on the same topic broadens our understanding Why studying human prejudices helps us understand our behavior toward animals What the ‘Meat Paradox’ is and why it is important The necessity of discussing solutions to animal cruelty along with the reasons behind it Political ideologies and how they relate to animal exploitation How to educate people to recognize the disconnect between loving animals and eating them Links between speciesism, misogyny, and racism The need to guard against indifference as well as exploitation How people avoid the meat/animal link How farm sanctuaries can be effective in making meat-eaters consider their choices How to use social networks to sustain long term vegan change The link between masculinity and meat Resources Mentioned: Gene Baur Earthlings The Meat Question by Josh Bersen An Unnatural Order by Jim Mason Carol Adams Connect with Kristof and Gordon: University of Kent Website Brock University Website Publisher Website Connect with Our Hen House: Our Hen House Website Our Hen House Facebook Our Hen House Instagram Our Hen House Twitter As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

In the intro to the show Mariann talks to Jasmin about her new favorite book, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, by Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk, and what a pleasure it is to read a book that really gets it about animals. Jasmin announces that she’ll likely be participating in The Goat Games, a virtual event that challenges participants to finish a 5-kilometer run, walk, bike, hike, or swim at a location of their choosing between August 8 and 16 to raise funds for Catskill Animal Sanctuary. Recently, Catskill, like many other sanctuaries, has lost 30% of it’s funding due to COVID-19. Then, in our continued effort to support vegan-owned businesses, we’re shouting out Charlie Fyffe and his  amazing guide to 70+ Black owned vegan businesses in Los Angeles. Over 70!  Then, Jasmin talks to Zach Skow. Zach is the founder of Marley’s Mutts, an animal shelter with a difference in Kern County, California. He turned to his dogs to help him when his diagnosis with end-stage liver disease meant that he had to battle to stay sober to access a liver transplant. When Zach recovered, he was prompted to start the shelter to give back, and, since its inception, Marley’s Mutts has now rescued over 5,000 dogs and started a pioneering prison program called Pawsitive Change.  In this episode Zach joins us to dive into how his love for his dogs and their unwavering acceptance of him pulled him through the darkness and brought him back to his authentic self. He shares why Marley’s Mutts is not only an animal shelter, but is a positive force for change in the community, and how the Pawsitive Change Prison Program works to take rescue dogs into local prisons to train with inmates and give both a second chance. Zach also discusses how he sees Marley’s Mutts developing and expanding in the future to support vulnerable humans and animals in need.   “There is nothing more scary than not being able to recognize who you are” – Zach Skow  This Week in Our Hen House:  Zach’s journey through 6 months of sobriety to get a liver transplant  The dogs that helped him get sober  The story of Marley, and his calm elevated spirit  How Zach’s commitment to being there for his dogs stopped his suicidal thoughts  How the Miracle Mutts therapy pets program works The importance of facilitating change in your life and being open to your potential Where the dogs at the shelter come from and why they are committed to a no-kill policy How the Pawsitive Change program works Why Marley’s Mutts is so keen to expand Pawsitive Change into the juvenile detention system How the work has impacted the lives of real prisoners  Resources Mentioned:  Anti-Recidivism Coalition founded by Scott Budnick  Connect with Zach Skow:  Marley’s Mutts Website  Marley’s Mutts Facebook Page  Marley’s Mutts Instagram  Marley’s Mutts Twitter  Pawsitive Change Program Instagram  Zach Skow Instagram  Zach Skow Facebook  Zach Skow Twitter  Connect with Our Hen House:  Our Hen House Website  Our Hen House Facebook  Our Hen House Instagram  Our Hen House Twitter    This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

In the intro to the show Jasmin announces that she’s moving back to New York, so start spreading the news! Jasmin and Mariann also announce their new Director of Operations, Jen Riley. Jen is a long time animal rights activist and organizer and has long been the mastermind behind the Animal Rights Conference. In other exciting news, Jasmin will be speaking at the Farmed Animal Conference E-Summit. This year the summit will be happening virtually. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out the LA Food Truck, Lettuce Feast.  Then, Jasmin speaks with Kelly Holt and Dan McKernan, stars of Animal Planet’s Saved by the Barn and founders of Barn Sanctuary, in Chelsea, MI, which has rescued around 400 farmed animals from abuse and neglect. They launched Barn Sanctuary from Dan’s family farm after the decision to go vegan inspired them to look into the treatment of farmed animals across the world. Their mission is to give their rescued animals a safe place to live out the rest of their lives, and with their Animal Planet show, they want to show how wonderful these animals are and how they deserve to not end up on someone’s plate.  Kelly and Dan join us to share why they gave up their jobs in marketing and technology, respectively, to open a sanctuary for rescued farmed animals. They share how the series Saved by the Barn came into being after Dan’s picture of a tender moment with one of the cows went viral, why he rigorously interviewed all of the production companies that wanted to make the show, and the conditions he imposed during filming. Kelly also shares why she feels it’s so important to connect and work together with other farm sanctuaries and organizations to build a collaborative way forward.  “What really gives me hope for the future and keeps me together, are my family, the animals, and our staff” – Dan McKernan  Episode Highlights:  Kelly’s decision to transition to veganism and how that triggered Dan’s interest not only in following a plant-based diet but in starting the sanctuary itself  How they worked to set up all aspects of the sanctuary, from funding to marketing  How grateful they are to their families, staff, and supporters  Why veganism is so important to them  Why it is so important to view their animals as individuals and connect with their stories  How they carry out their goal to get people to look at farmed animals as individuals, not food  Why Saved by the Barn can’t show everything that they film  How they respond to criticism about the show  How they plan to develop Barn Sanctuary going forward   Resources Mentioned:  Living the Farm Sanctuary Life by Gene Baur  Animal Planet Saved by the Barn  Cowspiracy  Forks Over Knives   Connect with Barn Sanctuary:   Barn Sanctuary Website  Barn Sanctuary Kitchen Companion  Barn Sanctuary Facebook Page  Barn Sanctuary Instagram   Connect with Our Hen House:   Our Hen House Website  Our Hen House Facebook  Our Hen House Instagram  Our Hen House Twitter  This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Mariann talks to filmmaker Liz Marshall about her new film Meat the Future, a documentary about the “cultivated meat” revolution in food production. Liz talks about the making of the film, the impact she hopes it will have, and trying to market a film during a global pandemic. Liz Marshall is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker. Since the 1990s she has written, produced, directed, and filmed diverse international and socially conscious documentaries. Her work has been released theatrically, been broadcast globally, made available digitally, and has screened for hundreds of grassroots communities around the globe. Marshall’s visionary feature-length films explore social justice and environmental themes driven by strong characters. The impact of Liz’s critically acclaimed documentary The Ghosts In Our Machine (2013) is reflected in an extensive global evaluation report funded by the Doc Society. Marshall’s current feature documentary Meat The Future (2020), chronicles the birth of the “clean” “cultured” “cell – based” meat industry in America through the eyes of pioneer Dr. Uma Valeti. Previous titles include Midian Farm (2018), Water On The Table (2010), the HIV/AIDS trilogy for the Stephen Lewis Foundation (2007), the War Child Canada/MuchMusic special Musicians in the Warzone (2001) , and the 1995 music documentary archive of folk – icon Ani DiFranco. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann debate the idea of a vegan company hiring non-vegan employees, and a recent “article” from Safeway in the Washington Times about plant-based foods. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out Sam & Gertie’s Vegan Jewish Deli and Uptown Veg. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Mariann talks to author and activist Deb Olin Unferth about her new novel, Barn 8, and how she came to the story of auditors going rogue and plotting to free one million chickens. She delves into the research she did leading up to writing the book, how her investigations into the egg industry informed the book, and the inspiration she took from recording the chatter of chickens. Deb Olin Unferth is the author of six books, including the novel Barn 8, which grew out of research she did on the U.S. egg industry. Her essays and fiction have appeared in Harper’s, the New York Times, The Paris Review, Granta, Vice, and McSweeney’s. She has received a Guggenheim fellowship, three Pushcart Prizes, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She is an associate professor at the University of Texas in Austin. She also runs the Pen City Writers, a creative writing program for incarcerated writers in south Texas. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann present virtually at Main Street Vegan Academy, Jasmin’s interview with Joaquin Phoenix is now available, and Mariann recorded a new Animal Law Podcast episode. We also talk about the new collection of essays Jasmin edited for Encompass and the ongoing quarantine. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out Compton Vegan. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Jasmin speaks with Dr. Neal Barnard about his new book Your Body In Balance and how some of the common health conditions that people face may be the result of hormone imbalances caused by foods we eat. Dr. Barnard also tells us about how Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is responding in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the challenges of and opportunities for tele-health services during the Coronavirus pandemic. Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that paved the way for viewing type 2 diabetes as a potentially reversible condition for many patients. Dr. Barnard has authored more than 90 scientific publications and 20 books for medical and lay readers, and is the editor in chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, a textbook made available to all U.S. medical students. As president of the Physicians Committee, Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research. His research contributed to the acceptance of plant-based diets in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In 2015, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. In 2016, he founded the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, DC, as a model for making nutrition a routine part of all medical care. Working with the Medical Society of the District of Columbia and the American Medical Association, Dr. Barnard has authored key resolutions, now part of AMA policy, calling for a new focus on prevention and nutrition in federal policies and in medical practice. In 2018, he received the Medical Society of the District of Columbia’s Distinguished Service Award. He has hosted four PBS television programs on nutrition and health. In the intro to the show, we play a sample of a new song from Neal Barnard’s band, CarbonWorks. Then, Jasmin and Mariann reflect on the tragic death of animal activist Regan Russell, and the pain of grief. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out Planet Protein, Nina Raizel Jewelry, and Elife Restaurant. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Mariann speaks with novelist and poet David G. Brooks about his new book, The Grass Library, his life-changing shift to veganism and animal-centric writing, his thoughts on anthropomorphism, and the devastating effects that Australia’s recent fires had on the animal population. David G. Brooks is a poet, novelist, short-fiction writer, and essayist. He has taught literature at various Australian universities, and from 1999 until 2018 was co-editor of Southerly, the premier journal of Australian literature and new Australian writing. Brooks’s work has been widely anthologized and translated, and has won or been shortlisted for numerous awards (the National Book Award, the NSW, WA and Queensland Premiers’ Awards, the Adelaide Festival Award, and an Australia Council Fellowship for his distinguished contribution to Australian and international literature, among others). His novel The Fern Tattoo was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin award, and The Sydney Morning Herald—which called Brooks “one of Australia’s most skilled, unusual and versatile writers”—described his poetry collection The Balcony as “an electric experience.” Currently honorary associate professor in Australian literature at the University of Sydney, Brooks is a vegan and animal rights advocate, and lives in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. In the intro to the show, Jasmin has an interesting intersection with a Trump relative, and Mariann and Jasmin discuss Mary Oliver and what to do with our wild, precious lives in the time of social change and Coronavirus. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out Might Be Vegan, Vegan Wines, and Brewing Good Coffee Company. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Mariann speaks with Kristina Mering, founder and president of the Estonian branch of Anima International, Nähtamatud Loomad. She discusses the work that she and her organization have done towards building an animal rights movement in Estonia and how the history of political and social change in the region has affected this movement, the ways that reform campaigns can and should co-exist with abolitionist veganism, and how vital her academic development has been to her activism. Kristina Mering is the founder and president of the Estonian branch of Anima International, Nähtamatud Loomad. She is also a sociologist with the focus on human-animal relations. She has been involved in the animal rights movement for almost 15 years starting as a teenager and helping to build up the animal rights movement in Estonia. Her organization was elected as the best NGO of 2019 in the country and she received the best volunteer coordinator award from the president of Estonia the year before that. She has conducted sociological research among slaughterhouse workers and fur industry representatives and her latest project is about the social norms regarding meat eating. She enjoys long-distance running and reads at least one book per week. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann discuss the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests and the challenge of how to talk to vegans who don’t recognize the importance of social justice movements. Then we present a reading by Z. Zane McNeill from Queer and Trans Voices: Achieving Liberation Through Consistent Anti-Oppression, the new anthology they co-edited with Julia Feliz Brueck and which includes a contribution from Jasmin! We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out VeeCoco, 24 Karrots Cafe,  and Slutty Vegan in Atlanta. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Jasmin interviews Jim Richards, CEO of Milkadamia, about the origins of the company, why Milkadamia is so committed to making products without palm oil which is ravaging the planet, and why he is a big proponent of Regenerative Agriculture. Jim Richards is the Chicago-based CEO of Jindilli Beverages and milkadamia, the brand that melds an artisanal business aesthetic and nutritional desire with eco imperatives. The company produces a full line of macadamia nut-based milks, creamers and butters. Among his stops throughout his varied career, Jim has been an old style butcher, run a large New Zealand health food company, milked goats, owned an amphibious tour bus, created and manufactured breakfast cereal, introduced soy milk into New Zealand, and built and run a peanut butter factory in Papua New Guinea. In addition to his impressive business credentials, Jim is passionate about causes related to the current eco-crisis. He is one of the foremost proponents in the food sector of the farming process known as Regenerative Agriculture. Jim has published several Op-Eds about the impact that issues like the loss of carbon in our soils and the devastation of rainforests for palm oil production are having on the health of our planet. Jim also is a vocal opponent of the dairy industry, touting the company’s tagline “Moo Is Moot” in explaining why dairy milk is immaterial to our lives. In the intro to the show, Jasmin and Mariann discuss the Black Lives Matter protests currently happening all over the country, how animal activism and veganism are connected to all social justice movements and activism, and Jasmin’s exciting new project with Encompass. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out Simply Mix, vegan drag queen Honey LaBronx, and Trio Plant Based. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.

This week Mariann interviews author and scholar Eva Meijer about her books When Animals Speak, Animal Languages, and Bird Cottage. Eva talks about how human perspectives on animal languages have helped to limit the rights of animals in political decisions and social policy, and the incredible recent discoveries that have been made about how non-human animals communicate with each other and how they attempt to communicate with humans. These books, and this conversation, explore the meaning of what language actually is. Eva Meijer is an artist, writer, philosopher and singer-songwriter. She wrote nine books and her work has been translated into seventeen languages. Her first novel Het schuwste dier (Prometheus) was published in 2011 and was nominated for the Academica Literatuurprijs, the Gouden Boekenuil and the Vrouw&Proza DebuutPrijs. Short stories and poems have been published in Dutch and Belgian literary magazines, such as De Revisor, Tirade and De Brakke Hond. Her second novel Dagpauwoog was published in November 2013, to critical acclaim. In 2016 the book Dierentalen (Animal Languages), a popular philosophical book about nonhuman animal languages and the question what language actually is, was published. Her third novel Het vogelhuis (Bird Cottage), was published in September 2016 and chosen as one of the books of the month by DWDD book panel on national television. It won the readers’ prize of the BNG Bank Literatuurprijs and has been nominated for the Libris Literatuurprijs, the ECI Literatuurprijs, the Vondel translation prize and the International Dublin Literary Award. Her academic work has been translated into French, Italian and Spanish. In September 2018 she began working as a postdoctoral researcher in a four year project about nonhuman animal agency in the Anthropocene at the University of Wageningen. She writes philosophical columns for Dutch newspaper Trouw. In the intro to the show, Mariann tries to watch the show “Sweet Magnolia” but is disgusted by the anti-animal references, Jasmin discusses the connections between HBO’s Westworld and animal agriculture, and we continue to anguish over the plight of animals during this pandemic. We also continue our Supporting Vegan Businesses program by shouting out Bodhi Bowl and Vegan Viridity. Later in the episode, Mariann brings us Rising Anxieties! This episode is brought to you in part by the Barnard Medical Center. To set up a telehealth appointment today call 202-527-7500 or create an account on pcrm.org. As always, the award-winning weekly Our Hen House podcast is hosted by Mariann Sullivan and Jasmin Singer. This episode is brought to you in part through the generosity of A Well-Fed World. A Well-Fed World provides the means for change by empowering individuals, social justice organizations, and political decision makers to embrace the benefits of plant-based foods and farming. Learn more at awfw.org. Our Hen House is now part of the iROAR podcast network. You can listen to our podcast directly on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcatcher! Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it and leave us a comment on Apple Podcasts! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would also consider making a donation, or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Any amount is hugely appreciated, and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible! Thank you for helping us create quality content, and for helping us bring you a new podcast episode each week! Don’t forget to tune into Our Hen House’s other two podcasts: The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and The Animal Law Podcast. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by the incredible Michael Harren.