As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we want to share a heartwarming story that embodies love, resilience, and the beautiful bonds that can flourish even after the most difficult circumstances. At JP Farm Animal Sanctuary, our dear Allie, a 16-year-old rescued dairy cow, and her beloved companion Ferdinand, a sweet 10 month old steer with his own challenges, remind us of the true spirit of motherhood and the power of connection.

For 12 years, Allie was part of the dairy industry, where she gave birth to 10 calves.

From the moment they met, Allie and Ferdinand formed an extraordinary bond. They have become inseparable.

Allie, who never had the opportunity to nurture her own calves, embraced Ferdinand with a motherly affection that is both touching and profound. In her, he found a nurturing spirit, and in him, she discovered a second chance to be the mother she was always meant to be.

Their relationship is vivid and heartwarming. Allie can often be found lovingly grooming Ferdinand, nudging him with her big, soft nose, as they share quiet moments in the sanctuary’s pastures. In return, Ferdinand brings joy to Allie, encouraging her to take care of him and savor the feeling of family that both have longed for in their previous lives. Their interactions are a living testament to the healing power of love, showcasing how connection can help mend the past.

As we honor mothers, whether they are human or animal, we reflect on the lessons of compassion and love they impart. May all moms and children be given the chance to be together.

With moms in mind,
The JP Family
❤️❤️❤️

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We had the honor and great fortune to host Gene Baur, co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary — often referred to as “the conscience of the food movement” by Time magazine — as he embarked on a heartfelt speaking tour through Connecticut. His talks endeavored to inspire compassionate living and raise awareness about the ethical, environmental, and health impacts of our food choices. His work has paved the way for JP and so many other Farm Animal Sanctuaries around the world.

Gene’s heartfelt speaking tour across Connecticut

University of New Haven: Changing Hearts and Minds

On April 9, Gene spoke to students and faculty at the University of New Haven, hosted by Virginia Maxwell. His talk, “Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food,” explored how our dietary choices shape the world around us — from animal welfare to climate change. The event sparked meaningful discussions and planted seeds of thought that will undoubtedly grow.

Wesleyan University: Changing Hearts and Minds

Then the next day it was off to Wesleyan University, hosted by Elan Abrell, where Gene continued spreading the message of ethical eating and sustainability. We arrived in Middletown early enough to stop at ION Restaurant: Vegan and Organic for great cookies and coffee – the perfect fuel to continue the talks at Wesleyan where he offered different perspectives on the way we think about food, showing how plant-based choices can help us protect animals and the planet — and inspired a lot of curious minds to explore those ideas more deeply.

Kara’s Cures on Channel 3: How to Eat Better for the World

During his visit, Gene also appeared on WFSB’s Kara’s Cures, where he spoke about how eating more mindfully not only improves our health but also has ripple effects across the planet. His conversation helped bring Farm Sanctuary’s message to a broader audience across Connecticut, highlighting his two books: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food and Living the Farm Sanctuary Life: How to Eat Healthier, Live Longer, and Feel Better Every Day.

A reminder that change is possible, and compassion is contagious.

Aroy Thai Garden Vegan Restaurant Hosted by CT Vegan Center: Dining with Purpose

That evening, supporters gathered at Aroy Thai Garden Vegan Restaurant for a special buffet dinner with Gene. The event was a celebration of plant-based cuisine and a space for like-minded individuals to connect and reflect on shared values. The atmosphere was vibrant, warm, and full of hope after Gene spoke which aligns with CT Vegan Center’s mission is to inspire people to treat animals with respect and kindness, and live vegan. 

JP Farm Animal Sanctuary: Compassion in Action

Gene wrapped up the tour with a visit to JP Farm Animal Sanctuary, where he shared the history of Farm Sanctuary, its mission as well as animal advocacy accompanied with legislative wins for animal rights. Here, he celebrated the power of compassion in action. The sanctuary was the perfect setting to close the tour with our community and new friends — a living example of what kindness and advocacy can build. After the talk with lively Q&A and book signing, our guests enjoyed connecting with the JP animal residents and the delicious vegan catered food!

Gratitude to Our Community

None of this would have been possible without the generous support of our community. We are deeply thankful for all the volunteers, donors, and organizers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring these events to life.

Special thanks to our wonderful plant-based caterers who nourished attendees and added so much flavor to the experience:

• G-Monkey Mobile – for bringing their award winning, delicious, and sustainable vegan street food to the table

• Ayla’s Bagels & Coffee – for their incredible support and yummy plant-based treats

• Love It Vegan – for the comfort food that everyone loves

The Journey Continues

Gene Baur’s time in Connecticut was more than a speaking tour — it was a reminder that change is possible, and compassion is contagious. Through education, connection, and delicious food, we took steps forward together.

Let’s keep the momentum going — until compassion is the norm, and all beings are treated with the kindness they deserve.

With inspiration, motivation, and action,

The JP Family

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They’re so easy to make and so tasty for your guests, friends and family …

Ingredients:

• 1 Puff Pastry sheet
• 2 Tablespoons Just Egg (or 1 Tablespoon plant-based milk)
• 2 Cups roughly cut fresh baby spinach 
• 2 Tablespoons Vegan Feta Crumbles
• 2 Tablespoons Vegan Shredded Parmesan for inside the pinwheel
• Sprinkles of Vegan Shredded Parmesan for on top of each cut before going in oven
• ¼  teaspoon Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)
• ¼  teaspoon Hot Chili Flakes (or to taste)
• Flour for dusting
• Parchment paper
• Baking tray

Directions:

1. Thaw puff pastry for 15 min. 
2. Chop baby spinach.
3. Dust work space with flour so puff pastry doesn’t stick.
4. Open up puff pastry & brush Just Egg (or plant-based milk) over the whole pastry sheet.
5. Sprinkle feta on sheet except for ½ inch at the top.
6. Cover sheet with spinach except for ½ inch at the top.
7. Sprinkle Parmesan except for ½ inch at the top.
8. Sprinkle pepper & chili except for ½ inch at the top.
9. Roll tightly from the bottom, then cover with plastic wrap & put in the freezer. 
10. Let chill until firm (great for ahead of time party prep).
11. When ready, preheat oven to 400F, take out of freezer, take off plastic wrap & let thaw for about 5 min, then cut into desired thickness pinwheels (¼ or ½ an inch).
12. Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray.
13. Sprinkle Parmesan shreds on each roll.
14. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until desired crispiness.

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If you asked me a few years ago if I could ever see myself as a Vegan, I would laugh, make an excuse, and say no – until 2023.

Veganism was something that would pop into my mind periodically any time I saw a video about animal neglect, abuse, and torture, but I would typically avert my eyes or keep scrolling to avoid seeing what happens to the animals that humans often treat poorly in the animal agriculture industry so that I wouldn’t allow the guilt to bother me, but a little bit would linger.

Thankfully my open-mindedness and her [Lauren’s] lifestyle began to open more doors and more enlightenment for me…

If we fast-forward to August of 2023 (by now I have learned a lot about all the good that can come from being Vegan and all the burdens that come with knowing the immoral and unfair things that happen to our animal- friends), Lauren and I dabbled with the idea of visiting an animal sanctuary if there was one nearby. That is when we stumbled upon JP Farm Animal Sanctuary. Excitingly, I reached out so that I could try to visit ‘JP’ and soon after Britt got back to me and we arranged a visit.

“Please, visit the sanctuary when you can and you will not regret it.”

With compassion,
Brandon

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Over seven years ago Oscar and I started to create a plan on how to rescue and care for farmed animals. We found land in the beautiful hills of Litchfield and knew it was the perfect spot to provide a home for animals in need.

Since 2019 we have rescued and been able to give a home to over 40 residents.

Our plan was to create a space where people could connect to farmed animals, educate on factory farming and to provide resources to inspire people to change to a plant based diet.

Since 2019 we have rescued and been able to give a home to over 40 residents. Most of them we are honored to still care for while others have lived their lives as long as their bodies could handle.

We are a micro-sanctuary full of hope

We have met so many wonderful and kind people who have supported our mission as we settled in. And as we all know nothing is perfect, so after being here for a short period we encountered many obstacles, COVID-19 being the most prevalent. But we continued to build housing and fencing for our wonderful residents and work on rescue missions. We are grateful that we can take care of all the sentient beings at JP and so appreciative of our Community and work with other Sanctuaries! Without all of our supporters, caregivers and family, we know we could not have done it alone.

We have been able to rescue and provide housing for many beautiful beings, some from the dairy industry, some from the meat industry but all would have eventually gone to slaughter. We are a micro-sanctuary full of hope and have a strong commitment to bring about change for animal welfare and hope to inspire others.

My heart breaks every time I think about the billions of animals that are horribly treated as commodities. Our mission is to continue to educate and help those interested in making a difference for animals. Our “visitor events” have shown that interaction with the residents can change hearts.

So today we celebrate life for all the beings that have no voice and for those who are stepping up to help make effective change for farmed animals!

Your donation will be matched up to $5,000. We would love to meet and surpass this goal as we have more medicine, fencing, building and hay bills not to mention the continued inflation of the cost of goods and maintenance.

You can donate through this fundraiser link: https://givebutter.com/JP5 or any method here: linktree.com/jpfarmanimalsanctuary
Every dollar helps so much to care for the resident animals of JP!

Thank you for being our partner to inspire compassionate living.
With kindness, joy and peace,
Lynn and the JP Family ❤️ ☮️

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