17 Sep THE GOATNESS OF A GOAT
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, October 5th…our next tour. Join us @ 11 am. Pre-registration is required. Sign up here.
Saturday, October 26th…our next Volunteer Day. Pre-registration is required & space is limited. Learn more and sign up here. Please note: The September 27th Volunteer Day is SOLD OUT.
“‘THANK YOU’ is the best prayer anyone can say”- Alice Walker
Chenoa Manor wishes to express gratitude & thanks to:
Rumbleway Farm. As a way to give back to the community, this farm allows Chenoa Manor to use their certified kitchen for the production of our vegan nettle pesto.
Xavier University students Nick, Hannah, Jess, Natalie, Tori & Jackie. They have created their own sand volleyball team entitled “The Chenoa Crew” to continue their friendships that started during their week-long workshop at the Manor. Remember team, do whatever it takes to win…Jamar is counting on you!
WHAT WE’RE BUZZING ABOUT
VegNews Magazine. A great publication for topics pertaining to all things veg.
Vedge Restaurant. The premier dining experience for haute-cuisine, and – lucky us – they are in Philadelphia.
Student volunteers appreciating the goatness of the goats.
IF I COULD TALK TO THE ANIMALS
This lovely gem was feedback provided by a recent guest after her official tour of Chenoa Manor:
I’ve been turning over my thoughts and impressions about Chenoa, and it really comes down to “I am a Goat.” Or to unpack the thought a little further, the animals are there to be what they are – Goat, Tortoise, Llama, Rabbit, Horse, whatever. They by necessity have interaction with and dependence on humans, but they are not defined by their interactions with humans. As humans, we typically see animals as defined by their relationship to us (“Why do you keep horses if you aren’t going to ride them?”), even with the most well-meaning intentions (“All rabbits must be adopted to indoor homes where they will interact with people”), as opposed to appreciating them as beings with their own paths.
There’s something really interesting in animals being animals. The animals at Chenoa Manor live at an interesting nexus. They do interact with people; they have a role in the lives of the humans at Chenoa. But, they are not expected to live their lives to serve these people. Their role for the humans at Chenoa is to be a “Goat!”, “Chicken!”, “Pig!” in the way they see fit, and to let us experience their “Goatness”, “Chickenness” or “Pigness”. In exchange, they are cared for and protected in a way they could not be in a factory farm or the wild. In that way, it is a little bit of a fantasy world for us all.
Perhaps it puts us humans back in our “place”? Someplace a little more balanced and harmonious?