Here we are in the middle of the holiday season, seems it comes along so quickly doesn’t it?
Whatever type of holiday you may celebrate, if at all, everyone can enjoy this happy ending true story where the main ingredient is turkey - turkeys being rescued from certain death, that is.
One day I had a frantic call from a friend who was distressed by her rural West Palm Beach neighbor selling live turkeys for home slaughter.
When you meet these inquisitive bird species, and recognize the scope of their personality that develops when they are given the freedom to enjoy their natural lives, preconceived notions tend to fall away. So, off I went with two large carriers in the back of the car and a determination to save these animals.
An obviously unhappy woman greeted us at the gate; as our quick visit progressed I realized she did not want the turkeys to be killed and the decision to sell her friends was made by her father in-law. When all of the turkeys who were left, three females and one male, were safely in the carriers, I ensured her these turkeys were now saved, and will have a forever, happy home, as we pulled out of the driveway.
The days before the turkeys were due to be someone’s dinner, Dickens, Emily, Elizabeth and Charlotte were honored dinner guests along with their new goat friend, who tried to eat the flowered centerpiece. The feathered and hoofed friends enjoyed vegan pumpkin and sweet potato pies for their homecoming feast. The rescued birds’ ended up in living - and I do mean living color on the local sections’ front page of the Sun-Sentinel, reminding all who read the news article turkeys are someone, not something.
A happy ending story for four birds whose lives were saved from a certain, grisly death.
I would be remiss if I did not mention what a great holiday gift “Animal Hero Kids Voices for the
Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe (Quick Version)
It is so easy to enjoy your holiday fare without animal cruelty as the main ingredient. Here’s the best recipe for pumpkin pie, this is one of our animalherokids.org Coprez Genesis, favorites. Pumpkin pie is also a favorite of Genesis pictured with Charlie at Wildwood Animal Sanctuary in this beautiful photo on page 3 taken by photographer extraordinary, Beth Lily Redwood.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 3/4 cups of Organic Canned Pumpkin
• 8 oz. of silken tofu Voiceless” is, for all ages of people who wish to enjoy heartwarming stories with happy endings like this one.
• 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (a little extra cinnamon never hurts)
• 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• A dash of salt
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
PREPARATION
Make it easy on yourself and buy the vegan pie shell, I like Mrs. Smiths, also Publix Gluten free frozen crusts are good. Bale at 350 for about an hour, or when it smells really good, whichever comes first.
Susan Hargreaves is the woman behind Animal Hero Kids, an all-volunteer charity educating, empowering and recognizing kind youth. animalherokids.org
