Herd Around the Barn

Latest Episodes:

RE-RELEASE: Climate Healers with Dr. Sailesh Rao Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

After a difficult loss at the sanctuary, we are re-releasing an episode from Kathy’s previous podcast All Beings Considered. This episode features Dr. Sailesh Rao, Founder and Executive Director of Climate Healers. In this episode:

Kathy pays tribute to Sister Mary Frances, a beloved pig “celebrity” at CAS
Dr. Rao reflects on his time working with Al Gore, and the issues he had surrounding the former VP’s approach to climate change
Kathy asks Dr. Rao how he determined that 2026 is a tipping point in the race to slow climate change
Dr. Rao speaks about how his granddaughter helped him understand that humans and animals are a “family”

To find out more about Climate Healers and Dr. Rao’s work, find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Connect with Kathy Stevens:

Facebook: Kathy Stevens, Catskill Animal Sanctuary
Twitter: @CASanctuary
Books: Where the Blind Horse Sings
Website: CASanctuary.org
Instagram: @catskill_animal_sanctuary
YouTube: Catskill Animal Sanctuary

RE-RELEASE: Climate Healers with Dr. Sailesh Rao Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

After a difficult loss at the sanctuary, we are re-releasing an episode from Kathy’s previous podcast All Beings Considered. This episode features Dr. Sailesh Rao, Founder and Executive Director of Cl

Diet For A Small Planet: 50 Years Revisited with Frances Moore Lappé Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

“Hope is power. Hope is what gets us into action.” Kathy is honored to welcome Frances Moore Lapp é, the author of the groundbreaking book Diet for a Small Planet, to the podcast to celebrate the book’s 50th Anniversary Edition release. In a timely and urgent conversation, they talk about:

How Frances spoke out against eating animals 50 years ago, when plant-based eating was a “fringe” movement
The devastating environmental impacts of meat and dairy production, both then and now
Working with her daughter, Anna Lappé, to establish the Small Planet Institute
The one holdout Frances has about going vegan (Hint: it’s a certain type of cheese!)

To follow the Small Planet Institute, find them on Instagram and Facebook.

Connect with Kathy Stevens:

Facebook: Kathy Stevens, Catskill Animal Sanctuary
Twitter: @CASanctuary
Books: Where the Blind Horse Sings
Website: CASanctuary.org
Instagram: @catskill_animal_sanctuary
YouTube: Catskill Animal Sanctuary

Diet For A Small Planet: 50 Years Revisited with Frances Moore Lappé Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

“Hope is power. Hope is what gets us into action.” Kathy is honored to welcome Frances Moore Lappé, the author of the groundbreaking book Diet for a Small Planet, to the podcast to celebrate the book’

Downed Chief: Abolishing NYC’s Horse Carriages with Edita Birnkrant Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

Content Note: This episode contains brief mentions of animal cruelty and bodily injuries.

“It’s really a recipe for disaster.” This episode features Edita Birnkrant, the driven leader of NYCLASS, a New York-based animal advocacy group working to enact animal rights legislation into law. Edita returns to the podcast to discuss the New York City carriage horse industry. She and Kathy talk about:

The lives of New York City carriage horses
Two recent horse carriage accidents that went viral, prompting immense public outcry
Edie Falco’s PSA against the carriage horse industry
Specific ways listeners can help end this archaic industry

To call your City Council member, find their information here.

Call Speaker Corey Johnson at 212-788-7210 to make your voice heard.

To follow and support NYCLASS, find them on Instagram and Facebook.

Connect with Kathy Stevens:

Facebook: Kathy Stevens, Catskill Animal Sanctuary
Twitter: @CASanctuary
Books: Where the Blind Horse Sings
Website: CASanctuary.org
Instagram: @catskill_animal_sanctuary
YouTube: Catskill Animal Sanctuary

Downed Chief: Abolishing NYC’s Horse Carriages with Edita Birnkrant Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

Content Note: This episode contains brief mentions of animal cruelty and bodily injuries. “It’s really a recipe for disaster.” This episode features Edita Birnkrant, the driven leader of NYCLASS, a Ne

An Activist Product: Creating Ethical Chocolates with Lagusta Yearwood Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

In this mouth-watering episode, Kathy is joined by Lagusta Yearwood, the fiercely creative owner of Lagusta’s Luscious, a vegan chocolate shop in New Paltz, New York. During their conversation, Kathy and Lagusta discuss:

Lagusta’s journey from outspoken vegetarian to strong-headed vegan as a young adult in Arizona
How she unexpectedly became a vegan chef and chocolatier in New York City
The ethical issues behind chocolate production, include forced child labor and unsustainable environmental practices
The unique products sold by Lagusta’s Luscious, including pagan barks and Furious Vulvas
Evaluating the ethics of our diets

Check out Lagusta’s Luscious online to order your vegan chocolates...for Halloween or any time of year! Be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Connect with Kathy Stevens:

Facebook: Kathy Stevens, Catskill Animal Sanctuary
Twitter: @CASanctuary
Books: Where the Blind Horse Sings
Website: CASanctuary.org
Instagram: @catskill_animal_sanctuary
YouTube: Catskill Animal Sanctuary

An Activist Product: Creating Ethical Chocolates with Lagusta Yearwood Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

Nightclubs For Viruses: The Breeding Ground of Animal Agriculture with Dr. Aysha Akhtar Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

“When we save animals, we save ourselves.” This week’s episode features a timely and important conversation with Dr. Aysha Akhtar, the President and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences. She is a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, author, and Tedx Speaker. Today, she and Kathy discuss:

Dr. Akhtar’s connection to animals, beginning with a beloved dog named Sylvester
The connection between animal agriculture and pandemics, including the current COVID-19 pandemic
The history of animal experimentation and the lack of regulations in the field today
The ineffectiveness of testing drugs and medications on animals
Alternative testing methods, including “Human Organs on a Chip,” that are researched and supported by the CCS

To follow the CCS and Dr. Akhtar’s work on social media, you can find them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Connect with Kathy Stevens: