By Stephen Leckie

On Sunday, I got to see a very uplifting and moving talk by Harold Brown, Outreach Coordinator for Farm Sanctuary.

In his talk, he explored how activists can become more effective and inspired by using compassion and human psychology. The idea is to become 'farmers' of compassion. Activists are like farmers hoping to plant seeds of compassion in omnivores (who are fertile soil). "We need to cultivate and water those seeds." Harold says the best way is to come from the heart and understand that (for most of us) we were in the same place before becoming vegetarian. When we become angry it is like pouring toxins on the soil, and people will often react negatively. "We need to be like mentors. Make friends with omnivores. Go outside your vegan bubbles," he said.

He recommended a new book called Pleasurable Kingdom that focuses on the pleasure of animals. The book inspires respect and appreciation for all creatures by looking at the inner lives of others. It shows how animals seek comfort, play, and mutual grooming. They are capable of love and joy. "We are so used to focusing on the suffering," said Harold.

When we put out a negative message – it often comes back.

Harold likes the approach of showing the reality  of factory farming by using images, but when talking about it to others – he suggests coming from the heart. He especially likes the idea of outdoor video education displays (see TARS). People who pause to watch the footage are invited to ask questions and take some free information. An effective way to reach people is to ask questions instead of trying to tell them facts. Ask questions like, "Did you realize that meat comes from places like this? Do you agree with this? Would you like to learn ways to change this?"

One time, after he was invited to participate in a debate at an agricultural college, a student challenged him. The student said he had worked for a few months in a facility where sows were kept in farrowing crates. Harold said: "I am glad that you had that experience. How did it make you feel seeing the pigs confined like that?" The student went on about how the system is better, more efficient, prevented the spread of disease, and so on. Harold said, "I didn't ask about that, I asked, how did it make you feel." Again the student rattled off facts and referred to studies. Harold was about to ask him a third time, when female friend touched his arm, and she said: "He asked you, how did it make you feel?" The student was unable to speak.

For this year's Mother's Day campaign where activists stand in front of restaurants with signs about veal crates, Harold recommended a different approach. He suggested focusing on the bond between mother and child. Calves are taken away from their mothers within 48 hours so that we can eat them and use their mother's milk. He also suggests demonstrating just prior to Mother's Day but not on the actual day, in order to respect mothers.

Harold told us about effective work the Christian Vegetarian Association is doing. They are making inroads at the mega churches by standing in front with pamphlets that say "Honoring God's Creation."

He started the evening with a brief history lesson – we are the descendents of herders dating back to the dawn of agriculture, 10,000 years ago. Before that, Harold believes that we were essentially gatherers and scavengers. He doesn't buy the idea that we were major hunters because at early human settlements, archeologists have only found parts of animals, never entire skeletons. Humans were likely gathering nuts, seeds, leaves, shoots and tubers, and scavenging kill sites for bones and meat remains.

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Harold Brown has spent half his life farming and was raised on a cattle ranch in Michigan. But for the past 17 years he has been vegan after initially changing his diet due to high blood pressure and a family history of heart disease. At the time he didn't even know what the word 'vegetarian' or 'vegan' meant. He actually learning about the word from a bumper sticker on the back of a car that he repaired. The slogan read, "I don't eat my friends," He asked the vehicle's owner what the sticker meant.

Harold coordinates a campaign to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices (see AskFarmerBrown.org). He also appears in Peaceable Kingdom a Tribe of Heart documentary where he tells the powerful story of his own personal transformation from "beef" farmer to vegan farm animal advocate. The talk was held Sunday, March 18 at the TARS potluck .