Like everybody else, cows love to play. Calves romp with each other, of course, but elders also love to have fun. On hot summer days at the sanctuary, playtime usually starts just before sundown, when the weather cools and everybody needs to get their ya-yas out before bedtime. It's heartwarming to see a herd of cows running figure eights around the barn, kicking up their heels in glee!

Another occasion for glee is the arrival of a new sanctuary resident. Cows are so welcoming: They always assume that whoever is inside the trailer rumbling up the driveway is going to be a new friend. And a new friend is cause for celebration! So, by participating in the Veg2Vegan Challenge, you are showing kindness to some of the kindest beings on earth.

Visit VINE Sanctuary on Facebook or Instagram to meet some of the 40+ bovine members of our multispecies community. You can see videos of cows playing at the sanctuary here and here.

To read a description of cows at the sanctuary at play, see this blog post.

A must-read for making the connections between veganism and feminism, we recommend The Sexual Politics of Meat by Carol J. Adams.

If the cows here at the sanctuary knew you were taking the Veg2Vegan Challenge, they would want you to have fun with it. Trying new foods and tasting new flavor combinations, or just new ways of preparing old favorites, can bring variety -- which is the spice of life -- to your diet. So, while we will be giving tips for "veganizing" favorite dishes later this month, today we want to encourage you to try something new! 

Play around with dessert by incorporating nutritious sweet potatoes into brownies. These treats are not only vegan but also gluten-free and packed with nutrients: Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies.  

This dessert recipe combines the creaminess of avocados with the richness of dark chocolate and adds a playful twist with chili for a unique and delightful flavor combination: Avocado Chocolate Mousse with Chili.