Hey, new here!
:)
I've been lurking on this site for what seems to be an eternity, and for some reason, never registered.
My name is Holly, I'm vegan, I'm 32, and I live in Iowa...surprisingly enough, even in the midst of all of the large scale factory farming operations and corporate agriculture that keeps Iowa kickin', it's quite easy to live a vegan lifestyle around these parts. Our farmer's market's can't be beat. ;) I'm a special education teacher, and I teach children with severe/profound disabilities, and severe autism spectrum disorders as well. My decision to go from eating meat and using animal products to animal-free came about on a field trip I took with my students to a local farming operation. The experience left me with such an overwhelming sense of depression and emptiness, that I barely knew that to do...but I knew that I couldn't play a part in giving people a reason to empart such suffering on these living beings.
I would like to add that I think this is just a great community of people...this is my favorite online cache of vegan recipes. This site has converted me into quite the chef!! :) I've also learned a host of other things from the vets around here, just by snooping around the forums.
:)
Hello, and Welcome to the forums! I'm glad You decided to come out of the lurkin' shadows and join Our lovely community. ;)b
...and I still think it takes a pretty strong constitution to be vegan in Iowa. I mean, being surrounded by so many people in "the industry" who act all personally offended that You're not supporting the local economy by consuming animal products, and restaurants who think that vegan = vegetarian = eating fish and chicken, etc.
(I was born and raised in rural IA, and my last few years living there were meat-free and somewhat challenging)
In what part of the state do You live?
If You're nearby, You definitely oughta check out Iowa City. There are a couple of great co-ops, plus there's a restaurant called Red Avocado that serves all-vegan, organic, and mostly local, in-season foods.
well, I hope to see You around the forums more often now! :)
Welcome to the most awesome veg*n group on earth! 8-)
...Well I certainly think it is. ;D
Nice to meet you. Welcome to Vegweb!
Welcome Wookie, glad to see another Midwesterner....(I'm in MN.) I work with children with ASD as well, and have worked with all ends of the spectrum, its passion for me! Have fun on Vegweb and join in on the forums if you want!
Hi Holly,
I'm in AR, where it's also (a) fiendishly easy to find fresh local vegan yummies pretty much all the time; and (b) easy to draw fire for not eating meat! So you're not alone. :-)
I also worked with severely autistic kiddos until this summer (moving/ geriatric demographic, so shifting to rehabilitation OT as needed to meet local job market demands), in both public ed & therapy clinic settings... I always think of those old Peace Corps ads: 'It's the toughest job you'll ever love!"
Anyhow... glad you're here, and hope to see you around the forums! Welcome!