The Plight of the Longstreet Farm Animals – Save them or Sell them for Slaughter? [POLL]

Posse Poll: Do you feel that a county run farm which is used to educate kids as to the workings of a farm should allow the animals on it to eventually be slaughtered…as was the practice years ago on just about any working farm in New Jersey?

The Friends of Longstreet Farm have been attempting to prevent the slaughter of the animals used therein be discontinued.

According to this:

Monmouth County Freeholder Director John P. Curley told the public at Thursday’s freeholder meeting that operations at the county’s living history farm will continue unchanged, despite objections from animal activists who are unhappy that some of the farm’s animals are sold for slaughter.

Two weeks earlier, Curley offered to compromise with activists from Friends of the Longstreet Farm Animals who went to the freeholder board asking that the slaughter of any animals at Longstreet Farm in Holmdel be discontinued.

Meanwhile, the Board of Recreation Commissioners of the Monmouth County park system has reached a decision to not change how it operates the farm, Curley said.
That includes selling animals to other farms when there is not enough room to keep them at Longstreet.

Bruce Gollnick, assistant director of the county park system, who presented a report to the freeholders from the recreation board, said…“They go to slaughter at some point in time, once we sell them."

Friends of the Longstreet Farm Animals are seeking the discontinuance of any slaughtering.

Suzanne Dragan of Aberdeen, a member of Friends of Longstreet Farm Animals, said the freeholder board received about 100 postcards from Monmouth County residents who are opposed to the slaughtering of any of the farm’s animals. Dragan also claimed about 1,175 people from around the world signed the organization’s online petition in opposition to slaughtering.

“Shame on the freeholders for not listening to their constituents,” Dragan said when reached by telephone on Friday. “Shame on the freeholders, and shame on the parks department.”

Dragan said it was untrue that the group is unwilling to compromise. She said the animals could be neutered, eliminating the need for slaughter.

“They all disagree with any animal breeding program,” Gollnick told the freeholders. “Their long-term goal is to see Longstreet Farm (without animals.)
“…We couldn’t operate Longstreet Farm without animals,” Gollnick said. “It would just be a bunch of historic buildings.”

Gollnick said the animals are used for plowing and harvesting crops at the farm, which occupies six acres.

“This is our heritage,” Gollnick told the freeholders. “We grew up here as an agrarian society. That’s kind of what we’re all about.”

Curley said the farm teaches many youngsters about the cycle of life.

“Animals are utilized as a food source, and not everyone in the world is a vegan,’’ Curley said. “”And you can quote me that I enjoy a good BLT.”

Farm animals do eventually get sent to slaughter…sounds cruel, but it’s how life on the farm has existed for years; and it’s how we replenish our food supply.

And there’s no better lesson for children to learn than the animals they see on the farm, albeit a harsh reality, will one day grace the plates of themselves or their neighbors someday.

Again, isn’t that the way farms work?

Do you feel Longstreet Farm should continue the practice of selling off its animals to slaughter?