LANCASTER, P.A. – Throughout the 20th century, the Stockyard Inn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania was a favorite resting place of weary cattleman, and today — after the demise of its historic namesake — it continues to serve steak dinners. But on May 16, the restaurant will do something no one saw coming: serve a gourmet vegan dinner to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Farm Sanctuary (farmsanctuary.org), the organization that exposed animal abuse at Lancaster Stockyards and brought factory farming issues into the mainstream consciousness.
Lancaster Stockyards, which stood next to the iconic steakhouse since the late 1800s, became the organization’s first major campaign target after President and Co-founder Gene Baur discovered Hilda, a live sheep discarded like trash on a pile of dead animals behind the stockyard.
Remembering Hilda
One hot August day in 1986, Baur, then a young advocate, set out for Lancaster Stockyards, the largest stockyard east of Chicago. He had only planned on documenting conditions, but everything changed when he found a crumpled sheep, still alive but too weak to stand, discarded on the dead pile. Lifted to safety, the animal, later named Hilda, made a full recovery and Farm Sanctuary was born. Those days, no one could have ever imagined how this tiny operation — consisting of a single backyard shed in Wilmington, Delaware and funded by the sale of veggie hotdogs out of a Volkswagen van at Grateful Dead concerts — would grow to become the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization with coast-to-coast shelters and more than 230,000 members and supporters, including celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Barker, Kim Basinger, Chevy Chase, and Mary Tyler Moore, but that’s exactly what happened.
Hilda spent more than 10 years roaming the green pastures of Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter and passed away peacefully in her sleep of old age. During her life, she touched the hearts and minds of millions of people: legislators and policymakers who introduced federal and state legislation to ban cruelty to “downed” animals (those too sick or weak to stand), people who learned of Hilda’s plight in dozens of national news stories, and visitors of all ages who met the sheep and learned that farm animals feel pain and sorrow just like dogs or cats. All that Farm Sanctuary does is because of Hilda and animals like her.
Lancaster Makes National History
After Hilda’s rescue, Lancaster Stockyards became the organization’s first major campaign focus. Baur spent countless hours documenting animal cruelty (and rescuing dozens of downed animals) at the stockyard. “Hilda’s plight was not an isolated incident,” says Baur. “Sick and debilitated animals, many weakened from being transported for days in crowded trucks without adequate food, water, or rest from states as far away as Montana and Texas, were often left to suffer and die in holding pens or alleyways. We were shocked to learn this abuse had been considered ‘normal animal agricultural operation’ and was exempt from Pennsylvania’s anti-cruelty laws. We couldn’t rescue every suffering animal, so we set out to prevent the problem in the first place by urging the stockyard to enact a “no downer” policy and stop accepting and selling downed animals.”
In the wake of a major public demonstration and various exposés of inhumane conditions, Lancaster Stockyards became the first U.S. stockyard to enact a “no downer” policy because of humane concerns. As time passed, however, the stockyards’ adherence to its voluntary “no downer” policy became lax, and downed animals were again left to die of neglect. In 1993, seven years after Hilda’s rescue, Farm Sanctuary succeeded in having the stockyard convicted of cruelty to animals after management refused to provide proper care to a weak cow who had fallen and could not get up. Lancaster Stockyards became the first U.S. stockyard to be convicted of cruelty to animals, and the case redefined what constitutes “cruelty” to farm animals under existing laws in Pennsylvania.
Meat Meets its MATCH
On May 16, near the former site of the Lancaster Stockyards, compassion will reign supreme at Hilda’s 25th Anniversary Celebration at the Stockyard Inn. Guests will join Baur and other figures from the group’s pivotal Lancaster era for an inspirational and reflective evening, featuring a wine reception and a three-course gourmet vegan dinner, a first in the restaurant’s history. Chefs are preparing a Vegan Chicken Parmesan Marsala, using MATCH — a high-protein, and cholesterol- and saturated fat-free meat alternative that tastes and looks like real meat — garlic mashed potatoes, a fresh vegetable medley, and a delectable dessert from Pennsylvania’s own Vegan Treats bakery.
But the Stockyard Inn’s foray into veganism will not stop there. With the increased movement toward healthier, plant-based foods, the steakhouse has decided to make a vegan entrée made from MATCH a permanent addition to their menu. “The Stockyard Inn has a reputation to uphold in fine dining — and we are excited to present a vegan meal steakhouse style!” says Jim Fournaris, owner of Stockyard Inn. “We will be using MATCH from now on!”
“Revisiting the scene of so much misery is going to be a powerful experience,” says Baur. “Lots of emotions will resurface, but I predict the overriding sentiment will be of hope and optimism.”
The event on May 16 runs from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the Stockyard Inn, located at 1147 Lititz Pike #1, Lancaster, PA. Space is limited. Learn more and register today.
