What a great topic for discussion.
I am lucky - more than lucky - I have my dream life of a little smallholding, out of the way, but not so isolated it is difficult, and I have peace, and my animals. 20 years of keeping horses ( my first love ) on livery yards, being ruled by their imposed sanctions on what I can and can't do, was too much. After 2 years on a yard that had *unlimited* turnout, which turned out to be * horses not turned out at all from October to April* - we moved. Seeing how the horses flourished in 24h turnout with shelter was the reward. I got 4 sheep with the intention to fatten them for the freezer. We did, they were lovely, in all ways - lovely to see, lovely to handle and lovely to eat. I made myself take them to the slaughterhouse ( I can't call it lovely, because it was a horrific experience for me, but nothing to do with the people - fabulous, calm, helpful, reassuring - or the place - clean, calm, quiet ) and I collected them 3 days later. And I ate them, and they were very tasty. I had had them from weaned lambs, and I knew they had a lovely life, and a calm, stress free death. I also have a small flock of pet sheep - yes I have bred them, but always well well within the limits of the land we have, and when older sheep reach their end, they are humanely dispatched, and removed - not kept beyond what is acceptable for a *reasonable* care or a life. The same is true for my horses, dogs, chickens etc. They have their place, and they are looked after well, and when they retire, they do so with the same care as the others, until life isn't good for them anymore. Better a week too early than a day too late. The fleeces from the sheep go to a friend of a friend, who spins it into wool ball things, and makes stuff. I managed to grab a couple of wool balls and make a hat ! (it didn't fit, I can't do hats, only scarves apparently ) but it was - and will be in the future - used.
Not far from me is a rescue place. All sorts there - horses, donkeys, sheep, a few cows, goats, geese, chicken etc. Some of the sheep are lame, the chickens look like there is a red mite issue, the geese are stressed and thin, the donkey has rain scald, and the horses are standing in deep mud, around a ring feeder with some hay in it, and they look miserable. Apparently they were all rescued from homes that didn't care for them, or used them for breeding/food etc. They sell the wool as vegan, and the eggs as organic, ditto the milk from the cows, yet when I asked how they got the milk, given their *non breeding* status, they wouldn't answer. They sell kittens, and bunnies, baby goats as pets, and offer lamb feeding experiences as a perk in the spring.
Am I wrong in thinking this *ethical vegan farm* is not as ethical as it sounds, and that people go there and feel better about themselves for funding this so called *good* experience. I asked where the goat and sheep babies that didn't get sold went, they wouldn't answer that either.