Presidential candidates hoping to capture the media’s attention on the eve of the First in The Nation Primary… were upstaged for a few hours by farm animals visiting media headquarters in Manchester.
Carol Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, New Hampshire, a small, locally run farm.
She traveled with animals to meet the candidates and the media who were camped out at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester Monday.
Soule transported a steer and a pig to highlight the needs of local small farms. The very large big brown animal’s name is, “Curious Blue and he is a four-year-old, Scottish Highlander Steer. And you can see by his hair he’s got long, shaggy hair perfect for New England winters. He’s a fair prize winner.” The house pig she also brought along has a name and it’s, Tazzy D. Moo, who is a house pig and uses a litter box and the pig, says Soule, is a Bernie Supporter.
Soule says local farms like hers need more financial support to survive.
Her animal farm stunt in the midst of the last full day of campaigning is all about the small farms. “Small farms are what make America Great,” says Soule.
Soule says every farm is struggling economically and the presidential candidates should know that. She says more programs are needed and more people need to buy from local farms.
Farming is big in the New Hampshire...and leads the nation in terms of the percent of farms selling products directly to the public with a figure of 10-point-six percent, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Soule supports Bernie Sanders saying he's the voice of the little guy, Tazzy D. Moo is a little pig, and she's a small farm, and they’re feeling the “Bern,” but she's hoping to capture the attention of whomever becomes the next president.
To listen to the extended Interview with Carol Soule and WGBH’s Marilyn Schairer click on the audio file.
