Tanglewood Conservatories Blog – Alan Stein's Writings about Custom Conservatory Design and More

“Cambodian Yorn Sokhan from Prah Nethprah District is all smiles since piglets arrived from supporters of Heifer International.”

Someone introduced me to the organization Heifer International, a fantastic and absolutely unique group.

We visited their headquarters in Little Rock Arkansas where we are working on a large conservatory project.

Heifer (after the cow) began in 1944 with the aim of helping impoverished families worldwide by giving them livestock and teaching them to care for them. They have helped more than 10 million families in this way over the past 60 years.

They have a remarkable gift catalog which I would recommend to anyone, which features kids and their parents with their new calves, goats, chickens, pigs, sheep, rabbits (including angora), bees, llamas, buffalo. They also can give camels, oxen and donkeys!

They say of their catalogue: “The Most Important Gift Catalogue in the World”, and I think it may be.

One of the features of their program that I found interesting is that the families are required to “pass on” a certain number of the offspring to other families in need. This dramatically multiplies the effect of the gift.

Here’s a blurp from the catalogue:

“Heifers For The Holidays”

“What would be the better gift for someone you love this holiday season- another present that gathers dust on a shelf? Or a donation that represents a Heifer and training in it’s care, made in the honor of your special someone, that brings health and hope to people in need?”

“Better still, every gift multiplies, as the first calf from each heifer is passed on to another family in need- then they also agree to pass on an animal of equal value, and so on.”

“Now that’s quite a gift. A good dairy cow can produce up to four gallons of milk a day- enough for a family to drink and share with neighbors, and still have enough left over to sell.”

“The protein in milk can transform sick, malnourished children into healthy boys and girls. The sale of surplus milk earns money for school fees, medicine, clothing and home improvements.”

“And because a healthy cow can produce a calf every year, every gift will be passed on and eventually help an entire community move from poverty to self reliance. Now that’s a gift worth giving!”

This is truly a worthy enterprise. Please consider supporting their efforts.

“Heifer animals are like living savings accounts for struggling families… and may be the most interest bearing.”

Alan