Barn & Soul Podcast: Episode 17 - The Invisible Work of Farm Animals: More Than Meat, Milk, and Eggs
Description
Barn & Soul – Episode 17
🎙️ The Invisible Work of Farm Animals: More Than Meat, Milk, and Eggs
When most people think about farm animals, they picture food—eggs, meat, milk. But that’s never been the whole story.
In this episode, we explore the unseen, often uncelebrated roles that animals have played in our survival and our stories. From providing warmth through wool, to powering early economies, to offering emotional support and companionship, farm animals have done more than feed us—they’ve walked alongside us.
Join me as we take a heart-centered journey through the history, labor, and quiet legacy of the animals who’ve given humanity far more than we often realize.
🐐 Wool as survival gear
🐄 Cattle as currency
🐎 Animal-powered labor
🐖 Emotional connection & therapeutic presence
Let’s slow down, honor their impact, and reconnect with the invisible work that still matters today.
📚 References & Sources
- International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO)
Wool and Sustainability Report 2023
https://iwto.org/wool-sustainability - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
Livestock and Cultural Heritage
https://www.fao.org/livestock - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Animal-Assisted Therapy: Effects on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression (2020–2024)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8790605/
(Example from 2022: Stress Reduction through Human-Animal Interaction) - Journal of Animal Science
Historical Uses of Oxen in Agriculture
https://academic.oup.com/jas - National Geographic Education
The Role of Animals in Human History
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/animals-and-humans-through-time - Smithsonian Magazine
“Chickens and the Invention of Capital”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com - American Psychological Association (APA)
Animal-Assisted Therapy in Clinical Settings: Meta-Analysis and Review
https://www.apa.org - BBC Travel & History
“Why Wool Was Once More Valuable Than Gold”
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220201-wool-warmth-wealth
United States
