NEIGHBORS / SHORT TAKES : Edibly Correct : Humane Society and others jump on the bandwagon--or vegetable truck--for a variety of reasons.

Talk about being politically correct. Late last month, the Humane Society of Ventura County held a vigil near Ojai’s Libbey Park to bring attention to the plight of homeless animals. Sounds “correct” enough, right?

Well, that wasn’t all. As part of the function, organizers handed out packets of dog biscuits for participants to bring home to their pets. And these weren’t just any canine cookies. They were homemade--strictly vegetarian, made of whole grain flour and powdered milk.

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Speaking of vegetarian, you may want to mark this on your calendar: We just got word from the Thousand Oaks-based California Vegetarian Assn. that they have planned a Halloween Party/Potluck.

Now where does one get a good legume costume?

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Continuing with the meatless theme, a man named Dave Madison is trying to establish his own vegetarian community near Sisar Creek, about halfway between Ojai and Santa Paula.

Madison owns a 3/4-acre piece of land out there. On the land sits a three-bedroom house and a 33-foot trailer. He is looking to rent this living space to vegetarians who want to be part of his commune-like setting.

“What I’m doing, to a large extent, is creating an organic garden and to some extent a mini-ecosystem,” said Madison. “It’s for people interested in a natural-living lifestyle.”

Madison said he would like his community to have a population of about five.

“I would just have a nice environment where people of like persuasions can feel at home,” he said. “It’s a very beautiful area. We certainly have a climate here for growing many things. I feel probably in time it’s going to be a little utopia.”

Madison’s suggested name for this natural neighborhood? Sisar Salad.

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Do you ever get the feeling that nobody’s listening?

We said, do you ever get the feeling nobody’s listening!

Apparently you’re not alone. A Simi Valley-Conejo Valley group called HearthTenders has planned an Active Listeners training session for next Wednesday. Participants will spend three hours, under the direction of Ventura psychologist Lynn Levine, learning the art of communication.

“Most of the time when you’re having an argument with someone it’s because they don’t feel that you’re hearing what they’re saying,” said HearthTender member Julie Wardzinski of Simi Valley.

But proper listening habits can alleviate the problem.

“You learn to take the essence of what they’re saying and repeat it back to them in (such) a way they will know they are being heard,” said Wardzinski. Then, she said, you tell them how you feel about what you’re hearing. “Then you can start some meaningful dialogue.”

This Active Listeners session is just one of the functions of the five-month-old HearthTenders group.

“We’re dedicated to human relationships. We want to start sort of a grass-roots-type of movement. Our main purpose is just to strengthen interpersonal relationships,” Wardzinski said. “You hear so much about family values. We want to really do something about it--not to oppress people, but with a more supportive society. It’s sort of a hippie thing.”

If you’re interested, call Wardzinski at 522-4632, or Janice Blume at (818) 889-5379.