Food For Thought

Let's talk.....

With my talking, I am sure you could not hear the squeals,

but if you listen to this next clip and turn up your sound (the whole way),

you will hear it in the distance.

(Imagine it 10 times louder and that is how I heard it!)

Normally my mornings are peaceful, 

and the soundtrack is usually the music of the birdsongs,

interrupted now and then by a rooster crowing....

idyllic, tranquil, heavenly (not the rooster).

Occasionally, though, when the wind blows in just the right direction,

my soundtrack becomes one of a horror movie

and I am reminded that not all farm animals live the happy life that mine do.

No, way too many live a life of horror.

So the sounds that I am hearing are coming from this farm, 

less than a mile away as the crow flies.

That low, flat metal-roofed building houses a herd of pigs....

From piglet to slaughterhouse, that metal building is the only life they know.

Cramped quarters, standing in their own and others' urine and feces...

eating and excreting, day in and day out...

never out in the sun or fresh air,

never out to run and play.

No, this is more factory than farm.

And it's inhabitants know nothing but filth and fear.

Sadly, this is just a small representation of how farm animals are treated in this country,

where farming has become industrialized, and the small family farm has all but disappeared.

Farmers no longer know their animals as beings, but rather as "protein"....

and those beings are no longer treated as anything but protein.

Now, don't get me wrong.

I love my bacon as much as anyone.

But it makes you think when you hear that sound,

if having a BLT is really worth it.

I implore you.....

make an effort to search out meat that comes from animals who were humanely raised.

Find small farmers who raise their own animals for meat in small herds....

herds that have the pleasure of spending their lives out of doors with room to run.

Buying organic will not accomplish this end.

The only difference between organic meat and non- is what the animal was fed.

It has nothing to do with the life that that animal led.

It is time to change our food habits.

It's time to take farming away from the large corporations,

and give it back to the farmers.

It is time that we realize we have the responsibility of humanely

caring for the animals that have been entrusted to us.

Photo courtesy of babyanimalz.com

They have no voice....

except the one that blows on the breeze,

and is heard by so few.

Back off my soapbox....
I will leave you with one last "tail" for the week.

This is a picture of the road in front of our farm.
Up at the top, where the road curves, is our pond - off to the right.
Further up the road is our driveway, old log cabin, and the front pasture.
You can see in this picture a yellow sign.

Now, let's turn around and look the opposite way down the road behind us.

What's that along the left side of the road??

Yes, it's our wacky ducks on their daily walkabout.

And this is exactly why we have hung several of these large metal signs.

We have so few cars that go down our road in a day's time,
but at least those few cars are well warned.

What a perfect world it would be if everyone was concerned with the welfare
of our precious critters!  We might even treat each other better, too!

Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are!
I am headed back out to "smooch" my chicklets!