"Eating animals", about factory farming

[Owlie]

One of my majors was environmental studies. The year I took the required seminar course, the topic was food. I think everyone in it felt guilty about eating anything for a while. We read The Omnivore's Dilemma, as well as a book about how humans have basically been depleting fisheries for about 1000 years (can't remember the title). Scary stuff.

Living in Ohio, you'd think we'd have more local produce or meat. Nope. Of course, it doesn't help that I live on the East (read, poorer) side of Cleveland. If I can make it to our food co-op, which in summer does tend to have some local stuff, I go there.

Meat...If I had money, I'd definitely pay for free-range grass-fed beef or free-range chicken. As it is, I can't. I'm certainly eating less meat, although that's a function of trying to keep food costs down. I love salmon and tuna, but save the occasional piece of fish or a sushi date with DBF, I don't eat much at all, for both cost and environmental reasons.

[NoNo]

I just picked these from my aunt's backyard coop. I had to fight a hen who was sitting on 20 of them! I asked if we could eat them when their egg-laying cycle was over, but was told they wouldn't be very good except maybe for soup. I can tell you a coop has quite an odor after a week of 90-100 degree heat!

[arielmoon]

I am vegan and although I dont not encourage people to eat animals, I am also a health foodie so I try to suggest grass fed/ free range/ organic to those that are going to. For your own sake.

Food Inc is another good film about factory farming that does not encourage vegism but rather moving away from factory farming. As a human being I found so much of the practices truly disturbing.

[blumensh]

I'm a raw vegan but my kids eat some meat (one of my kids could easily be a vegetarian but thee other is a meat eater) and my husband eats some fish but he's mostly vegetarian. The more you learn about meat processing the more it oogs me out. We try to stick to farmer's market meats and free range eggs but it's not always easy to find.

[tiva]

Broiler farms probably do vary a lot from location to location--here in southern WI, they follow fairly reputable practices, but they may be awful in other locations. But at least hoop house chickens here are treated in ways that respect their evolution a bit, as flocking creatures that need to move and peck (they have litter; they can dig and peck; they can interact with each other). Factory layers are kept alone, in tiny cages where they can't move, and it drives them insane, sometimes literally. Some slaughterhouses follow good practices; others don't. Processing plants are notorious for treating workers horribly.

So what do we do? Consumer pressure really makes a huge difference, so it does matter what you buy, and how you use your political and economic influence.

[Norse]

We eat a lot of chicken, veggies, some fish (DP doesn't like as much), followed by pork and lastly, red meat. We support sustainable local farmers and try to buy all our meat and egg products from them, and veggies when in season and not available from my garden. While I like my veggies, I also like meat but, like many, want to know that the animals were treated ethically. I highly, highly recommend The Compassionate Carnivore by Catherine Friend for those of us who eat meat. http://www.compassionatecarnivore.com/

[SaNdEe]

OMG - like minds! I've just "converted" my husband to the slow food mindset. We read Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilema, saw Food, Inc, read Salatin's Everything I want to do is Illegal. Also Temple Grandin's books are enlightening.
Central Florida is a very hard place to find fresh local food (odd, we have the longest growing season in the US). The number of markets swelled but has since subsided - they have them during the week and don't veryify the food is not re-sale. There's also a resistance to the organic/natural movement (I guess they envision stoned hippies dancing around). People at work assume I'm a vegetarian because I like fresh vegetables and have a yard-garden. And coworkers brag, really and for real brag, about not eating vegetables (and then wonder why they get sick, gain weight, etc). On our quarter acre suburban lot we grow loquats, peaches, collards, tomatoes, oregano, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, stevia, lavendar, bell pepprs, hot peppers - and more. Many plants are worked into our landscaping and the yard looks really nice. We might add chickens (no rooster).
Local, non-processed food just TASTES better. I'm so thankful that my husband and I can afford good food. It can be expensive, but many places are lowering their prices (Crone's Cradle in Citra, has very affordable veggies, eggs, etc).
I'd really love to get kids turned on to farming and growing things. I feel like the next generations are missing this essential survival skill.
Along with safe cycling, of course

[berkeley]

If anyone is looking to source local, pastured/grass fed/free range meat- check out www.eatwild.com .