tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7788937665884473331.post5384285850905417848..comments2023-04-06T04:41:14.390-07:00Comments on The Curriculum of Love: Our Own PigsSarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07884797351411470248noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7788937665884473331.post-27909930662550985872013-03-04T17:44:28.484-08:002013-03-04T17:44:28.484-08:00My husband and I are both deer hunters, and I'...My husband and I are both deer hunters, and I've also raised and eaten various animals, mostly chickens. It certainly gives you a whole different appreciation for your dinner, when you knew the individual it came from -- even if you only met her at the moment of her death, in the case of the deer. I always feel sad at the death of an animal, but I'm also grateful that they had a good life.<br /> We have also taken a lot of flack about it, often from hamburger-munching friends, or young relatives raised on Disney movies. We regard that as an opportunity for education, and I've found that a friendly but blunt approach works best. As for vegetarianism, I could never consider that because I also have anemia, but in any case, there's no way to raise vegetables without killing animals. (We used that as a topic for a small group discussion at church -- it was great!)<br /> By the way, be careful about putting chickens on land used by pigs. I've read scary stuff about how viruses can mutate between pigs, humans and chickens. I've never raised pigs, so I haven't looked into it, but maybe you could get information from your vet, or the CDC, on whether viruses can stay viable in pig manure, or if they can only be spread from one live animal to another.Nancy Grohnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7788937665884473331.post-72752300276383168712013-02-25T19:41:05.786-08:002013-02-25T19:41:05.786-08:00I've been lacto-vegetarian for 25 years and my...I've been lacto-vegetarian for 25 years and my husband is 95% vegetarian/flexitarian, so we discuss the "meat" issue frequently. . .especially since he grew up hunting and fishing.<br /><br />Unlike a lot of vegetarians, I've come to respect hunters and fishers more than most meat-eaters, because they let their meat mature in the wild and take full responsibility for the fact that in order for an omnivore to eat meat, an animal must be killed. <br /><br />My husband and I like to watch a PBS cooking show where one of the chefs raises (and presumably eats) his own swine. We admit that this would be hard for us to do, but if we both wanted to be full-time omnivores and had the land, we could imagine ourselves making a deal with a neighboring farm: each farm would raise the same number of pigs/cattle/buffalo, feed them the same diet, and provide a similar barn/barnyard setup. When the time came to butcher, we'd eat our neighbor's animals instead of our own, and vice versa!<br /><br />Some of my relatives were farmers who raised animals in the pre-"factory farm" era, and I suspect if they were still living, they'd be appalled at contemporary feedlot practices.<br /><br />I don't eat eggs, which have always been high on my list of "yuck" foods for aesthetic reasons. However, during the past few months my husband has taken to eating eggs weekly instead of occasionally. We buy organic eggs at our food co-op. They cost more than supermarket eggs, but they're not only relatively free of animal cruelty, he says they actually taste better!<br /><br />I admit: sometimes I miss fish. . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7788937665884473331.post-68323909140181170572013-02-22T14:50:33.365-08:002013-02-22T14:50:33.365-08:00We are vegetarians, but if we did eat meat, I'...We are vegetarians, but if we did eat meat, I'd really want to raise our own, if we could. I think what you're doing is fantastic - and what a learning experience for your children. <br /><br />Enjoy that bacon - it's the one thing I really miss as a vegetarian :)Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02266312924502983038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7788937665884473331.post-11693896422426621302013-02-22T05:03:33.403-08:002013-02-22T05:03:33.403-08:00I am sorry that you've had to feel bad about r...I am sorry that you've had to feel bad about raising your own meat! We've raised both pigs and meat chickens, cooperatively with one of my brothers, many times...and we'll have the pigs on our property again this spring. Our family is not vegetarian either, although I do have extended family members who are. I believe that if we're going to eat meat, I DO NOT want to buy the stuff that's in the store! So, good for you!Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17600694619101352923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7788937665884473331.post-47602607889729181582013-02-22T04:45:14.197-08:002013-02-22T04:45:14.197-08:00i’m sorry you’re getting flack. it’s extremely com...i’m sorry you’re getting flack. it’s extremely common in farm country and you wouldn’t be judged at all, just envied. :)<br /><br />people are a very odd mix. they anthropomorphize animals and then shut their eyes and wince away from knowing how they’re treated at factory farms. it makes it hard to have these kinds of conversations, and it makes it hard to engender change, too, i think.<br /><br />but kudos to you — it looks like you’re doing it right. :)Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00268242308315862551noreply@blogger.com