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The other day my family and I visited Old Pine Farm for a tour. It was the first time my toddler
son has been around livestock. We had a great time and we got some lovely photos of the
animals there. There was one photo in particular that I was very fond of: a picture of a piggy
merrily sticking his nose through the fence at us. I later showed this photo to a vegetarian
friend of mine. She gushed over the cuteness of the pig....but then looked a little conflicted
and said "but that piggy is going to end up on your plate..." with more than a little remorse.
I completely respect that she is a vegetarian and was not at all offended by this emotion that
she expressed. In fact, it really made me think. It did NOT make me feel sad or guilty that my
cute little piggy would end up bacon to go with my eggs some morning - it made me feel guilty
for all the times I've eaten bacon with blatant disregard for the animal it came from.
I am an omnivore. I will never give up meat - I love it way too much. There is nothing like a
seared, juicy, barely cooked steak with a little blue cheese crust....mmmm!! But - it's time I
started being accountable for the choices that I make when it comes to animals. I've driven
through middle California and seen the cows all squashed together in the desert, a giant,
stinking cesspool of misery. They are not respected for what they are and they are not
honored for what they do for us. Cows, even domesticated cows destined for our dinner
plates, deserve to live as cows live. That means on green grass, in open pastures, in fresh
air. That means we humans realizing that, by buying meat at a grocery store, we are
supporting the utter disregard for the animals, and furthermore, for our planet.
My father taught me to respect animals when I was younger. As an avid deer hunter, he
always taught us to respect the deer even as we aimed for them (much like Mufasa teaches
Simba to respect the antelope in the Lion King). I had just never connected that level of
respect to domesticated animals. I am attempting to change this now. Lord knows, I'm not
perfect. I still buy my meat at the grocery store once in a while. But, I'd really like to move
further away from that kind of meat - and more toward consistently eating pastured meats. It's
healthier for the animals, healthier for our planet, and healthier for my family.
So, to my soon-to-be-bacon porcine pal, I care about you enough to support you and the life
you will have - in the sunshine, under a cool mist, eating rich and organic table scraps, rooting
and rolling in the mud - as a pig should live. And I will find satisfaction knowing that I have
given respect to the meat I am consuming, that I put my money and energy into providing a
fulfilling life for this little piggy - because the pig I pay for from my CSA means less demand
for a feedlot pig. One less feedlot pig and one more Old Pine Farm pig means I have made a
difference. And that is a truth I can live with.
Anna Peshkess
son has been around livestock. We had a great time and we got some lovely photos of the
animals there. There was one photo in particular that I was very fond of: a picture of a piggy
merrily sticking his nose through the fence at us. I later showed this photo to a vegetarian
friend of mine. She gushed over the cuteness of the pig....but then looked a little conflicted
and said "but that piggy is going to end up on your plate..." with more than a little remorse.
I completely respect that she is a vegetarian and was not at all offended by this emotion that
she expressed. In fact, it really made me think. It did NOT make me feel sad or guilty that my
cute little piggy would end up bacon to go with my eggs some morning - it made me feel guilty
for all the times I've eaten bacon with blatant disregard for the animal it came from.
I am an omnivore. I will never give up meat - I love it way too much. There is nothing like a
seared, juicy, barely cooked steak with a little blue cheese crust....mmmm!! But - it's time I
started being accountable for the choices that I make when it comes to animals. I've driven
through middle California and seen the cows all squashed together in the desert, a giant,
stinking cesspool of misery. They are not respected for what they are and they are not
honored for what they do for us. Cows, even domesticated cows destined for our dinner
plates, deserve to live as cows live. That means on green grass, in open pastures, in fresh
air. That means we humans realizing that, by buying meat at a grocery store, we are
supporting the utter disregard for the animals, and furthermore, for our planet.
My father taught me to respect animals when I was younger. As an avid deer hunter, he
always taught us to respect the deer even as we aimed for them (much like Mufasa teaches
Simba to respect the antelope in the Lion King). I had just never connected that level of
respect to domesticated animals. I am attempting to change this now. Lord knows, I'm not
perfect. I still buy my meat at the grocery store once in a while. But, I'd really like to move
further away from that kind of meat - and more toward consistently eating pastured meats. It's
healthier for the animals, healthier for our planet, and healthier for my family.
So, to my soon-to-be-bacon porcine pal, I care about you enough to support you and the life
you will have - in the sunshine, under a cool mist, eating rich and organic table scraps, rooting
and rolling in the mud - as a pig should live. And I will find satisfaction knowing that I have
given respect to the meat I am consuming, that I put my money and energy into providing a
fulfilling life for this little piggy - because the pig I pay for from my CSA means less demand
for a feedlot pig. One less feedlot pig and one more Old Pine Farm pig means I have made a
difference. And that is a truth I can live with.
Anna Peshkess
| My Carnivorous Conscience by a current CSA member |