Life is different on a farm. You get to experience hard work, and more importantly you get to see where your food comes from. Like you really, really get to see where your food comes from. It may not be so bad pulling tomatoes out of the garden, but everything about getting meat from the farm to the table can be pretty brutal. Glenn described what he had planned for the family today, and you might become a vegetarian after going through this.
Spent all day in bed wrestling a bad cold. We had a 'Dr. Who' marathon.
Tomorrow AM we are going down to our farm in the valley and feed the cows, and castrate the young calves.
Yikes. Our first time. Not sure how all of us are going to react. My son doesn't want to go. I know what he means, I want to cross my legs every time we discuss it.
Having a farm where we can grow our own vegetables is one thing, but the ranch in the mountains is a whole different thing.
I tell the kids, if they can't look at it and help then they need to be vegetarians. No problem of you don't want to do what it takes to bring hamburger to the table. I get it. It is hard work but it also tugs at your heart. These are Gods creatures. They must solve that conflict and if they can't they shouldn't eat it. It isn't right to turn away from moral dilemmas.
I don't like the mass chicken plants etc for that reason. I won't eat veal for the same reason. It isn't right to box an animal so it is more tender.
We need to be humane and treat them with care and respect. You want to give them massages every day? Cool. I won't pay for the Kobe beef but some will.
No foie gras, no veal and humane chicken ranches. I personally feel it is only right.
I think it is good to raise the kids around farms. So much of life is self evident on a farm. Most don't even know where food comes from. Let them see it and decide for themselves.
If they decide to go vegan so be it. I want my children to have strong opinions. Should they disagree with mine even better as long as they can defend it.
Let's show our kids the truth and teach them theories too. But most importantly,teach them how to think. Critical thinking and expose them to as much of life as you can.
Tomorrow, perhaps, I lose a meat eater. Who knows, maybe it is me, although I doubt it.
Steak is yummy!
Last time we did something like this we ended the practice of branding on my ranch. Our ranch manager doesn't like it either.
God is great and we must be kind and gentle stewards over his creation.