Off the production line

**** Bothered, very, very bothered *****

Sorry she's ranting again.... but watch this video below and hopefully you'll understand why.  I wasn't planning to put up a post today but stopped by at one of my favourite daily reads, modern forager and was shocked by this video that it's upset me enough to join in.

Yes, I'm on the paleo diet, so it's quite clear I'm not vegetarian but lately the question of where my meat comes from has been troubling me.  It may be that Jamie Oliver, Britain's favourite chef, has been spearheading a campaign recently on the issue with an excellent program recently 'fowl dinners'  posing the question - why are our chicken and eggs becoming  so cheap? 

Maybe I'm just being a sentimental animal lover, but are we so dissociated from the origins our food that we forget from where and what our burgers and drumsticks actually came from.  We must be, to allow what I see in that video to happen. I don't know, this video is from America and not the UK so I'm not 100% sure that this represents what happens in the UK.  However, wherever we may be, it's to satisfy our ferocious appetites that the raising of meat has moved out of the farmyard and to the production line.  I'm not saying don't eat meat, but by voting with your purse and responsible shopping could help towards a more comfortable life *and ending* for the animals we eat.

Halal or Kosher meat receives criticism - it's cruel.  But what makes meat halal or kosher, is a prayer that's said to God (Halal = 'from God to God') before the animals slaughter and paying respect for the creature that's about to die - hmmmm, I didn't see much respect in that video, just pure out and out cruelty. 

I was bought up in the country and we raised a few animals that, yes, did eventually come back to the pot.  But the lambs and chickens we raised on a small scale had at least frisked and frolicked before we ate them.  Maybe it's this experience that means that I want to know any animal I eat enjoyed it's short life, had been in the sun, spent time with it's mother and most importantly wasn't tortured and was killed quickly and humanely.

Comments

[justoofat]

Wow. I simply couldn't watch all of the video... it's so distressing. Following the links I ended up at Jamie Oliver's site and I couldn't agree more that buying local and reading labels and purchasing the most cruelty free products that you can afford are key. Thanks for posting this.

j

[AllHeart]

This is exactly why I purchase and eat only local organic free-range meat and animal products. It costs a bit more but you can taste the difference and you know it's clean meat (no steroids or dodgy stuff in it) and that the animals have had a great life. I have personally seen the properties and living conditions of the animals I eat and I must say it has given me great relief. For many years before I made the switch I did have a nagging conscience wondering about how well the animal I was eatting was treated while alive.

I strongly urge everyone to switch to local organic meat suppliers. The extra cost is well worth it. You get the following benefits:

1. Supporting a local farmer and not some fat foreign corporation that leeches money out of the country.
2. Highest quality meat and animal products. No junk in it and you really can taste the difference.
3. The knowledge that you are eatting ethically and decently. How an animal lives and dies matters to anybody with a soul.
4. Low food milage means a big bonus for the environment.
5. This style of organic farming means much more sustainable practices and environmentally friendly setups.

As you can see, the extras are HUGE benefits which in my opinion are worth a lot more then the few extra dollars they cost.

[DoingTheCaveman]

Justoofat - No, thank YOU for attempting to watch it.

What is it they say? if we couldn't kill it then you shouldn't eat it ... that often bothers me because, given the opportunity, I'm not sure that I would be able to do the deed myself. Actually, I used to stand in my father's path, pleading with him when he took a chicken to meet its fate.

AllHeart - It's so worth the few extra pennies for the reassurance your meat has been sourced ethically, pleased to hear you're already a step ahead. I'd a fixed memory of farms I'd known in the past (friends farm was my playground - before the days of health and safety!!) so the barbaric methods and use of fork lift trucks etc *really* gave me a shock.

In relation to sustainable practices watch out for a heartwarming video I've sourced and will add shortly. Btw, thanks for dropping by I missed your presence, hope you are well.

[AllHeart]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm always checking in here once or twice a week, just I don't have a comment worth making every time :) I'm always glad to have a bit of a chat or comment on something I have experience with or knowledge in so know I'm always nearby and any post directed toward me will get a prompt reply.

Take care and my hat's off to you at how well you are progressing with the weight loss, even if you don't see how well you are doing sometimes...other people do ok :)

[DoingTheCaveman]

Thanks AllHeart, you chose your name well. My posts have been a little off subject lately, I did want to note though that I've appreciated your company and time with this journey. Yes, I am following the progress of a few others although mostly 'lurking' at the moment - when you're having a bad week it's uplifting to see others are doing well :)