No. But sometimes the irony of certain forms of current secular “Puritanism” impel me to say things that are not necessarily in direct response to something anyone else has said. Just one of those “stream of consciousness” things, my friend.
I’m not sure the mere existence of CAFOs mandates becoming vegan and obliging one’s whole family to do it. One might be justified in thinking it implies a negative judgment on those whose animal husbandry is quite good, but about whom one knows nothing despite perhaps having the ability to find out.
What’s a CAFO?
CAFO = Confined Animal Feeding Operation - also called factory farms - something the Holy Father has spoken against
Can you provide the complete source for your signature - I heard - years ago, a beautiful talk by Bishop Sheen on Judas - and I would like to see this quote in context… thanks
What will you change if and when a video comes out showing the inhuman conditions which exist to fuel the vegan market filling a niche for monetary gain, ie …greed? Underpaid migrant workers, substandard living conditions, slave like conditions for workers of all ages including children, deforestation for almond plantations and organic fruit and crops?
Gee - why the sarcasm? I have tried to share why this makes sense to me in light of my faith.
Let me ask, in all sincerity, what would it take - what would you have to learn to make a change?
Now I think you can understand the reason for the sarcasm. Look at the questions they raise the same issue that mine did.
Is it either or?
This is exactly why I prefer the “homesteading” option. If I grow and produce as much as possible of my own food, I contribute less and less to the awful conditions so much of the world has to work in. And I can afford to spend extra for what little I need to bring in, to assure that it was grown and produce in a way the is Fair to the workers! Of course, as my mother reminds me, this doesn’t help all the truckers who need transport work
. There is always something, isn’t there! I just try to keep my contribution to the negative aspects as low as possible.
It seems “health” is the new secular religion, and I resent being told what I must and must not do “for my own good”. A lot of the vegetarian and especially the “animal rights” end of it does have a tendency in this direction, but for what it’s worth, I don’t think that this is the direction our friends on this thread are going in.This thread seems to be slowing down, so maybe i can be forgiven for expressing a random, but somewhat related thought. I realize not all vegetarians are into organic farming, but I wonder how much they realize that organic farming would be in a very bad way except for the livestock industry. Organic farmers are quite dependent on animal manure if they do not use commercial fertilizers. One really can’t go around picking up the odd mouse dropping here and there, after all.This is exactly why I prefer the “homesteading” option. If I grow and produce as much as possible of my own food, I contribute less and less to the awful conditions so much of the world has to work in. And I can afford to spend extra for what little I need to bring in, to assure that it was grown and produce in a way the is Fair to the workers! Of course, as my mother reminds me, this doesn’t help all the truckers who need transport work
Ridgerunner, I love that you mentioned secular Puritanism! We deal with it often in New England, where they’ve banned smoking in public places
Blessings,
Masha
That’s definately true! Cow manure especially is ideal. I have high hopes of someday having a cow or two of my own ~ not only for the “free” manure, but as company for my horse, and especially, for the milk, which I love, without the constant worry about whether or not it came from mistreated animals.
Ah! As one who has lived with cow manure pretty much from birth, let me make a suggestion. Fresh manure isn’t the best, because it’s pretty acidic. For that reason, I wear special oil-treated boots in the corrals. Fresh manure will eat ordinary ones up.
Oh No! And I’ve had such high hopes for them being the best of friends (my husband thinks I’m a hopeless romantic). Oh well, the horse has the dog anyway, and they get along wonderfully. The cow will have to content herself with cats and me…Ah! As one who has lived with cow manure pretty much from birth, let me make a suggestion. Fresh manure isn’t the best, because it’s pretty acidic. For that reason, I wear special oil-treated boots in the corrals. Fresh manure will eat ordinary ones up.
The best for gardening is what I think of as “depleted manure”; manure that has some age to it. The absolute best is manure that has been stomped in with hay and mud in some farmer’s barn or “loafing shed”, but a barn or shed that is no longer in current use. Cut that into the soil of a garden and it will make berries or vegetables pop out of the ground, rich and colorful and flavorful.
Horse manure, I don’t like. Can’t get past the odor for some reason, and those “biscuits” don’t mix well with soil anyway. To each his own.
Man, I truly do hope you get your cow one of these days. But I wouldn’t count on it and the horse getting along particularly well. Some horses have a tendency to bully cows, and ponies are the worst of all in that regard. (It’s the biting)
Yes it is both. Your understand is no more correct than mine.
I don’t believe I ever said that I see your choices as uninformed, or that mine are more informed. If I have given you that impression that this is my belief I am sorry, I am only trying to share why this choice resonates with my faith, what motivates me - what resonates with me. I can only say that 5 years ago I didn’t know anything about the issues of factory farming - after learning what I have learned I believe I had to make changes and try to inform others - for some people it resonates, for others it doesn’t.
4Elise, according to the USDA and the EPA, so called "Factory Farms’ make up less than 15% of US agriculture. Of those 15% many are fairly traditionally run family enterprises. So, why is it that activists take action against all of US agriculture when it would seem that a minority of farms fit into the ‘Factory’ category?