I’m a horseman. A dog and cat owner. A rancher’s girlfriend. A lover and eater of beef. All of those things that I just listed are choices I make. And last I checked I’m free to make those choices. I’m not breaking any laws by doing so. This week’s spin is on opinions, and while I’m giving you mine, I’m going to point out that some people go too far with theirs.
It seems lately, that my way of life is under attack from vegans. And not only vegans, but those proponents of PETA, and HSUS (aka the Humane Society of the United States- more on them to come- in the form of another post); in other words, animal-rights’ activists that claim that me wearing fur (which I do) or me eating meat is murder. That our *factory* farming/ranching practices are morally wrong.
HSUS is on record as saying that they’d be fine with the extinction of all animals bred for domestic use (read through that page to the bottom- it’s too good to pass up). They’d relish a totally vegan society (no pun intended. Okay. Maybe there was!). I also find that often times, these same people vote for politicians that preach tolerance. But they’re only tolerant if you agree with them. The center for consumer Freedom has numerous articles and journalist’s reports of the HSUS not caring for animals that it rescues. That’s real humane. But that’s not their point. They’re not really concerned for the well-being of animals. It’s a ploy. I promise. If you do your research you’ll find that only a tiny portion of their budgets goes to actually helping animals.
You see, the thing is, I don’t tell a vegan he/she/they should eat meat; just like I don’t tell Jen, the (Sprite’s) keeper of the Spin Cyle, that she should eat pork. If someone wants to be a vegan, more power to them; but many vegans/animal right’s activists do everything in their power legally, and sometimes illegally, to change the face of agriculture, ranching, or animal husbandry, in order to force their way of life on us. And frankly, I don’t roll that way.
One of the things they do to mislead the public (most people living in the city are 3 generations removed from the farm) is tell y’all that corporate farmers and ranchers mistreat their animals. The fact is that98% of the farms and ranches owned in this country are run by families. Zach is a 3rd generation rancher. I have friends on twitter that are 4th and 5th generation ranchers. Do those of you reading this, really believe that by mistreating animals on the family owned/operated farm/ranch that we and other farmers and ranchers would be able to make our livings?
The fact of the matter is that we are very concerned about the welfare of our animals. Rain or shine; hot, cold or snow storm, there are animals to be taken care of. In the winter, regardless of what the weather is doing, there is hay and cake to be fed and water to be opened because we need our animals healthy. Wholly the idea behind animal welfare pre-supposes that animals left to the their own accord, without cruelty from people (hunting) or mankind’s intervention (farmer/ranching), are better off. But these people who believe that have more than likely never seen what a cruel, cruel bitch Mother Nature can be. They’ve never seen an animal die from disease or sickness or from freezing to death, or starving to death in some cases. They’ve not seen the coyotes feasting on the dying carcass. Animals on our place, are rarely left for mother nature to levy her wrath upon.
And if they, these people who put animals above humans, have seen the above, how do they, in their right mind justify that animal suffering at their death, rather than to be put out of its distress qiuckly, painlessly? I’d bet, all of us, if faced with a long, painful death, or quick instant death would choose instant death. And if you wouldn’t, I believe you to be mentally ill.
I am ridiculously tired of the “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitudes of these groups. The same groups that use false advertising, that claim to help animals, yet only serve to further confuse the public and create more legislation. Groups that feign concern over animals; groups that personify animals. I love my horses as much as anyone, but they’re not a human despite what many people want to believe; even I catch myself personifying my horse, dogs, and cats.
True tolerance isn’t forcing me to live like you live. It’s understanding that we’re different. That we want different things. That we will make different choices. That we have different goals and often different world-views. It’s not calling names when you disagree with someone.
Be a vegetarian if you want. Be a vegan if you want. But don’t try to take away my beef!
For more spins visit Jen at Sprite’s Keeper.
Thanks for letting me vent!
Ps. Jen I really wasn’t picking on you. You know I love you!
I grew up on a dairy & sheep farm & have been a vegetarian since my early 20’s and more recently a vegan. I don’t agree with alot of the animal activists & their totally unrealistic ideas that the world should become vegans. I choose to be a vegeatarian initially because I was never a big meat eater. I then choose to be a vegan because I don’t agree with exploiting animals & I just can’t stomach the thought of eating flesh etc. However this is my opinion. What I would like to see is conditions improved for farmed animals. Particularly pigs & chickens. In New Zealand a land of beautiful grazing a company is trying to bring in cattle barns because they can make more money per square meter. This is what I disagree with. There are a lot of very good farmers out there who look after there animals & don’t let them endure any suffering. My other ‘beef’ excuse the pun is that as a human race we basically consume & waste huge amounts of food & products. If we went back to only consuming what we needed then the real farmers could get paid properly & not feel that they had to make so much per acre of land etc. We would also have less obesity & this is a huge problem worldwide. So if you want to eat meat & animal products go for it, but maybe think first about where it came from & how much of it you really need.
Well put Jen. We deal with activists as you know in rodeo. But our animals are very well taken care of. I eat beef and LOVE IT!
Love your post! My husband is the 4th generation that has worked on our ranch, and our daughter will be the 5th. As for me, I’m new to the whole ranching life, having lived in a small town in western South Dakota most of my life. The very first lesson I learned out here was that animals come first, even before the family. Like you said above, they get fed and caked, the ice is cleared on water tanks, they’re bedded or they’re put away in sheds if its calving or lambing season. We butcher one of our own beef, usually because its stifled/lame, and we raise our own chickens, so we know exactly what we’re eating! I especially love it when you said:
” But they’re only tolerant if you agree with them”
So true!
And for all the vegetarians and vegans who are worried about an animals feelings and pain, there are plenty of studies out that vegetables feels pain when they’re eaten destroyed. Google it. I would rather put an animal out of its suffering. We’re all free to make our own choices…. so let us do it!
I’m completely a live and let live type of gal, but have to roll my eyes at the extremes some groups go through to gain noteriety for their actions. I abstain from pork due to a religious obligation that’s just become more routine than anything else, but make light of it when I decline the offers for bacon, not wanting to put my own beliefs on the table right next to the eggs. I know many vegetarians and vegans who live their lives without forcing others to bend to their rules, it’s those who belittle the rest of us who choose not to follow that upset me. Great Spin! You’re linked!
(Oh, and no offense taken! I completely got it! And happen to love turkey sausage.) 🙂
I agree that the folks who think animals should be left to their own devices, haven’t seen the cruelities mother nature can offer up.
I’m going to have to look up the word Vegan, never heard that one before.
Amen to that!!
Good Job, Jen! You said this so eloquently. I’ve loved seeing the photos and video of the cattle, calves, horses, etc on your ranch. We should all have such good lives!
Here on Martha’s Vineyard I see both sides of the coin. There are a ton of vegans, and then many others hunt and rely on venison to get thru winter. People are pretty tolerant of one another, which is a major reason I love it here. I don’t eat a lot of meat, but I do love it. I love animals too. But I agree; some people put them above all the humans suffering in this world. That’s criminal in itself.
Great post!
I just think it’s fascinating that people are so arrogant that they have to try to force their decisions and beliefs on able minded/bodied adults. There will always be someone smarter, educated to a higher level than you or I. There will always be someone richer, poorer…it’s all relative.
But it doesn’t make them right.
I’m having egg salad for dinner tonight, but I’d rather be eating filet mignon with red wine reduction.
This post has pretty much consumed my thoughts today. It’s a huge topic that I don’t pretend to understand fully.
I am (as you said) 3rd generation removed from a farm. 3 of 4 grandparents grew up on farms. I’m not sure about the 4th. As I knew them, they lived in towns and cities and had the jobs of city-folk. I remember a huge vegetable garden that one grandfather kept. But on the other side, the family homestead was not in the family any more.
I was always interested in farming and ranching and have now only, moved to a farm. It’s just over 3 acres and we raise alpacas. We’ve had the farm for 3 months and the alpacas on our place for 3 weeks. So, I am very new to the daily responsibilities of a farmer and my farm is very small. That being said, the daily care and health of our alpacas has been our highest priority since before we purchased our first cria over 2 years ago.
So I believe it when you say most farms are family owned and those family owned farms take the utmost care of their animals and crops. I believe it because I see it in my world.
I see it through the breeders I know and the farmers I meet. I see it in the farms that invite the public to come out and pick produce or visit the dairy or take a tour.
I also see the other side.
There are huge factory farms within a short drive of my home. There are huge factory farms with ominous “Keep Out” and “No Trespassing” signs. Some of these farms are organic. There are what appear to be chicken houses on properties that are eerily quiet. There are rows of temporary housing for pickers behind high chain-link fences. And, there are processing plants with aromas that can only be described as awesome.
I hear that most food comes from the few factory farms, but that most farms are owned by families. I know people who eat vegetarian or vegan but wear leather shoes and wool sweaters. And, I know people who eat meat and potatoes and nothing green, ever.
The HSUS is new to me. I’ve only learned about them a few months ago, and I only hear about them from farmers. My guess is that farmers are giving organizations like the HSUS too much attention and should be giving the attention to their ultimate customers.
Most of the people I know are interested in where food comes from. But since most of us are three generations removed, we don’t know where food comes from. We don’t know what farms are like. Most of us have never been to a farm. We don’t know that it’s ok to call and ask to come out for a visit.
I think if we all spent more time working for what we want instead of against what we don’t want, we’d all make a lot more progress.
There is power in knowledge. It’s our responsibility to give the knowledge to our customers.
Fantastic post Jenn. Not only have you addressed the facts, but also the emotions of many farmers and ranchers when our lifestyles are under attack because the other “side” is misinformed.
The key here is that as farmers and ranchers we need to have a united front and all push back! The idea of a FREE America is just that. FREE! As farmers and ranchers you don’t see any of us saying…”if you don’t eat beef you’re going to grow 6 heads, your mother is going disown you and your life should be more difficult than anyone else’s just because you choose to earn a living differently than joe shmoe down the road.
As they say in the Godfather “We go to the mattress!”
I have some thoughts on Kathryn’s comments.
First, Kathryn, welcome to the farm community. Whether you have 3 acres or 3,000 acres, working with animals and growing food from the land is a great way of life. My husband’s family moved to our homestead in 1867, and we’ve been there ever since. We think we’re small–only 250 head of cows and about 1000 acres of farmland we rent to a neighbor–but all of my city friends think we’re big.
We have no trespassing and keep out signs at our place, not because we don’t want people to visit, but because we’ve been robbed. Most farmers have had equipment stolen or vandalized at some time in their history. The equipment we have in the barn will make a thief more than he’ll ever get stealing big screen TVs, stereos and computers. Stealing cattle is a popular activity in my state right now. Having no trespassing posted gives you a little extra leverage if the perp. is ever caught.
I also know people who have had to destroy entire herds of hogs because a disease came in with an uninvited visitor. No livestock owner wants to see animals be sick, suffer or die unnecessarily. We just need to regulate who comes in contact with our animals to preserve the health of our herd. We have also lost cattle when they were shot by people hunting illegally–another reason we say “keep out”.
We have large barns that I hope you wouldn’t find ominous just because they are large and quiet. I ask that you don’t judge or label others in agriculture without seeing first hand what is being done. Big farming isn’t synonymous with bad farming. There are a lot of lies and misconceptions out there about large agriculture practices that have made many jump to conclusions that simply aren’t true about the rest of us.
People who want the world to “go vegan” have called me a factory farmer and worse. They don’t have facts so they call us names that sound horrible and make assumptions about what goes on in our operations. I hope that never happens to you, but sadly, I think it could someday.
You say we should be working for what we want instead of what we don’t want. We want a fair fight. We want to debate on an honest playing ground. The money the HSUS raises under the guise of helping dogs and cats, goes to efforts that harm agriculture. Don’t kid yourself, after they get rid of the “factory farms”, they’re coming for us little guys. I would be happy to send you some detail on why I believe that is true.
The lies and deceptive practices have gotten very out of hand because none of us have called them on it. It’s not just agriculture, there are many pet lovers who have gone to the internet to tell their personal stories and outrage about how the HSUS operates.
Every time I talk with a group of farmers about the HSUS, I find people who don’t realize what they are really up to. Blogs like this do a good job of educating farm folks about the groups they should and shouldn’t support. I for one don’t want to give money to a group for a worthy cause only to find out they’re actually going to use my own dollars against me.
Jody – thank you. I am happy and proud to be able to call myself a farmer now. I am also very happy that your family has been able to continue on your homestead.
I wasn’t trying to say the HSUS or other organizations aren’t malicious. I don’t know them. As I said, they are new to me.
Yes of course, a large and quiet barn is not necessarily eerie. There are many large, quiet and friendly barns around.
Yes of course, large farming does not equal bad farming. As I said there are farms near here that invite the public to come out and pick, visit or tour.
Yes of course, theft occurs. But fences, bars and signs do not keep out the ones who really wish to steal. They keep out the ones, like me, who are interested in learning more.
Think of the places you like to shop. What does the outside of the building look like? Is it friendly, bright, clean, inviting? Does it have bars on the windows and signs plastered everywhere? Somewhere in between? How do they make you feel?
Please know, I am not trying to minimize anything. I am trying to highlight that we farmers have the opportunity to tell our own story. The public wants to know where their food comes from. They are curious about farms but don’t know how to go about visiting them.
Think about it, if you are 3 (or more) generations removed from living on a farm, chances are you don’t know any farmers, you have never been to a farm and you have no idea what a farm is.
Well said, Jenn! I could not possibly agree with you more. 🙂 Great Spin!
being vegeterian helps me a lot in toning down my body fats and staying fit”~’
being vegetarian made me a lot healthier and leaner.,.