I have a lot of dreams, but my most realistic, realizable dream is to be a farmer. I really love plants and being outside. I love the idea of being able to hangout at home with my kids. I love the concept that all of the meat I eat came from an animal that was treated well while it was living. And, I especially love that I will have all of the super delicious, awesome food I want. It's a little bit about self-sufficiency, and a lot about resource stewardship and appreciating the miraculous, life-giving food we eat.
Like bread. It's $2.00. Two dollars, and it represents that wheat was sown, weeded, watered, harvested, cut, threshed, cleaned, and ground. It was mixed, leavened, punched down, risen, baked, sliced, and delivered to a place where you could pick it up with your other groceries. Crazy. That being said, I have no desire to grow wheat. Civilization evolved because all of the processes that grain takes to be tasty is really labor intensive. No thanks. But, that's my point. While I think it is entirely unnecessary to admire every slice of toast, I do think that occasionally you should think "Man, I am so blessed. Look at the bounty all around me, that is really ridiculously cheap when you think about all of the labor I've been saved." And I think growing food reminds you that tomatoes, and shredded cheese in a bag don't just spring into existence, ex nihilo. While many of our foods are factory farmed all of it eventually comes down to the vicissitudes of rainfall and sunshine. In the post-apocalyptic future where dust obscures the sun, we could still make three bajillion microchips, but we would sooner rather than later starve to death.
I also think that we should thank our meat. I know most people don't like to think about the fact that something died in order for them to eat their Chicken Alfredo, but it did. And ignoring that fact doesn't make it disappear. A little gratitude and perspective is in order. Perhaps my body doesn't need to eat a former living thing every day. Thank you chicken for nourishing my body and for being so delicious while doing it.
And growing your own food means that you can select for taste and not shelf life. Which explains why until I was 15 I thought I hated raw tomatoes. Turns out I just hate the watery, tasteless, mealy, nasty tomatoes they sell at grocery stores and on fast food sandwiches. Also explains why anyone grows Red Delicious apples, because it is certainly not because they are actually delicious.
*Even if you don't care about animal living conditions, factory farms are bad for humans. The U.S. Department of Labor surveyed 51 poultry processing plants and found 100% had violated labor laws by not paying employees for all hours worked. Also, one-third took impermissible deductions from workers’ pay. ...and yeah, there's Food, Inc. But unfortunately, the options for non-factory foods are often ridiculously overpriced. Sorry Whole Foods, but even small organic orchards don't need $12.00 for a quart of applesauce. I don't need my groceries to show how intelligent, hip, and environmentally aware I am, so I don't really want to pay for all of that self-congratulation. So, I'll grow my own.
My Future Farm Animals (maybe):
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| Tunis Sheep were raised by all of the cool Founding Fathers . They have oatmeal colored wool, but their heads (and babies) are red. |
Like bread. It's $2.00. Two dollars, and it represents that wheat was sown, weeded, watered, harvested, cut, threshed, cleaned, and ground. It was mixed, leavened, punched down, risen, baked, sliced, and delivered to a place where you could pick it up with your other groceries. Crazy. That being said, I have no desire to grow wheat. Civilization evolved because all of the processes that grain takes to be tasty is really labor intensive. No thanks. But, that's my point. While I think it is entirely unnecessary to admire every slice of toast, I do think that occasionally you should think "Man, I am so blessed. Look at the bounty all around me, that is really ridiculously cheap when you think about all of the labor I've been saved." And I think growing food reminds you that tomatoes, and shredded cheese in a bag don't just spring into existence, ex nihilo. While many of our foods are factory farmed all of it eventually comes down to the vicissitudes of rainfall and sunshine. In the post-apocalyptic future where dust obscures the sun, we could still make three bajillion microchips, but we would sooner rather than later starve to death.
I also think that we should thank our meat. I know most people don't like to think about the fact that something died in order for them to eat their Chicken Alfredo, but it did. And ignoring that fact doesn't make it disappear. A little gratitude and perspective is in order. Perhaps my body doesn't need to eat a former living thing every day. Thank you chicken for nourishing my body and for being so delicious while doing it.
And growing your own food means that you can select for taste and not shelf life. Which explains why until I was 15 I thought I hated raw tomatoes. Turns out I just hate the watery, tasteless, mealy, nasty tomatoes they sell at grocery stores and on fast food sandwiches. Also explains why anyone grows Red Delicious apples, because it is certainly not because they are actually delicious.
*Even if you don't care about animal living conditions, factory farms are bad for humans. The U.S. Department of Labor surveyed 51 poultry processing plants and found 100% had violated labor laws by not paying employees for all hours worked. Also, one-third took impermissible deductions from workers’ pay. ...and yeah, there's Food, Inc. But unfortunately, the options for non-factory foods are often ridiculously overpriced. Sorry Whole Foods, but even small organic orchards don't need $12.00 for a quart of applesauce. I don't need my groceries to show how intelligent, hip, and environmentally aware I am, so I don't really want to pay for all of that self-congratulation. So, I'll grow my own.
My Future Farm Animals (maybe):
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| Man, bees are so cool and fascinating. Like for instance every cell in a male bee's body is haploid. They are like highly mobile, multi-cellular gametes. Weird. |
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| Angora Rabbits...it's seriously amazing that evolution and artificial selection can produce a creature that looks like it was invented by 5 year old or maybe Lisa Frank. |
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| Cayuga Ducks--Gorgeous color, huh? |
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| Bourbon Red is apparently the tastiest Turkey breed according to blind taste tests. Also heritage turkeys dance as part of their mating ritual. Cool. |
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| Nubian baby doe--- oh my heck, the ears. Nubian milk is especially good for cheese making because it's super high in fat |
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| Amerucana Chicken eggs--Unlike brown eggs, blue eggs are blue throughout. Meaning when you crack them open, the inner shell is also blue |
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| Angora Goats--for whatever reason they remind me of Hobbits |
LISA FRANK! good times.
ReplyDeleteYup. You're going to be the cool aunt. Not that you're not already. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought we were gonna be red jungle fowl buddies! ;) Actually if I ever get chickens in Utah it'll be Russian Orloffs. Seems the only humane thing to do in this frigid wasteland, haha.
ReplyDeleteI might could do bees as well, but I dunno that I can handle anything else. Maybe a cute little Jacob's sheep. :)
I've always dreamed of having this huge garden built on terraces (I was really fascinated with the Incas for some time). And then I'd have a bunch of fruit trees that would decorate my backyard... Now I'd love to have chickens, too.
ReplyDeleteI want my kids to appreciate and love the earth like I have come to love it after spending so much time on my grandparents' farm (which consists of a few cows and some chickens). I think there are problems that you can buy a part of a cow and take care of it or something. Something you may want to look into??