After some thought and an evening of inspecting its website , I changed my original title accusing PETA of being small minded: PETA: Big hearts, small minds. This is unfair. But I would be willing to bet that a vast majority of its card carrying members have yet to step foot in actual cow manure, let alone spend time on a real farm. Petting farms don't count.
I was sent a link for a video clip entitled "Meet your Meat" that was produced by the good but sometimes misguided folks at PETA. I can't find the link again but I went to their website and found the video clip. http://www.peta.org/ It is alarming to watch, to say the least. Their message is, of course "Don't eat meat. It is immoral." I just don't buy it.
I love animals. I grew up on a small dairy goat farm in north east Ohio. I am more inclined to put my favorite, old, beloved pet down rather than pay for hip replacement surgery or some other such absurdity. It is my humble opinion that the farm animal's purpose on earth is for farmy sorts of objectives: food and work.
Big agriculture has bastardized this concept in the name of profit. Thus the animals in this video suffer unspeakable and unimaginable cruelty. Animals raised using sustainable farming practices lead peaceful, happy lives and then they die. It is NOT a subtle difference.
On our continuing journey to live lives that require only one earth to sustain us (refer to previous article entitled On a Quest http://idahodirtbagtravel.blogspot.com/2007/10/on-quest.html ) we have changed our eating habits and food-shopping habits considerably. In particular we have decided to only purchase meat and dairy that is not raised in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) and limit our meat consumption to twice per week. When we are back in Idaho I am hoping to convince a couple of families to split a locally raised cow and pig with us. This will save on the exorbitant price per pound that is charged at grocers for this type of meat.
Cooking without meat takes a little more time and forethought for me. It is just so quick and easy to whip up a steak, hamburger or chicken breast. It is easy to replace a lot of meat-based recipes with cheese-based recipes but that sort of defeats the purpose, eh? Here is a sample of last week's menu. In each recipe that calls for cheese I use about 1/3 of amount called for and increase the veg items. All dinners include something from my mad, new bread-making skills since meals without meat just aren't as satiating.
Margherita Pizza and salad
Quiche Lorraine (using prosciutto) and Goat cz/tomato quiche, salad
Mexican Migas (egg dish) with beans and rice, tomato and avocado salad
Lentils and sesame sauteed vegetables
Whole wheat pasta with vegetables and organic chicken and mushroom sausage, salad
Black eye pea and collard greens soup, salad
Huevos Rancheros, garbanzo bean salad and a sweet, whole wheat walnut bread(a yeast bread)......this is tonight and so I have no idea how this new bread will turn out.
All of these were quick meals except the quiche, which required extra time for the crust.
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Jonathan had us over for his first dinner party at your house. I showed him were the cloth napkins were and I said you'd have his head if he were to use paper napkins! I also said there better be recycling going on, my friend! It appeared like he was.
And the house was exceedingly clean. Almost scary, actually.
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