Food Disconnect

When did we become so disconnected with our food? When did we start thinking that it is better to go to Safeway rather than raising your own food?

Today we had yet another meat eater tell us that we shouldn’t be raising our animals to eat and that we should go to safeway to purchase our meat. This makes me so sad to think that they believe that yet again saran wrap separates us from life. That some how they are better people because they didn’t actually raise and kill the animals that they are eating. That they won’t be judged if they eat what is already available in safeway since they didn’t know the animal that gave its life.

They also believe that for some reason we are raising our pets and eating them. Yes, I agree, we love and nurture our animals. We love them, they are our pets in a way. But we are also farming and surviving. There is a difference. We want our animals to have a happy, healthy life while they are here, and believe me, they are happy! But they are also here to give us life; part of an ecosystem, a system of survival.

It’s as if they think we get a thrill off killing what we have raised. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In Europe farmers will have their neighbors slaughter their animals, and vise versa. The reason being is because you come to love the animals that you are raising, but if you don’t want a petting zoo, then we have to make it all count at some point. Believe me, it is not fun, but we do it.

Since when did farming become wrong?

If these Safeway shoppers actually took the time to discover how those animals were raised, they might become vegetarian once they saw how the animals are caged, treated, and unloved.  If they would watch Food Inc. they would see that the ones raising their factory farm food have disconnected themselves and how their anger or ignorance is going in to the lives and production of those animals.

It just seems so hypocritical to me to say that rather than raise your own food, that it is ok to purchase your food in saran wrap because we didn’t know it, love it, or have a connection with it. What part of that makes it ok to judge the ones that are growing their own food?

I guess it would be a little easier hearing this from a vegan; one who has chosen not to eat meat. They don’t want another animal giving its life for them to eat. I totally understand them and respect them for it. I am glad to have vegans in the world; they help balance our system! However I eat meat and love it. But to have a meat eater say that we need to purchase our food from Safeway rather than raise our own food is just beyond ignorant. It just shocks and saddens me to see how disconnected we have become from our food. There are so many reasons to raise your own food, whether it is for health reasons, the quality of the meat and the taste, the care of animals, the environment, the joy of raising them!!

My husband and I have found our connection with food and it is in our own backyard. Personally, I would like to support growing locally and eating quality, fresh ingredients and not trucking our food half way around the world all tucked away in saran wrap.

I could go on and on but think I should stop there. ;-)