I have always been interested in what we eat as I love to eat and love to cook. I even love to grow my own food if possible. For much of my youth and the years of raising the children, I was not able to raise my own food. I had to live in an environment that was conducive to "working and creating financially stability" for the family. That means living in a city where animals would not be comfortable. I did not have the energy nor the time to raise even a garden in my city yard. Besides to me, spending time in a garden is sacred and should be done in privacy to enjoy the benefits completely. Cities do not equal privacy. What I was able to do often though was shop for fresh produce at farmers markets where I bought home raised chickens, beef and pork so at least I knew my family was eating as wholesome and nutritious as possible. There is comfort in knowing where the meat on your table comes from. This we learned as children, in a home of hunters. Our deer, moose and antelope meat was always pure, fresh, delicious and brought to the table in a decent, humane manner of "production". My Step-Father loves animals just as though he raised them himself and his hunting practices showed that compassion and respect for the natural world we live in.
I am guilty however, of buying the commercial grade, big store (Costco/Safeway comes to mind) bulk stuff as it was not only cost efficient for a growing family, but shopping, a pet peeve of mine, was at least reduced to only one weekend per month.
Well, as life changes, so do options and as I find myself alone now in a lush gardeners dream of an island, I can have the food that I've always dreamed of. I even grew my first tomatoes this year and it was an awesome experience.
Being the animal lover I am I have always had an issue not only with the quality of mass produced food, but the inhumane treatment of animals this involves. I have been at feedlots, chicken and turkey farms and pig producer barns so although I have never witnessed the killing of the animals (thank goodness for I would never be able to sleep) I have seen the massive confinement, the crowded cages, force feeding, poor life quality that affords these creatures. All for us? The humans that demand the low cost, plentiful chicken breasts and pork roasts and strip sirloin steaks. If I could be a complete vegetarian I would ,just to keep my conscious clean, but I love meat too much to completely eliminate it from my diet. So, I have compromised. I will not buy meat from the store. Only farm raised chickens, beef and pork. I still have mistrust though with this process so I need to meet the farmer, see his/her place if possible and then I can be rest assured of the animals that are being raised for my benefit. Same with fish. Nothing tastes as pure and wholesome as a trout given to you from a kind fly fisherman who spends his weekend mornings fishing for the "beauty and serenity of it all".
I am guilty however, of buying the commercial grade, big store (Costco/Safeway comes to mind) bulk stuff as it was not only cost efficient for a growing family, but shopping, a pet peeve of mine, was at least reduced to only one weekend per month.
Well, as life changes, so do options and as I find myself alone now in a lush gardeners dream of an island, I can have the food that I've always dreamed of. I even grew my first tomatoes this year and it was an awesome experience.
Being the animal lover I am I have always had an issue not only with the quality of mass produced food, but the inhumane treatment of animals this involves. I have been at feedlots, chicken and turkey farms and pig producer barns so although I have never witnessed the killing of the animals (thank goodness for I would never be able to sleep) I have seen the massive confinement, the crowded cages, force feeding, poor life quality that affords these creatures. All for us? The humans that demand the low cost, plentiful chicken breasts and pork roasts and strip sirloin steaks. If I could be a complete vegetarian I would ,just to keep my conscious clean, but I love meat too much to completely eliminate it from my diet. So, I have compromised. I will not buy meat from the store. Only farm raised chickens, beef and pork. I still have mistrust though with this process so I need to meet the farmer, see his/her place if possible and then I can be rest assured of the animals that are being raised for my benefit. Same with fish. Nothing tastes as pure and wholesome as a trout given to you from a kind fly fisherman who spends his weekend mornings fishing for the "beauty and serenity of it all".
What I am going to do to take this situation in hand is try to raise as much of my own food as possible with the little hobby farm I will have soon someday. I will raise chickens for the meat and the eggs. For sure, the garden will be full and I'm hoping to get out and do some fishing for trout and other river fish as well. I feel another avenue is to find a hunter that I can trust, off island, of course since we haven't any animals to hunt here...and purchase some deer, moose meat from that source. It is important to me to support the natural food producer so that this standard of quality is available to us for an indefinite period of time.
Another stand I have taken with food is that although once upon a time when I tasted it, over 22 years ago, and admittingly found I simply loved the taste, I haven't been able to bring myself to eat lamb or veal. I see the little furry lamb's face in my head as I'm putting a piece into a mint dip, or the little calf jumping and playing in the meadow, in my head again, while I slice into a schnitzel. Can't and won't do it....period.
If you can stomach it, take a gander over to isawearthlings.com to get a real graphic view of the food industry and the imbalance of human to animal ratio in the "pecking order". I personally can not watch the film but I am aware of the practices and totally aghast at them.
I look forward to getting involved with the PEI Farmers Markets when I am able to offer some of my own naturally produce foods as well.
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