You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
It’s a simple concept, really. Eat it if you know, first-hand, how it was raised and killed.
Simple enough, in theory. But, most of us are pretty far out of touch with the raising and killing of our meat. For most of us, meat comes to us skinned, boned, cut in small portions and wrapped in plastic, looking nothing like the animal that gave its life to become our dinner.
Most of us are comfortable with that distance.
I’ve learned so much over the past several years. I’ve learned things about animal production and meat processing that turned my stomach and offended my sense of what’s right and wrong. I’ve learned that eating less meat is a healthier way to live. I’ve learned that the more I learned about meat, the less I wanted it.
During that time, I gradually untangled my association with meat—an association that was more habit than devotion—and moved thoughtfully into a new way of eating.
The problem seemed huge. How could I ever begin to know everything I wanted to know about where my food comes from? How an animal was raised? What it had eaten? How it was slaughtered? How the meat was processed?
A few years ago, local options were few. For a while, I was lucky to have a source of ground beef from local farmer friends who raised Scottish highlanders. Delicious, lean, affordable. When that option ended, locally raised meat and poultry was available, but still expensive.
I broke the habit gradually.
I came to call myself “a 99 percent vegetarian.” Eating a plant-based diet made sense to me in so many ways and was simpler, too. The challenge of knowing where my food comes from is easier when those foods grow directly from the earth.
I understand that there is good, conscientiously raised, carefully processed meat and poultry available. I don’t actively seek it out for myself, because I’m happy without it, but I just may have a taste when it’s offered to me. For a treat.
I have come to appreciate vegetables, grains and legumes for their infinite variety, color and rich flavor palette. I understood that life without meat is not only possible, but quite interesting and fulfilling.
Whole ingredients. Full, rich flavors. Simple nutrition.
I have nothing against meat. Good meat, that is.
I have tremendous respect for individuals who bring such thoughtfulness, time and hard work to the task of raising animals for their own table. By accepting that awesome responsibility for caring for an animal in life and participating in its death, they understand fully all that has gone into the creation of the meat on their plate.
That’s not me, however, at least not at this time in my life. I’ll continue to take pride in raising a few vegetables myself and supporting my local vegetable farmers. Passing right by the little plastic packages in the grocery store, I’ll wait another few months or a year ’til a special meat-eating opportunity comes my way.
And that’s fine with me.
How often do you eat meat? Where does it come from? Does it matter to you?
Thank you for your thoughtful words. My husband and I transitioned to a mostly vegetarian diet over the course of the past year, and I’m amazed at how little we miss meat during the week. Now, we usually eat meat on the weekends, which includes venison (from a hunting friend) or grass fed/grass finished beef we get fairly locally (just under two hours away).
Even if we craved meat on a daily basis (which we don’t), we probably wouldn’t eat it that regularly, as sourcing humanely raised and slaughtered meat is more expensive. For the nights we do indulge, though, it is well worth the cost.
I like that approach. Saving it for the weekend must make it seem all the more special, too.
I hear lots of people say that they don’t eat meat because it’s a healthier way to live. I wonder if there are any studies on the eating habits of the folks who make it into their 90′s and 100′s and are still enjoying life. Do you think the vast majority gave up meat decades ago? I did hear one woman (over 100 years old) say that her habit was to drink a beer a day – so clearly beer drinking is connected with longevity (thankfully!)
Thanks for another thought provoking post.
Sure, I think there are lots of studies like that, but I’ve never seen anything specific about older people that gave up eating meat decades ago. My feeling is that we each have to do what we feel is right for us. So much of that involves balancing our intuition with the overload of information we all receive about healthy living. Each individual is different, and that in itself is a beautiful thing. Good luck finding what works for you!
As usual, you sum up the big issues in a lovely way. I have never had a diet that relied on meat, but my partner has trouble re-imagining main meals as plant-based (he isn’t a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but a big meal just doesn’t feel special to him without meat). Respecting this–and a limited budget–I try to do just a couple meat-based meals a week. I’ve hopefully found a source for sustainably raised, humanely butchered meat, but lacking that I usually just go to Whole Foods and see what they’ve got from local sources. It’s not great, but it’s better than simply conventional.
I too am of the mindset that if you eat meat of any kind, you should be aware of where it comes from and how it got to you. It bothers me to hear people say they won’t eat meat that still looks like the animal (meat on the bone, whole chicken, etc); you need to be okay with the death that took place to feed you. I really love this website I found recently–he does mini-documentaries every week. The one from Thanksgiving details the slaughter process on a small sustainable turkey farm; it’s beautiful and thoughtful. http://theperennialplate.com/the-perennial-plate/2010/11/22/episode-36-giving-thanks-to-turkeys.html
That’s perfect! Thanks so much for sharing that site and the video. It’s a perfect example of a farmer very thoughtfully connecting her customers with their food. I’ll definitely visit this site again.
On your point of balancing your preferences with someone else’s, I understand what a process that is. If I were inclined to eat meat more often, I think my own approach would be to make a very small amount go further with stir-fries, soups and other dishes that use tiny pieces.
Like many of us, I grew up with meat on the table every day, so I meant it when I said that my own process of moving away from meat was very gradual. One day I realized it had been several months, and I hadn’t missed it at all. I feel lucky to have made that change!
I’m intimately involved with most of the meats that hit my plate – I know their names and have fed them, cared for them, hugged and kissed them, was there at the moment of their birth, and (when legal) their death was by my own hand. Not every omnivore can handle that level of familiarity because society has moved away from the idea of “food with a face.”
Locally, humanely, sustainably raised meats are expensive for the same reason non-industrial vegetables are comparatively pricey. It is the *real* cost of producing & distributing food.
Interesting topic from a (mostly) vegi-vore! I agree that every person has to choose what works the best for themselves. The very real, natural cycle is that life begets life. But ultimately everyone needs to make choices that they can live with!
From where I sit, you’re in an envious position — one that provides all the information you need to make decisions about your food, every day. In the end, that’s what I wish for all of us, that we eat consciously and give thoughtful consideration to where our food comes from and all that’s implied by that. Thank you for being one of the farmers I had in mind when I described meat that was raised and slaughtered in a conscientious way.
One of the issues so often missing in the debate over meat consumption is the historical role animals have played in soil fertility.
A truly symbiotic farm that operates in as circular a nature as possible must have animals. Not just for meat but frankly, for shit. There will be a day when it is no longer tenable to utilize imported fertility – typically, in the form of NPK derived from natural gas – to grow our grains and vegetables. Perhaps then we will begin to understand the true value of poop and of the animals that produce it.
Of course this does nothing to excuse the deplorable actions of the industrial meat industry.
You’re right…that’s why, as an urban gardener, I’m compelled to beg my country friends for sheep manure in the spring. Nothing I can produce in my compost heap comes close to that! It does seem that when you pull it all apart, putting meat animals on one production farm, and the majority of meat eaters on no farm at all, the concept of “balance” falls apart completely. How to balance the huge consumption needs of urban residents with the capacity of appropriately-scaled, thoughtfully operated farms….doesn’t that depend on us all shifting our consumer habits a bit, maybe getting along with smaller, less frequent cuts of meat? (I don’t know — I’m way out of my league on this one!)
This is precisely why it’s so difficult to talk about/imagine/create healthy food systems in the context of our current societal arrangements. Broadly speaking, we’ve all but vacated the most fertile region of our country to create enormous population density on our coasts. So now we farm our best ag land with abusive practices, and ship the food to the cities where we’ve settled.
If we’re really going to create long-term “sustainable” food systems, it is going to require a redistribution of our population.
Which is not to say we shouldn’t do everything we can within the context of the systems we’ve created. Indeed, we can do a lot.
There’s interesting evidence about the symbiotic relationship between the culture on a cow’s always juicy nose and the vitality of the pasture also… plus the positive effect of spreading raw milk and whey on pastures instead of synthetic fertilizers on pastures….. the symbiosis is more intertwined than commercial farming wants to imagine.
I, as one who still feels strongly attached to meat, appreciate the thoughtfulness of this post. Some day I will look at the source of my ties to meat and perhaps move away from it more. For the time being, I am very committed to local sources of well raised meats and am proud of the fact that it has been some time since I have purchased anything but that. Thanks.
That sounds like a good place to be. Making thoughtful food choices is so important. The more we think about that and talk about it, the more people will join us!
E-
I finally had time to come back and read this again. Your words are rich and thoughtful. I’d like to do a reblog of this post in the next few weeks. Would that be okay?
Thanks so much! That would be great; I love it!
It’s important to remember that if as a vegetarian you eat eggs and dairy, you’re still actively contributing to inhumane meat factories. Most people don’t think about the calf that must be born to stimulate the milk production of the dairy cow…
I think you’re right; it’s part of the whole pattern of unconscious eating that so many people have fallen into, completely out of touch with where food comes from. Personally, I work hard to make sure my occasional egg or piece of cheese comes from someone I know, if at all possible. But, I realize I’m still in the minority and access to good, local food at a reasonable price is still a huge problem for many people.
I don’t think anyone approves of the treatment of factory farmed animals but “buy one get one free” has a way of overriding the best of intentions. You’re lucky to live in an area with progressively minded farmers & eaters – I love it there. Best wishes for a happy, healthy & prosperous 2011 – I hope all your predictions come true. Keep up the great work!
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Read Tammy’s reblog and headed over. Beautiful post.
I’ve been vegetarian for at least 13 years ~ and would never return to a meat based diet. No need. No desire.
If anyone needs some ideas for meatless meals: http://nrhatch.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/a-month-of-meatless-meals/
Thanks for a thoughtful post.
I’ll definitely check out your recipes. Thanks for stopping by!
What a fascinating piece and equally interesting were the responses. We’re mostly local vegetarians like you, and while I enjoy meat, do not go out of my way to have it. I grew up with uncles that were farmers and have an appreciation for the hard work and effort and can really taste the difference in qualities of meat. I’d prefer it to be a treat.
That’s a good way to look at it. If it’s really good meat, and I only have it once in a while (for me, a couple of times a year), it’s a really special thing. Thanks for visiting!
Thank you so much – When learning about what was being done to and with animals, I was deeply affected in many ways. It’s been easy becoming a 95 to 99 %er. I’ve a far healthier diet since becoming “alkaline” a couple of years ago. I do not miss meat because I now really taste my food and really think about what I put in my body.
There are so many pieces to this puzzle, and it all comes down to what’s right for each individual. I haven’t given much thought to the alkaline/acid issue, so thanks for reminding me to consider that piece. And, thanks for visiting!
I’m struggling with this on farm right now. We raise our animals to a standard that’s hard to argue with, but that drives the cost to a place that many balk at. And even if we find a market that makes meat a viable profit stream I don’t know if the slaughter process will end up being too emotionally corrosive for me personally. Time will tell, but one thing is for sure, $1.29/lb pork chops and ground beef have a cost that far exceeds the price, and people in this country need to get educated about it. Thanks for the thoughtful post.
You’re right; consumers need to adjust to paying the real price for foods. The difference in quality is so obvious, I think that provides a good starting point for people who are motivated by taste. The rest will fall into place, as more information gets out (and I think it is getting out). Good luck with your farm and meat decisions. I appreciate all the farmers who take this stuff so seriously.
Maybe as the costs of industrial farming lead to price increases in the grocery store, factory food prices will start to align with those of real food making it less of a conundrum for people.
Thanks to Agri-Girl for sending me here—Like many other commenters, my moving away from meat in my diet has been gradual. And, in that time, more local sustainable producers have come to our farmers market. So, if I want meat, it is a special occasion, and I will spend the extra $$.
I will also say that, even then, it is becoming harder for me from an ethical standpoint.
It makes sense to me that we’d become more sensitive to the ethics of food production and raising animals, the more we learn. Being flexible enough to evolve over time, as we get more information, also makes sense to me. Looking back, and from observing people who don’t think about these issues at all, ignorance really is bliss. I’ll choose knowledge any day.
Thank you for addressing such a significant issue, in so thought-provoking a manner – something I should indeed be considering more deeply.
Thanks for visiting my blog. From the looks of yours, you’re considering a lot of things pretty deeply! Beautiful photos!
Lovely post… and I’ve got a similar one simmering, waiting to be written. We’ve got a lamb in the freezer right now — raised by my parents, butchered by someone we know. At first my kids were squeamish about eating an animal that they had pet and seen alive, but we’ve talked about how all animals have faces, but this one had a happy face while she was alive. If they are uncomfortable with eating meat that they can connect to a real animal, it’s better for them to be vegetarians (and lately, we’ve had very little meat at home… we’ll be consuming the lamb slowly and appreciatively.)
That’s a beautiful way to teach kids about food. I hope your lamb is delicious and you share it with joyful memories. Thanks for pointing me to Muddy Toes and Garbanzos! I’ll be back to visit, for sure.
Eleanor