Omnivore's Dilemma

Last week my mom and I took Izzy to a nearby farm called the Animal Sanctuary.  We thought it would be a fun way to let her see and pet farm animals, very fitting since there are red barns and farms all over the countryside around Glenora.  And she loves to sing about Old McDonald.  So it was time to show her these animals in person!

 

Little did we know that the hour long tour would be a lecture about why we should turn vegan.  My mom and I both knew going into it that we weren't going to change our carnivorous ways (I was the 8 year old child who ordered filet mignon at restaurants because it was the only thing I would eat).  But I must admit that the information about how factory farm animals are treated was shocking and sad. 

 

I personally go through a gallon of milk every 2 weeks (crazy, I know, but LOVE it and I drink with every dinner).  Understanding that the female cows are constantly in a cycle of impregnation, birth and milking, living most of their lives hooked up to a milking apparatus, made me especially sympathetic (as I look down to my growing belly and remember those months of pumping, feeding, pumping, feeding...ugh).

 

Even seeing a model of how chickens are crammed together in a cage kinda made me feel bad about the thousands of eggs I purchase every year.  And when we visited the rescued farm animals it reminded me of the years I grew up at a barn riding horses.  I love old barns, the wood stalls, the hay and manure everywhere.  Back then I felt so connected to the horses I rode; they had emotions, feelings and they certainly felt pain.  So, when I carefully led Isabelle to these gentle animals I realized that the cows, goats, sheep, pigs and even chickens are living animals just like the horses that I loved, or like our pet dog.....living animals much like me and you.  And they should live comfortably and be treated with the same kind of love that I give Crockett, right?

 

The goats were really cute.  Isabelle had no fear approaching them. 

She wanted to pet each and every one...

And feed them too.

Hello cow.

The pigs sleep about 18 hours a day.  We were told not to approach them head on.  Hello, pig butt. 

Very large pigs snuggled up tight. 

Getting me excited about Thanksgiving.

Isabelle even fed the turkeys and they were as gentle as can be.  When I told her we were going to see turkeys, she said "want some?"  I think she must have thought I was taking her to the deli counter at Harris Teeter.

Sheep barn.

Go heels!

We had a great visit and learned a lot. 

I tried not to think about the delicious lamb we had the other night. 

And later we went to get ice cream cones...without any guilt.