#2401681 - 05/25/11 10:36 AM
Factory Farm Waste
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8140
Loc: Tennessee
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http://www.blacklistednews.com/?news_id=14026
In general, factory farming practices are high on the list of philosophical reasons to hunt. Philosophy aside, since many of us on here tend to take conservative political views when it comes to many (hunting, fishing, firearms, morality politics in general), as a hunter/outdoorsman, do you think that factory farming practices pose a serious threat to the environment? Do you think dramatic changes should be made in our large scale farming techniques, or are you going to stand in defense of the farmer?
Personally, I avoid factory farmed meat products as much as possible, but certainly not all of the time, particularly when eating out. I'm sure I ate some factory farmed pork last night at the Mexican restaurant. That being said, on the home front, 50-60% of our meat is game meat and virtually all of the beef, chicken and pork is local/free range/grass fed. We buy almost all of this at the farmers market directly from the farms. While I don't go around preaching it, I do personally feel that making attempts at providing much of my own food (hunting, fishing, gardening) and buying local and organic meat and produce to be a pretty important part of my life.
I don't necessarily feel sorry for industrially raised cattle so much as I feel sorry for the person who thoughtlessly consumes it, and would turn around and criticize hunters for "killing." Sit in virtually any restaurant, look around and wonder if anyone perceives the meat on their plate as actually being an animal that was killed for enjoyment 1st, and sustenance 2nd.
Even with this thinking, I find that I take my time to enjoy any game meat I killed much more than a chicken taco at a restaurant or even grass fed beef from down the road. A hands on connection to the food you eat is something that we've lost dramatically in a realatively short period of time. Maybe our expectations and demand for food have surpassed the point of practicality?
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2401725 - 05/25/11 10:59 AM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: Stovepipe]
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TAFKAP
12 Point
Registered: 11/06/09
Posts: 6996
Loc: Memphis
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I don't buy into that locally grown hippie craze because the locally grown stuff is so outrageously expensive. I'm not sure if it's some farmer that's raised cows all his life seeing a premium market of WASP, eco-nut suburban housewives, or if the actual cost of the beef is higher. But for me, I'm not going to pay $16/lb for a sirloin.
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Everything important in life was learned from Mary Jo Kopechne.
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#2401738 - 05/25/11 11:05 AM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: TAFKAP]
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rabbit hunter
12 Point
Registered: 03/04/10
Posts: 6265
Loc: Beech Bluff, TN
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Interesting, but in general practice, you're danged if you do or danged if you don't.
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#2401762 - 05/25/11 11:21 AM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: TAFKAP]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8140
Loc: Tennessee
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I don't buy into that locally grown hippie craze because the locally grown stuff is so outrageously expensive. I'm not sure if it's some farmer that's raised cows all his life seeing a premium market of WASP, eco-nut suburban housewives, or if the actual cost of the beef is higher. But for me, I'm not going to pay $16/lb for a sirloin.
It is pricey. The yield of meat is lower on grass fed cattle since they aren't fattened up on corn during the last few months of their existence. However, the taste is quite noticeable. I also can tell a significant difference in the fat marbling.
Like anything else, its paying for high quality US or Scandinavian forged steel in your tools as opposed to the cheap, Chinese steel. It costs 2x as much, sometimes more, but you're paying for quality. I suppose part of my point is that many of us or willing to pay for premium purchases when it comes to many or most other areas except for food. Hence the question: Has our expectations/ demands for food surpassed what is practical?
If you compare your food purchases to other mundane purchases, many of us will always buy a certain brand of toilet paper, toothpaste, or deodorant no matter if something else is on sale (cheap toilet paper is the worst!). With larger purchases, such as vehicles, firearms and tools, we'll spend quite a bit of time doing consumer research, yet when it comes to food, it tends to be more a matter of price: buy the cheapest bacon, buy the cheapest chicken etc, with no regards to quality.
Of course, you could make the argument that food is a day to day purchase where a tool is a lifelong investment. I've taken to buying larger cuts and sides of meat when possible, to get a better deal and to be less tempted to buying only what is available at the local grocery store. Furthermore, food consumption, since it is directly related to your health and well being, is a lifelong investment, right?
Again, I'm not preaching, really just asking a question.
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2401806 - 05/25/11 11:56 AM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: Poser]
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TAFKAP
12 Point
Registered: 11/06/09
Posts: 6996
Loc: Memphis
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I buy with regards to quality for my food.....but we'll say I'm a "middle-of-the-road" buyer of meat. I do like the premium bacon, and I buy it from the deli. I don't buy Tyson anything, and prefer to buy the Sanderson Farms brand of chicken. But for beef, I just can't justify the cost of "grassfed" beef from a local guy. The taste is great, but I buy from a local butcher for most of my meat. Not to mention the fact that the farmer freezes all his meat. I won't pay $20+ per pound of frozen anything.
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Everything important in life was learned from Mary Jo Kopechne.
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#2401807 - 05/25/11 11:59 AM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: Poser]
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rukiddin?
8 Point
Registered: 02/04/09
Posts: 1212
Loc: E. Tenn
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Growing up in NC. I have worked on "factory farms". Worked 4 years through high school at a 1200 sow, farrow to finish operation. Then in college (the first round) I worked for a corporate farm that raised turkeys and hogs (Goldsboro Milling Co). After graduation, I worked for a large chicken company for 5 years.
It personally does not bother me. Sure the small farmers are pushed to the limits, but you've got to remember that these "factory farms" employ a huge amount of people, some towns rely heavily on these farms. I am all for the family farm, but at the same time, I realize the economic impacts all the corporate farms have on communities.
A lot of "family farms" have chicken, turkey or hog houses on them as part of their income. Well guess who supplies them with the animals, coporate farms!
I don't buy "perdue farms" chicken because the peole that ran the company were @$$holes, thats the only reason. I buy Carolina Pride bacon because one of my best friends has 3 finishing houses (2700 head capacity) and thats who is hogs go to. I guess for me what it comes down to is not what I'm eating, because I'm comfortable with the way things are done. Its more about the people and communities that are supported!
Edited by rukiddin? (05/25/11 12:06 PM)
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#2401814 - 05/25/11 12:10 PM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: rukiddin?]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8140
Loc: Tennessee
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Growing up in NC. I have worked on "factory farms". Worked 4 years through high school at a 1200 sow, farrow to finish operation. Then in college (the first round) I worked for a corporate farm that raised turkeys and hogs (Goldsboro Milling Co). After graduation, I worked for a large chicken company for 5 years.
It personally does not bother me. Sure the small farmers are pushed to the limits, but you've got to remember that these "factory farms" employ a huge amount of people, some towns rely heavily on these farms. I am all for the family farm, but at the same time, I realize the economic impacts all the corporate farms have on communities.
A lot of "family farms" have chicken, turkey or hog houses on them as part of their income. Well guess who supplies them with the animals, coporate farms!
I don't buy "perdue farms" chicken because the peole that ran the company were @$$holes, thats the only reason. I buy Carolina Pride bacon because one of my best friends has 3 finishing houses (2700 head capacity) and thats who is hogs go to. I guess for me what it comes down to is not what I'm eating, because I'm comfortable with the way things are done. Its more about the people and communities that are supported!
Good point.
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2401816 - 05/25/11 12:15 PM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: Poser]
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Stovepipe
18 Point
Registered: 09/21/07
Posts: 21673
Loc: N1549518,E738760
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I imagine it would be plenty stinky around there too.
btw, there is this dude at my church he drives 70miles to shop at Whole Foods cause they have "free range" chicken meat. Which he proudly demonstrates by flapping his arms. He said dropped 2 benjamins at Whole Foods on just two sacks of groceries.
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#2401957 - 05/25/11 02:00 PM
Re: Factory Farm Waste
[Re: Stovepipe]
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TAFKAP
12 Point
Registered: 11/06/09
Posts: 6996
Loc: Memphis
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Whole Paycheck...I mean Whole Foods can have some pretty good deals on stuff. Meat is not one of them. However, if I'm in one of those hippie dens and haven't eaten lunch, I'm likely to buy some of the meat. It is tasty. Their fish is hard to beat, too. It's nice going to a seafood counter that has something besides 4 different cuts of catfish, buffalo, and tilapia.
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Everything important in life was learned from Mary Jo Kopechne.
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