This post is not exactly farm-related, but since some aspects of farming, homesteading, animal husbandry, etc are controversial and get some folks really worked up, I just want to put this out there.
Two years ago, my friend and coworker Liz bought me a book for Christmas: Chick days by Jenna Woginrich (this link goes to Indiebound, who works with Jenna for signed copies). This book is about raising chickens from hatch (or delivery) to six months old, and coupled with Storey's guide to raising chickens by Gail Damerow, really spurred us along our chicken journey so far. I refer to both of these books very often.
I adore Jenna's writing style, so I was tickled pink when I made it to the end of the book and discovered she has a blog. I've followed her blog ever since, and learned that she transitioned from being a vegetarian living in the city to an omnivore on her own 6.5 acres raising assorted veggies, chickens, goats, pigs and sheep. She's very passionate about how she farms, and has been a great inspiration to me.
She is honest about the slaughters of her animals that are raised for meat. She does not include graphic pictures, and doesn't provide a 'how-to' style post. However, she gets some emails and comments from folks that she calls "angry vegetarians" who can be downright nasty to her. She received one such email earlier this week, and this is her eloquent, thoughtful response.
I also have no problems with vegetarians, or carnivores, or Jainism, or rednecks, or any other person or group of people who have a set of beliefs that may or may not be similar to my own. We're all diverse, and I think that's pretty darn awesome. So long as you are not pushing your beliefs on me and trying to change me, I am quite happy to 'live and let live.'
What I don't appreciate, however, are people who search the internet for things that make them angry, with the intent of 'putting the author straight' and 'enlightening the author to the error of their ways.' Three cheers for anyone if they are passionate about a topic, but I don't understand why someone would choose to channel that passion and energy into bringing other people down.
I used to get angry about some things - things I found in books, things I saw on TV, and yes, things I found on the internet. But I realized after a while that even though I was learning more about these topics and becoming more educated to different sides of the controversy (because I have a habit of falling into the rabbit-hole that is the comments section...), I wasn't any happier for this knowledge and turmoil. I did not feel that I was expert enough to add my opinion to the fray, and the energy other people projected really just sapped my own energy and made me jaded and suspicious of everything around me.
So one day, I decided to just stop. If I am not enjoying what I am reading, if I am getting worked up about a show on TV, if I find myself in a conversation that is becoming more like a confrontation, I will just bow out. I will no longer engage in something that just ends up making me angry. I have a finite amount of energy to put in to each day, and I am refusing to throw it away on avoidable situations that make me unhappy.
And this includes anyone who decides to school me in the 'murder' that is slaughtering chickens that have hatched here on the farm, and were tended to and raised thoughtfully. I do not tell others how to live their life, and I ask for the same respect in return.
No comments:
Post a Comment