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This morning, our group got up early to visit Adam's Farm, which is primarily a slaughter house. We were able to see how a business is set up to process animals with a USDA sticker and we witnessed the slaughter and processing of one of our cows. We weren't allowed to take photos inside and I'm not sure you would really want to see what happens. However, I am beginning to think that there is a moral imperative to know the process by which your meat comes to a person and to be aware of the alternative ways of bringing meat to the table. I won't describe the process (if you really want to know, write to me and I will respond). But I do want to share a series of feelings. First of all, there is a cow. She is warm and red-coated and her hooves are sharp and heavy and her breath is steamy and sweet. Then there is this sudden movement and a loud sound. Then there is something else there--the same shell but there are many movements happening around the form and there is no longer a living being there. Life, then no life. That is a strange and poignant feeling to me. Maybe because that switch could happen to us at any minute? Maybe because it is happening all around and our life depends on the ending of other lives and we give it so little thought? By the time the carcass is being inspected, it looks like food to prepare and that feels strange only juxtaposed with the previous feeling of life/no life.
We left Adams at around 9AM this morning--it was an hour and a half visit that left me very drained. Even breakfast at Johnson's and a visit to their sugar shack wasn't revitalizing. It was fun to have breakfast together in another setting and thanks to Olivier for making it happen.
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| The feeder barrel, needs a base. |
My partners and I built a piglet feeder this afternoon. The goal was to build a large, water-proof feeder that make the feed available to the piglets and keep it from falling on the ground. Olivier spoke to us about the idea, gave us the plastic container and said, "Well I have to run an errand... I'll be back soon. Any questions?" and with that, Rebekah Emily and I were on our own. Soon Rebekah's brother dropped in for a visit and we got to work.
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| Rebekah, measuring the diameter |
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| Outlining the circle |
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| Screwing on the supports |
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| Emily setting on the rim |
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| Rebekah sawing the rim to fit |
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| Feeding tray seems good! |
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| Now to design the roof that sheds water beyond the rim and is light-weight |
The slaughter seems like such a horrible, traumatic experience for the animal. I've read that the cows and pigs have a sense that they are going to be slaughtered and are incredibly frightened as they are brought to the slaughterhouse. Couldn't there be a more humane (that's humans using their minds to make the necessary killing less traumatic) way to do it. A deer doesn't know it's going to be killed when the bullet suddenly brings it down. Wouldn't lethal injection, or a bullet to the head of the unsuspecting animal while at the farm, be better? I can't imagine what the atmosphere must be at the slaughterhouse. It has to be a heavy, terrifying vibration that permeates the building.
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