My Cattle World
Thursday, June 28, 2012
LMFAO Parody: I'm Farming and I Grow it!
This video is fantastic. Crystal.Cattle has some more information on these hip Kansas farmers, and I encourage you to read and follow her blog as well, if y'all ain't already. In the interim, watch the video and supposrt these young Agvocates in their quest to educate! Thanks and Gig 'em!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Determination
I am going to
continue to eat the beef I produce. I will continue to relish every bite. I am
also going to continue to show the world what it means to be a beef producer,
what it means to live on a working farm, and just how good life is out here.
Additionally, I will continue to debunk the myths and lies propagated by
vegetarian associations about the production of livestock, while trying to
remain as respectful as possible. It might get tough, it will be a lifelong
fight, but it will continue.
I am an environmentally
responsible, morally sound, kind, smart, funny and educated person. I take care
of my livestock, and every year my family and I eat one of the steers we feed,
and sell the others. They go to feed families in Calgary, providing safe,
tasty, nutrient-rich Alberta beef for their tables. That is the process I am
going to University to learn about. I will continue to support the Alberta Beef
Producers, The Canadian Beef Breeds Council, the United Farmers of Alberta, the
Canadian Cattle Association, 4-H Canada, FFA, The Canadian Limousin Association,
The Alberta Limousin Association, and I will read the Alberta Beef Magazine
every month for the rest of my life. I will eat meat or poultry every night for
dinner, most days for lunch, and some mornings for breakfast, to support the
people who also do what I love to do.
As far as I am
concerned, I'm a lost cause for Vegans. They are, of course, forever welcome
on this forum, to discuss every topic under the sun, so long as they remain
respectful of my choices, as I remain respectful of ytheirs. Remember that, from
where I sit, people like them cost me money every time I sell an animal. I
respect their right to choose whether they eat meat or not, but I cannot tolerate
them trying to "convert" (pardon the negative connotation that seems
to have, but it fits) others under my watch and on my forum. So, as I said, they
are welcome, their comments are welcome, as are their thoughts. But, their
attitude toward the good people who provide the world with protein needs to be
checked at the door.
To leave you with
proof that Livestock producers as a whole are not the monsters Vegetarians believe we are,
here is a quote from "Keeping It Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl."
"Nearly
one-half of cattle farmers and ranchers volunteer with youth organizations, and
more than one-third donate their time to other civic organizations, compared to
a national average of seven percent of all Americans." Obviously we are
not only farmers and ranchers, but we seem to hold the world together with our
general want to do what is right.
Thanks, Gig 'em, and please come back soon.
Posts are generally two weeks apart or so.
Posted in response to comments on the "New York Times Meat" article
Labels:
New York Times,
vegan,
Vegetarianism
Location:
Calgary, AB, Canada
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Bugs are Organic, Too!
I was picking up some groceries for my Mom on Tuesday at the local Calgary Co-op. Whilst I was perusing the asparagus spears, I overheard a mother scold her 10 year old daughter: "Don't get the organic broccoli, it always has nasty little bugs in it!" That got me thinking on just how sheltered and protected from nature most consumers really are.
Insects are a part of life. When the number of species in the Phylum Arthropoda outnumbers the species in the Phylum Mammalia on an estimated millions-to-one ratio, there is really not much we can do to avoid them all together, try though we may. However, God forbid a housewife should find a fruit fly in her pears, or small green caterpillars in her lettuce, or little midges in the broccoli. That's a terrible thing. Granted, there are some insects we would rather not have in contact with our food for their reputation of harbouring stowaway bacteria and dirt, like cockroaches and houseflies and such.
Organic is supposed to be better for you. No pesticides, no herbicides, no chemicals (stop rolling your eyes, some consumers believe it is possible). So, if no chemicals are used, pests are allowed to propagate uncontrolled, and what was one cutter worm per lettuce head becomes two dozen. Well, there is no possible way to guarantee that none of those worms would survive harvest and transport. The bugs will make their way into the food supply. And hey, so what?
Being a farm kid, raised around cattle, I am not very dirt shy. Most urban Calgarians would faint at the thought of not washing carrots fully before eating them. I personally find that the dirt in the rings on a carrot give it an excellent flavour. The things I have eaten at cattle shows (where we have an odd attraction to finger food and a strange aversion to hot water and soap) would probably make the health insurance companies run for the hills when I come knocking. As it stands, I am probably mildly resistant to a pretty good dose of E. Coli as a result of nine years of "brushing the dirt off" at cattle shows before eating my burger, or my sandwich. A speck in my iced tea? Flavour. A spot on my lettuce? Character. A little green worm on my broccoli? A mild annoyance. It's nature, and so are we.
Bottom line is, bugs are everywhere, and so is dirt. It would be considered unreasonable to clean and scrub and de-bug every vegetable and fruit in the grocery store. One is bound to pop up every now and then. When it does, pick it off, wash your fingers if you have too, and carry on. Move on people, they're just bugs. Keep it quiet or everyone will want a fly in their stew...
So what? |
Organic is supposed to be better for you. No pesticides, no herbicides, no chemicals (stop rolling your eyes, some consumers believe it is possible). So, if no chemicals are used, pests are allowed to propagate uncontrolled, and what was one cutter worm per lettuce head becomes two dozen. Well, there is no possible way to guarantee that none of those worms would survive harvest and transport. The bugs will make their way into the food supply. And hey, so what?
They never hurt anyone, and they don't eat much... |
Bottom line is, bugs are everywhere, and so is dirt. It would be considered unreasonable to clean and scrub and de-bug every vegetable and fruit in the grocery store. One is bound to pop up every now and then. When it does, pick it off, wash your fingers if you have too, and carry on. Move on people, they're just bugs. Keep it quiet or everyone will want a fly in their stew...
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Meat Glue
Just shake your heads, producers. The Foodie Good-Shoes out there have cooked up (pardon the pun) another scheme to scare people away from meat. Meat Glue. Used every day in the meat industry for years. But, since they won a battle with the pink slime deal, this is their logical next step. Here is a link for more information discrediting the Anti-Meat Glue propoganda: Meat Glue is the New Pink Slime
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Wordless Wednesday
Perhaps not entirely appropriate, but an activity not unknown to cattlemen and livesock producers the world over. Although the inter-species twist is rather interesting... What is better than a bacon cheeseburger? TWO BACON CHEESEBURGERS! I had to. I am so sorry.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Texas-isms
"Texas, our Texas, All hail the mighty State. Texas, our Texas So wonderful, so great!" -State Anthem |
The Great State of Texas, as it is known to its
habitants, or Texas, as it is known to everyone else, has many things to be
proud of. It is the largest of the lower 48 states. It was once its own
country, and it has its very own brand of rough, tough, real-stuff,
god-fearing, Yankee-disliking folk. Most are German. Or Czech. It has one of
the best food genres ever created: Tex-Mex. Who doesn't love a good burrito?
It's home to NASA, the American Quarter Horse Association, the Rio Grande, the
Guadalupe Mountains, Live Oaks, Copperheads and Water Moccasins, Scorpions,
Cacti, Texas-sized Rats, Roaches and Rattlers, as well as many a Texas-Shaped
waffle iron. The people are as diverse as the environment, and the state is so
huge that it even has two distinct dialects: A West Texas Drawl and an East
Texas Twang. It has taken a while, but I have finally figured out the
difference and can place a person based on their accent now. It's a skill, believe
me.
Bluebonnets. I think they're weeds, but I would never tell a Texan that. Liable to get hanged, them's fightin' words. |
Being such a large and special state, Texas has
developed its own words and interpretations of words. It's fascinating to have
a conversation with a Texan. All they talk about is Texas and Texas things, and
then they go and put Texas words in there while they're talking about Texas and
Texas things, and before too long the out-of-stater is completely baffled. So,
if any of you will be visiting the Great State of Texas in the near future,
make sure you look out for these words and phrases:
·
Howdy: Do
not be alarmed. This is a friendly greeting all over the state, but it is used
in the most concentration in the areas around College Station, where the Aggies
grow. Return it, wave, or nod to acknowledge their greeting, or they will tag you as a Northerner for sure.
·
Restroom: If
you are a Canadian, never use the word "Washroom". You will promptly be given a
quizzical look and directed to the nearest Laundro-mat. It's a restroom, though
I haven't the slightest idea as to why- I have never used it to rest. Ever.
Snakes. Everywhere. |
·
Fixin': This
is a word used to indicate the intention or current action of an individual.
Rarely is it used in the normal context of, "I am fixin' the sink."
Rather, its most common use is, "I was fixin' to head on out to the
Wal-Mart, if ya need anythin'." Or, "I am fixin' yer dinner,
ya flea-bitten lout, now git off yer butt and git yer own cool beverage!"
·
Might-could:
As odd as this phrase is, it is actually used now and again, especially in a
rural area. It means, "You may be able to..." as in, "I
might-could go dancing tonight, if mah truck will start."
·
Awhalgo or
Whalgo (Ah-Wall-Go or Wall-Go): Literally a brand new conjunction for the
phrase, "A While Ago." This one will get you every time, guys.
Be prepared for it, they all say it, none of them notice it.
I wasn't kidding. These are everywhere, too. |
·
Uh-Huh:
While we northerners prefer real words in affirmation of our recent verbal
outpourings, in Texas a simple "uh-huh"
will suffice. It is quick. It is lazy. It is so easy to fall into, you won't be
here a week before you, too, start saying it with gusto. Proper usage is key, so
make sure you aren't sticking it in every sentence like a madman.
·
Turd-Floater:
A rain so hard that the poops in the pastures float away. It happens.
·
Bless their
Heart: You can say any number of nasty, horrible, gossipy, not-very-nice things
about pretty much anyone so long as you premise it with "Bless their Heart." Useful when
talking to people who are friends with someone you strongly dislike.
·
Y'all:
Perhaps the single most-used conjunction in the entire state, y'all literally
means "You All." Texans use this for everything, from
greetings to threats. They might double up and say "All y'all,"
which means, as you can only imagine, "all
you all." While it makes northerners cringe, it is again one of those
words that can so easily slip into one's vocabulary. I am now a regular
Y'all-er, though to my knowledge I have never said "all y'all," at least not yet.
Well, that
is a crash course in Texanisms. I hope you find it useful and informative.
NOTE: This is NOT a comprehensive list of Texas Talk. I am not liable for any
misunderstandings.
Have a good
day, y'all!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
I Wanna Go Home
Beautiful prairie near Indus, Alberta. Home. |
It appears it's that time in this semester. The prospect of home is only a week and a half away. I love Texas, I don't really want to leave my new friends, acquaintances, my new bros or brahs. I am not looking forward to a few more weeks of rainy, cool Alberta spring weather once I do land in Calgary. But oh, how I am ready to go home.
The Tex-Mex will be sorely missed |
Oddly, I miss seeing our nice red CP & CN locomotives |
I will miss the Lone Star State- Especially the accents |
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