I had a tight feeling in my chest reading this, and faced my own complicated feelings about my on again/off agin consumption of meat. What an absolutely beautiful and compelling essay on the cycles of death. You can't get much closer than the farmers who raise the animals. Thank you Natalie, for making me feel and think today.
I feel like it is so natural to have complicated feelings around this topic. I have for most of my adult life. It's just not an easy topic, especially when we live in a society that over consumes meat and exploits the animals. I was a vegetarian and pescatarian for a number of years and I finally just came to the conclusion that I had to either raise the animal or know the people who are raising the animals if I want to eat meat.
It captures this relationship between nature & consumption and life that is so right. Very Wendell Berry. We live down the road from a small farm. We see the cows grazing in the fields, wandering free and happy in Yorkshire. And we then walk down the road to pick up steaks a few times a year.
It feels odd to see something that you will eventually eat, but it also feels right. Honouring.
There's a bit in Dispatches from Pluto where he talks about this, how killing this animal after they've had a good life contains a sense of dignity. That pure nature would eventually result in the animal dying and being consumed by coyotes or whatever else.
Thank you, Nathan! It is this very dignity of the animal and the honoring of the animal through its death and consumption that I wish more people could realize and experience and sadly, I think it often gets lost in the back and forth of the "rightness" of consuming meat. When done right, it is such a beautiful thing.
Thank you for the love, care and intention you give to these beautiful animals. We are so privileged to share the earth with creatures big and small and contribute to their stewardship in the choices we make. I cried reading about and seeing Baby, I can only imagine the sorrow that you and your husband feel. I want any animals raised for food to be cared for with such integrity and eaten sparingly if at all. Thank you for having the courage not to harden your heart and to help the rest of us recognize what is at stake with each meal.
Thank you for walking that journey with me and feeling all of it. It is truly a privilege to share our lives with these magnificent beasts and I am so glad that my essay resonated with you. 💕
I had a tight feeling in my chest reading this, and faced my own complicated feelings about my on again/off agin consumption of meat. What an absolutely beautiful and compelling essay on the cycles of death. You can't get much closer than the farmers who raise the animals. Thank you Natalie, for making me feel and think today.
I feel like it is so natural to have complicated feelings around this topic. I have for most of my adult life. It's just not an easy topic, especially when we live in a society that over consumes meat and exploits the animals. I was a vegetarian and pescatarian for a number of years and I finally just came to the conclusion that I had to either raise the animal or know the people who are raising the animals if I want to eat meat.
insanely beautiful cow photos
Thank you!
This is so well-written.
It captures this relationship between nature & consumption and life that is so right. Very Wendell Berry. We live down the road from a small farm. We see the cows grazing in the fields, wandering free and happy in Yorkshire. And we then walk down the road to pick up steaks a few times a year.
It feels odd to see something that you will eventually eat, but it also feels right. Honouring.
There's a bit in Dispatches from Pluto where he talks about this, how killing this animal after they've had a good life contains a sense of dignity. That pure nature would eventually result in the animal dying and being consumed by coyotes or whatever else.
You've written something important.
Thank you, Nathan! It is this very dignity of the animal and the honoring of the animal through its death and consumption that I wish more people could realize and experience and sadly, I think it often gets lost in the back and forth of the "rightness" of consuming meat. When done right, it is such a beautiful thing.
Wendell Berry is brilliant!
Thank you for the love, care and intention you give to these beautiful animals. We are so privileged to share the earth with creatures big and small and contribute to their stewardship in the choices we make. I cried reading about and seeing Baby, I can only imagine the sorrow that you and your husband feel. I want any animals raised for food to be cared for with such integrity and eaten sparingly if at all. Thank you for having the courage not to harden your heart and to help the rest of us recognize what is at stake with each meal.
Thank you for walking that journey with me and feeling all of it. It is truly a privilege to share our lives with these magnificent beasts and I am so glad that my essay resonated with you. 💕