Ron and his BIG BEEF ….
This is a story about Ron and his life in the country as a vegetable farmer. There is always much talk about the rights of free-range animals to have room enough to live their short lives before they end up on somebody’s meal table or in their sandwich.
I try not to think about it as I was raised eating meat, but find that as I get older, just healthy eating dictates changing my habits. I eat more fruits and vegetables. I avoid fats and carbs, especially white flour and sugar-based foods.
So, it amazed me to have Ron tell me the story of why he no longer eats beef. After all, he is a retired farmer.
Seems he had his vegetable farm right next to cattle slaughterhouse someplace southwest of Chicago.
He tells how he could see the cows in over-crowded holding pens awaiting their ultimate demise. They could hear and smell the cows ahead of them meeting their butcher. Worse yet, he said, he could hear the whining cries of the yet to be killed cows. They knew their turn to die was soon in front of them.
And that I why he said he could never eat beef again. It is just too much for me to fathom. I still take no position. It is an individual choice. But it makes me wonder.
Back in the 1980’s trying to eat vegetarian items involved too much salt. Now I just eat the vegetables, often chopping root veggies and seasoning plus sunflower seed oil.
Every story has an ending, but this ain’t it.
