Comments on: My Experience as a Farmer and Why I’ve Decided to Go Vegan http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:50:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Rivka K http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1956 Rivka K Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:35:47 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1956 I stopped eating meat at 15. I am now 45. I am a cheese and ice cream addict. So I have to stay away from it!Funny people are grossed out at seeing a bottle of breast milk ( whoops they might use it instead of half and half in their coffee...seriously this happened to me when I stored a bottle in my work fridge!) but not grossed out from drinking cows milk.... I stopped eating meat cause it just grossed me out. I was telling my husband the other day about the article I read that he could be considered a Vegasexual. There was an article about people who will only sleep with people that don't eat meat. Ever since we dated I would never go near him if he ate meat! gag! Well we have been married almost a Chai and he has to get meat elsewhere as I just can't cook it. But here is what I have learned....I don't eat meat. I don't make a political statement about it. I probably make more of a statement about keeping kosher.But whatever you choose, and if you change your mind in 3 days, so be it...just be happy! I stopped eating meat at 15. I am now 45. I am a cheese and ice cream addict. So I have to stay away from it!Funny people are grossed out at seeing a bottle of breast milk ( whoops they might use it instead of half and half in their coffee…seriously this happened to me when I stored a bottle in my work fridge!) but not grossed out from drinking cows milk….
I stopped eating meat cause it just grossed me out. I was telling my husband the other day about the article I read that he could be considered a Vegasexual. There was an article about people who will only sleep with people that don’t eat meat. Ever since we dated I would never go near him if he ate meat! gag!
Well we have been married almost a Chai and he has to get meat elsewhere as I just can’t cook it.
But here is what I have learned….I don’t eat meat. I don’t make a political statement about it. I probably make more of a statement about keeping kosher.But whatever you choose, and if you change your mind in 3 days, so be it…just be happy!

]]> By: Jackie Topol http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1943 Jackie Topol Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:58:51 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1943 Thank you for sharing your perspective Jeff. I understand that most people will not see eye to eye on this. I think the most important conclusion that I have come to this summer, is that if there are practices here that I have somewhat of an issue with, I can only imagine how uncomfortable I would be partaking in animal agriculture on factory farms. I would also like to respond to your comment on the process of weaning. It is true that a mother pushes her kid away at some point, but that is the mothers choice. It is completely natural. What I find troubling is that we disturb this natural process for our benefit. How would you feel if someone other than your mother decided when she would stop breast feeding? The bottom line is that I do not believe it is right to exploit animals, no matter how well they are treated. Thank you for sharing your perspective Jeff. I understand that most people will not see eye to eye on this. I think the most important conclusion that I have come to this summer, is that if there are practices here that I have somewhat of an issue with, I can only imagine how uncomfortable I would be partaking in animal agriculture on factory farms.
I would also like to respond to your comment on the process of weaning. It is true that a mother pushes her kid away at some point, but that is the mothers choice. It is completely natural. What I find troubling is that we disturb this natural process for our benefit. How would you feel if someone other than your mother decided when she would stop breast feeding? The bottom line is that I do not believe it is right to exploit animals, no matter how well they are treated.

]]> By: Jeff http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1897 Jeff Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:20:34 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1897 I appreciate your perspective, Jackie, as well as your insights into why you have become a vegan while being a participant of Adamah. Thank you for sharing. Personally, however, I have taken away a vastly difference experience from my time here. I came to Adamah as an anti-dairy advocate who stopped eating dairy for health reasons and because I too thought the practice of eating an animal's milk was strange and wrong. However, as I came to Adamah and developed an intimate connection with the goats here who I treat with the utmost compassion, respect and love--as does everyone I know here based on my experience. Such is the case with the chickens here as well. I decided to reevaluate my stance on dairy. Just last week I sat with Aitan, the goat herder here, and I ate a homemade feta that he made from the goats at his own pasture. I became lactose intolerant as a result of my anti-dairy stance but as an advocate of sustainability I found it hard to resist eating dairy made in my backyard as I was eating my processed soy and rice products from all over the world. I also believe the process of weaning to be complex, but not morally wrong in the least. In fact, weaning is a natural occurrence in the wild. Usually a mother pushes away her child, resulting in trauma for the kid. In dairy farms weaning takes place because otherwise a kid will never mature properly and begin eating regular food. Never have I heard of a situation where a group of farmers hugged and caressed the mother and the kid during the process as happened here. It was a sincerely beautiful moment. I offer these words mainly to share another perspective from Adamah. I have become very much the opposite of a vegan here, but instead I have given up processed soy products while I've been here because I see them as contrary to a healthy and sustainable agricultural existence. That's a decision I came to while being here and appreciating the love that is put into the food I grow, harvest and cook. I appreciate your perspective, Jackie, as well as your insights into why you have become a vegan while being a participant of Adamah. Thank you for sharing.

Personally, however, I have taken away a vastly difference experience from my time here. I came to Adamah as an anti-dairy advocate who stopped eating dairy for health reasons and because I too thought the practice of eating an animal’s milk was strange and wrong. However, as I came to Adamah and developed an intimate connection with the goats here who I treat with the utmost compassion, respect and love–as does everyone I know here based on my experience. Such is the case with the chickens here as well.

I decided to reevaluate my stance on dairy. Just last week I sat with Aitan, the goat herder here, and I ate a homemade feta that he made from the goats at his own pasture. I became lactose intolerant as a result of my anti-dairy stance but as an advocate of sustainability I found it hard to resist eating dairy made in my backyard as I was eating my processed soy and rice products from all over the world.

I also believe the process of weaning to be complex, but not morally wrong in the least. In fact, weaning is a natural occurrence in the wild. Usually a mother pushes away her child, resulting in trauma for the kid. In dairy farms weaning takes place because otherwise a kid will never mature properly and begin eating regular food. Never have I heard of a situation where a group of farmers hugged and caressed the mother and the kid during the process as happened here. It was a sincerely beautiful moment.

I offer these words mainly to share another perspective from Adamah. I have become very much the opposite of a vegan here, but instead I have given up processed soy products while I’ve been here because I see them as contrary to a healthy and sustainable agricultural existence. That’s a decision I came to while being here and appreciating the love that is put into the food I grow, harvest and cook.

]]> By: Michael Croland http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1887 Michael Croland Thu, 02 Aug 2007 03:43:53 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1887 I think that no matter what diet someone adheres to -- vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, or whatever -- it's important to be on top of nutritional info. By all means, get a good feel for your protein and calcium intake and which foods are good sources of various nutrients. I recommend that vegans take a multivitamin containing B12, and that never seemed like an abundance of supplements or any great hassle to me. :-) Anyone considering a vegetarian or vegan diet is encouraged to check out http://www.veganhealth.org. I think that no matter what diet someone adheres to — vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, or whatever — it’s important to be on top of nutritional info. By all means, get a good feel for your protein and calcium intake and which foods are good sources of various nutrients. I recommend that vegans take a multivitamin containing B12, and that never seemed like an abundance of supplements or any great hassle to me. :-)

Anyone considering a vegetarian or vegan diet is encouraged to check out http://www.veganhealth.org.

]]> By: Leah Koenig http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1886 Leah Koenig Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:13:37 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1886 Jackie - thanks for your post. Many people decide to go vegan (myself included for a couple years, though I now eat eggs and dairy again) because they dislike the factory farm process and feel it is cruel to animals. Many of these vegans say if they could ensure that their eggs and milk were coming from responsible, humane sources - like Adamah - that they'd eat dairy again. So it's fascinating to me that your experience/reaction was just the opposite. As a former vegan who realized that I was personally unable to maintain a healthy diet for myself without any animal products, my only advice/blessing for you is that you treat your own body with the same respect that you do the animals by making sure you get enough calcium and protein and other nutrients. I think it's possible for some people to be healthy on a vegan diet, but many vegans I know have to take supplements to get enough nutrients, makes it seem like perhaps the diet isn't the best one for their body afterall. Jackie - thanks for your post. Many people decide to go vegan (myself included for a couple years, though I now eat eggs and dairy again) because they dislike the factory farm process and feel it is cruel to animals. Many of these vegans say if they could ensure that their eggs and milk were coming from responsible, humane sources - like Adamah - that they’d eat dairy again. So it’s fascinating to me that your experience/reaction was just the opposite.

As a former vegan who realized that I was personally unable to maintain a healthy diet for myself without any animal products, my only advice/blessing for you is that you treat your own body with the same respect that you do the animals by making sure you get enough calcium and protein and other nutrients. I think it’s possible for some people to be healthy on a vegan diet, but many vegans I know have to take supplements to get enough nutrients, makes it seem like perhaps the diet isn’t the best one for their body afterall.

]]> By: Michael Croland http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1881 Michael Croland Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:55:24 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/my-experience-as-a-farmer-and-why-ive-decided-to-go-vegan/#comment-1881 I'm glad someone else agrees this guest post was great. :-) I’m glad someone else agrees this guest post was great. :-)

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