My Outrage at Facory Farming of Pork

I eat meat. There, I've said it. But probably 98% of the meat I eat is raised right here on my farm. This year I raised 7 pigs, 2 lambs, 80 broiler chickens, 10 turkeys, but in the past I've had as many as 50 lambs and 16 pigs.

I love my animals. Every day I go to the pastures and they run right up to the fence. You should hear the turkeys gobbling as they rush up to investigate. This year's pigs are the friendliest I've ever had. They insist on being scratched and massaged, and some even roll over on their backs so I can rub their bellies. When it's hot outside, I go and spray them with a hose, and give them a mud puddle to lay in.

I always have a gentle word for the animals. Even when I don't have time for a full hello, the lambs get a soft touch on their noses. Even when I was beyond frustrated with the broiler chickens, I would say things like, "I think I'm going to make chicken soup with you!" in a kind voice. All they knew was that I was being careful with them while putting them in their coop for the night to avoid becoming the owl's dinner.

We raise our animals with so much care, feed them the best feed (and most expensive) organic feed, from a local feedmill, take care to avoid stress. We let the pigs be pigs, and they do what pigs love the best, root in the dirt and grass, run around their pasture, lie in the sun or shade, scratch their backs against their shelter, drink fresh water whenever they like and eat high quality food.

But in the end, many of these animals will end up in my freezer, ready to provide my family with the nutrition we need to survive. I bring them to a butcher I trust, the day prior to processing, to reduce the stress. My pigs have one bad day, really a moment, and they are never abused or mistreated for their entire lives.

Mark sent me this video link and warned me that it was disturbing. I didn't want to watch how pigs are treated at factory farms. I didn't want to see angry people who are paid low wages mistreat and torture these helpless creatures. But I knew I had to spread the word, and I knew I had to watch it so I could share it with people who may care.

I couldn't finish the video. I was physically sick watching it. It is awful, horrible, beyond belief how those animals are treated. I won't even ponder what they are being fed to eat. I think that every one of those men in the video should be treated the same way as those animals.

Those pigs are how Hormel puts the pork in their products. They are a big name, and I can only imagine how many countless pork factories there are out there. How can this be allowed to continue? It really breaks my heart. I had to go out to the pasture and give my precious pigs an extra helping of TLC to try and apologize for the treatment.

Be aware that this video is extremely disturbing. But watch it and get angry! http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse2

By purchasing these products, you are essentially condoning these practices and allowing it to continue. Is this how you want to feed your family? Is this the food that will provide your body with the nutrients it needs? Is there a farmer nearby that has a different, kinder view on animal husbandry? If so, you need to find them right now. (www.localharvest.org is a great place to start!) It may require you to change the way you think about your meals. Even my own extended family likes to go to the supermarket and purchase enough meat for one or two meals. When you do this, the meat you are going to eat was probably raised on a factory farm or feedlot.

When you purchase meats locally, instead of at the market, often you have to purchase larger quantities of meat. Many people can't fathom this. But in doing so, you actually pay less than when purchasing by the piece, and you have a full supply of food in your freezer. A small chest freezer is suprisingly inexpensive and efficient. Wouldn't it be nice to know that you have food enough to feed your family and can avoid the day to day fluctuations of food pricing?

I could go on and on about this, I'm so passionate about it. But I'll sign off for now. My door is always open for a discussion on this topic, as well as tours of my farm. You can see for yourself the conditions and treatment of my animals and decide for yourself. Would a factory farm ever let you through their doors??