Farmland

In this film, young farmers invite you into their work of farming - it appears to be both a labor of love and in some cases factory farming.  However, over the years as a tiny farmer, I know the amount of work that goes into farming on any scale.  The need for large scale farming has resulted from the increasing population at the same time consumption of animals and poultry.  Many American homes consume beef and chicken and pork daily.  A typical diet is coldcuts for lunch, and chicken or steak for dinner.

When the demands for these products are not met in this country they are imported from China.  The lack of water in some regions of this country is frightening for the future of food production overall.

As a vegetarian, none of my diet requires the killing of an animal.  However, vegetable production is still a huge demand on natural resources.

As a vegetarian, I eat eggs.  The eggs I consume are from tiny farms that let the chickens live beyond the normal chopping block of most farms.  Most farms allow birds just months to live - which increases the profit margin because inputs, namely feed and labor, are so costly.  Also, they produce a more tender bird.  For years we cared for are own small flock of chickens - some of them lived 7 plus years!

As a vegetarian, I also consume dairy products - milk for my coffee and cheese on occasion.  Having milked goats, here again I see the birthing, and the milking, and the making of cheese - because I and the doe are making it happen.  However, I did not like the doe having to give birth each year.  I saw the amount of milk it takes to make a small amount of cheese.  And again, not by us, but the dark side of dairy is that these animals - even after being used as birth mothers and milkers non stop - are given a short time to live before they too are sent to the slaughterhouse.

I cant reconcile any of this because I am such a mush.  I limit my consumption of these goods.  Everyone can choose to limit the consumption of animals and animal products.  In a world where the population is growing rapidly and is so large - resources are limited.

On this note, I did forego children to aid in population control (I receive fulfillment in caring for the many animals I 've rescued).  However ridiculous this may sound, choices we make individually - collectively have an impact.

For example, families can have a small number of children.  Some people have vegetarian Mondays.  Some people choose to  be vegan.  Every little change reverses the strain on our Natural Resources for future generations.