about a month ago (31 October) i started to write a new post publicly committing to join in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for the month of November. After a paragraph was finished I got distracted by who knows what and never finished the post. I also never participated in the month long novel writing challenge, wherein the challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. do i regret this? yes-and-no. i think this would have been good for me, i have wanted to write a novel, but have a hard time committing to things and had a lot of school work during November. but now, i am going to publicly announce my prospective commitment.

i know i have mentioned giving up meat before, becoming a vegetarian, reducing our negative impact on this place we call home. the reasons for which i advocate these things is not because i believe humans are the enemy, it’s because i believe we could live our lives in a wholistic way and they could be better: mentally, physically, psychologically, socially (etc.) and this is why i (and hopefully my parents) am/are doing the “go dairy free” challenge. the challenge is 10 days with no dairy-no cheese, no yogurt, no milk, no ice cream, no chocolate, etc.-unless it has some sort of dairy substitute.

for me this is not an animal rights issue, it is a health issue. milk is one of the most common food allergens in the western world. lactose intolerance is very common, and some people may not even realize that milk is the problem for digestive problems. we are the only species to continue to drink milk after weaning. there are greater chances to having diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and ironically osteoporosis, which all but osteoporosis runs in my family. milk is not the only place you can find calcium, to name a few you can get calcium from soy milk, asparagus, baked beans, green beans, sesame seeds, almond butter, oranges, etc. the milk we drink from the stores is from a cow no longer with a calf that needs milk. in most scenarios the cows are given rBGH(recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) which stimulates the production of the IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) hormone which helps produce milk. (the science of it.)

really, who knows what will happen if i give up milk. maybe my allergies will get better, or maybe i won’t have heartburn anymore. maybe nothing will happen, but with all of the potential side effects and the knowledge of the prospective health benefits, why not try it.

i haven’t decided when i’m going to start, but i want to do it with my family, so whenever they are on the same page-hopefully before christmas.

http://www.godairyfree.org/

http://www.alternative-healthzine.com/html/1200_2.html

Let’s say you’re in a slaughterhouse, and you’re trying to kill a cow. Well, what you’re trying to do first is stun it so that you can bleed it out, thus simultaneously killing it and getting it ready to be skinned and eviscerated and on its way to being somebody’s hamburger.

Unfortunately the cow has to cooperate somewhat in this endeavor by entering what those on the kill floor call “the knock box.” This is the closely-fitted metal cage which prevents the cow from balking, rearing, backing up, or otherwise moving around so that the stunner can position and fire the stun gun properly. But what do you do if your cow is particularly stubborn, or has some cowish sixth sense that “the box” is not a cozy, feel-good kind of place? That is, what do you do if your cow just…won’t…go?

I got the answer to this question firsthand at visits to a couple of slaughterhouses in Minnesota. These are both small facilities that prepare cuts mostly for local farms selling meat through CSAs, farmers markets, and local restaurants. Each slaughters about 30 animals a day, and one only performs slaughter one day a week. So I should clarify that I got the answer that the little guys give. And the answer wasn’t, as you might think from watching any number of PETA videos, that they stuck an electric prod in places it was never meant to go.

They banged on the metal sides of the track where the cow was standing to jolt it into motion. They called and crooned and clucked. They whistled and waited. They shook rattle sticks at it and flicked its sides with them. One man even proffered the cow his hat, as an intriguing object to sniff and hopefully follow inside the box. The cow was having none of it.

So at Lorentz Meats, which those of you who’ve read my profile of it will remember, the knocker had to crawl halfway into the knock box to reach the cow over the threshold, and stun it right there. He managed it, and the cow collapsed, but the problem was far from solved. The cow still had to come through the knock box to enter the kill floor and be processed. So even though it was now senseless, the problem of how to get it into the knock box remained. It took four men – every worker in the room had to leave his station – to drag some 1200 pounds of dead weight by the forelegs into the box and thence the room. As one of the owners, who was standing beside me as all of this took place, noted, this was a hell of a lot more work for the crew than it would have been to just “buzz it” – i.e., use an electric prod.

At the other slaughterhouse I visited, which prefers to remain unnamed, the reluctant animal was a buffalo, not a cow, which entirely changed the game. Following the rather prudent policy of staying as far away from the kill floor as possible, it wouldn’t even get off the truck. If it were a cow, the stunner (who in this case happened to be the slaughterhouse’s owner) would have gotten in there with it to do the job, but as he said, you don’t get in a pen with a damn buffalo. So since he couldn’t get close enough to it to stun it, he brought along a Magnum and shot it. Never having seen anything or anyone shot before, I wasn’t sure what to expect – though luckily I’d been indoctrinated with enough TV violence to know to cover my ears. I couldn’t tell if he’d hit it with his first shot; the only visible reaction from the buffalo was a whitish fluid flowing from the inner corners of its eyes. But the second shot fulfilled its intent, and the animal crumpled as if it were nothing more substantial than a buffalo-shaped balloon. Then they got the stun gun out (yes, the buffalo was incapacitated, but that’s no guarantee that it was insensible, so they couldn’t skip that step) and once it was stunned, attached it to a chain and dragged it in.

So that’s the answer to what you do when an animal won’t go. If you have the time, and the conscience.

There are always a few animals visible in my neighborhood–donkeys, stray goats etc, however tonight, walking home from an Egypt-style Thanksgiving, an unusual amount of cows, sheep and goats stood tied in the streets.

Tonight is the eve of Eid-al Adha or “Festival of Sacrifice, a Muslim holiday commemorating biblical Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God. Many families who can afford to, will kill animals around 7:00 or 8:00 a.m (after the Eid prayer) and not eat more than 20 percent of the meat themselves. According to Islam, the rest  is divvied up between the poor–i.e. the sacrifice.

As I began snapping pictures my Egyptian friend began getting defensive about the tradition. My purpose, my curiosity is in no way to criticize Islam or the practice. For me it’s not about religion at all, but rather about making the connection between what we eat and where it comes from. Though for months I’ve walked past hanging animal carcasses nonchalantly, I have not seen animals killed or the whole carcasses butchered. Though in the States I often look for cage free and organic labels, like many I am happy to eat meat without much thinking about where it comes from or how live beings turned into yummy dinners.I have never looked into the eyes of an animal that would later end up on my dinner plate.

Here’s some of the animals I saw walking home tonight. They’ll be killed, prepared and and feasted on tomorrow. (PS This post was Mostafa’s idea).

-

 

Elite Financiera

LA PRESENTE NOTA, INCLUYE UN MENSAJE PERSONAL PARA LOS SEÑORES DE LA “ELITE
FINANCIERA GLOBAL”.

 

gripe A (H1N1)

 

Apreciados compañeros y compañeras, os comunicamos que la Ultima Guerra Mundial hadado comienzo, uno de sus varios detonantes es la próxima obligatoriedad de la vacuna de la gripe A (H1N1) para una pandemia falsa, de un virus elaborado en origen en un laboratorio militar.

 

"Dueños del Mundo"

Es la misma guerra de siempre: Por un lado están los poderosos que históricamente
han creído que son los “dueños del mundo”, algunos les llaman “La Elite Financiera Global”, y por el otro lado están los que realmente son los auténticos y legítimos herederos de la humanidad, aunque la mayoría de ellos todavía no lo saben.

 

 

Nueva Orden Mundial

Esta Élite pretende instaurar “Su Nuevo Orden Mundial” se les conoce por diferentes
nombres en diferentes organizaciones cruzadas: Iluminati de Baviera, Facción
Sionista, la Cábala Rothschild-Rockefeller, Reynolds, Russell, Club Bilderberg,
Consejo de Relaciones Exteriores de USA, Skulls and Bones, Trilateral, Banco
Mundial, Fondo Monetario Int., Org. Mundial de Comercio, Etc.. Además de controlar
la OTAN, la ONU, la OMS y otras organizaciones relacionadas.

 

 

"Plan Eugenesico"

Su historia de anhelante dominación se remonta al siglo XVIII en su actual versión,
y actualmente tienen creadas sólidas redes mundiales de Sociedades secretas
encubiertas, para la ejecución de su siniestro “Plan Eugenésico” para reducir a la
humanidad, a 3.000 millones de personas, por todos los sistemas posibles y apartar a
muchos seres humanos de su natural camino evolutivo .

 

Es la guerra clásica de la oscuridad contra la Luz. Una batalla absurda, puesto que
como bien sabemos la oscuridad solo tiene existencia relativa y en realidad sólo es
ausencia temporal de Luz. Sólo puede existir en la ilusión del tiempo.

 

"Luz vs Oscuridad"

Pero también en este caso son una “oscuridad despierta, preparada y muy inteligente”
que posee gran un conocimiento tecnológico, contra una Humanidad dormida, con poca
información por la estrategia de la propia Élite. Nos van a sorprender con su
avanzado nivel científico.

 

Actualmente sin embargo es todo diferente, porque conocemos la esencia de nuestro
adversario, formado por la saga de 16 familias dinásticas con muchísimo poder, que
reciben órdenes de un ser llamado “La Bestia”, que durante siglos se ha dedicado a
dividir y a confundir a la humanidad para que ésta no conozca su verdadera
supremacía y poder.

 

"La Bestia"

Amigo Luci, no nos gusta llamarte “la Bestia”, trabajaste duro con nosotros,
gracias, fuiste durante siglos nuestro divino tentador, nuestro entrenador
psicológico, aquel que pone a prueba al adepto para lograr su iniciación,

 

 

Adios! Lucifer

Sinceramente gracias Luci, nos despedimos de ti, sabemos bien que nos quieres, que
nos necesitas, que nuestra separación no va a ser fácil para ti, pero sabes
perfectamente que termina aquí nuestra relación, ahora debemos despedirnos y
separarnos, como ves ya estamos preparados para nuestra graduación, nos llevaste de
la “dualidad” a la “unicidad”, gracias, te recordaremos como nuestro duro y
eficiente instructor. Era necesario conocer nuestra propia “sombra” y tu ayuda ha
sido positiva para nosotros.

 

Compañeros esta guerra está completamente en nuestras manos, con un pequeño
despertar de la conciencia, no es necesario lamentar muertes de ningún lado, sólo
interésate un poco por ti mismo, ámate, cuídate, infórmate, utiliza tu INTUICIÓN y
tu natural discernimiento. Les hemos pillado con las manos en la masa, ahora solo
debemos conectarnos en el mismo pensamiento humano.

 

Amor

Nuestra frecuencia es diferente a la de la Élite. Si nos mantenemos en ella, a pesar
de sus esfuerzos por llevarnos de nuevo al miedo, no podrán nada, pues ellos tienen
aún más miedo que nosotros, porque vibran más bajo, vibremos en el amor y en el
perdón, pues entonces estamos protegidos.

 

 

Prensa Falsa

Los misiles de esta guerra deben estar cargados de información social, que hasta
ahora ha sido deliberadamente secuestrada por la Élite Global a través de las
agencias de información internacionales, totalmente controladas por su censura.

 

Por lo que ahora necesitamos son auténticos periodistas de vocación, que nos ayuden
a dinamizar esta información.

 

A H1N1

Uno de los detonantes de esta situación es la famosa vacuna para la gripe A (H1,
N1), cuya polémica ha sacado a la luz los oscuros planes de la Elite, se les llama
Illuminati pero en realidad están desconectados de la verdadera Luz y de los
verdaderos planes para la Tierra. De sus filas desertan masivamente ya sus acólitos
e inclusive hijos, revelando sus planes de muerte.

 

 

Conocimiento nos hace libres

En esta guerra, la Bomba más potente no es la que mata a más personas, si no que
tiene mucha más energía la información que despierte a más personas dormidas “El
conocimiento nos hará libres” pero también necesitamos a periodistas valientes,
dispuestos a salir al campo de trabajo.

 

El gran negocio de la Elite han sido siempre las guerras, tiene mucha experiencia,
son los verdaderos profesionales de la guerra, están especializados en el negocio de
la muerte. Saben muy bien como fomentar el odio entre nosotros, inventando teorías
políticas contrarias, luego nos financian el armamento a un lado y también al lado
contrario y cuando no pueden prolongar mas la contienda, financian la
reconstrucción del territorio. Luego siembran de nuevo la droga, la incultura, la
industria farmacéutica, la falsa medicina, los transgénicos, la comida basura, el
agua fluorada, el aire irrespirable con sus aviones que dejan estelas químicas
“chemtrails”, el control de la energía, la corrupción política, la violencia en
general y en particular la económia, etc. en resumen: son muy creativos y
ocurrentes.

 

Bolsa de Valores

Crean crisis económicas artificiales periódicas para enriquecerse más, fabrican
inútiles miles de cabezas nucleares para misiles, que luego desmontarán en doble
negocio. Manipulan la bolsa para aprovecharse de los pequeños inversores.

 

Hacen que los ejércitos del mundo viertan su sangre para poder seguir impunemente
saqueando la riqueza de los países pobres, los cuales no pueden pagar sus deudas y
al final tienen que vender sus tierras a la misma Elite.

 

Energia Libre

No nos dejan conseguir energía gratis, aunque tengamos ya un número importante de
sistemas que producen energía libre.

No quieren dejar de vendernos “su” energía y los gobiernos corruptos lo permiten,
dejándonos en indefensión escarnecedora y vergonzosa.

Políticos que crean leyes e indultos a su medida, ignorando la justicia que deben a
sus pueblos.

Nuestro interés debe ser diferente, en esta Guerra no hay que matar a nadie, hagamos
esta guerra con cañonazos de información unificada contrastada, verificada, pero sin
darles más negocio a nuestros propios enemigos. Adelante amigos periodistas. En
completa paz no entremos jamás en la violencia, que es su terreno preferido y es lo
que desean.

 

"Terroristas"

Ellos inventan grupos terroristas que ponen “de moda” por medio de sus medios
informativos para sembrar miedo, dando la culpa de sus propios atentados a quien
ellos interese para justificar venganzas ante el pueblo manipulado que paga con
impuestos y sangre sus máquinas de guerra, o también para enfrentar grupos de
diferentes creencias, que se destruyan mutuamente sin saber que son burlados, como
ocurre en Irak

 

Bipartidismo

En cualquier caso justifican el recortarnos los Derechos Civiles para “proteger
nuestra seguridad” y además muchos se lo creen, en un engaño colectivo lleno de
cinismo y permitido por los políticos que elegimos en unos sistemas democráticos
falsos, pues no hay verdadera capacidad de libre elección cuando nos ofrecen un
bipartidismo que obedece totalmente a la misma Elite, por un “módico pacto”.

Solo tenemos que conectarnos en positivo y dejar bien claro a los magnates de la
Elite Global, que este juego ya se ha terminado, porque ya no deseamos jugar más.
Ahora deseamos continuar nuestra evolución humana, sin su colaboración.

 

Evolucion Humana

 

Apreciados amigos de la Elite Global, en nombre del ejército de trabajadores de la Luz.

LES DECLARAMOS OFICIAL y DEFINITIVAMENTE LA PAZ.

No deseamos matarnos más entre nosotros, para ustedes, escogemos el camino de
nuestra evolución .

 

Despierta Ya!!

Les perdonamos cordialmente, y les agradecemos su aportación a nuestro precioso
despertar de conciencia.

La paz no es sólo la ausencia de guerra , sino sentir el corazón de cada uno
satisfecho por estar en tu centro, con libertad, amor, de la manera correcta y
justa.

Sres. de la Élite, deseamos que a Vds. no les incomode nuestra comprensión, y
nuestro sincero perdón, nos despedimos de Vds. agradeciéndoles sus servicios, no
deseemos viajar con Vds. saben perfectamente que deberán abandonar pronto el Planeta
Tierra para ir a un lugar más apropiado a su evolución. Les deseamos tengan su
propio Viaje hacia la Luz .

¡¡¡ Animo amigos, adelante amigas !!! estamos en el “fin de ciclo” ya sólo nos
queda este último examen de selectividad, para comenzar nuestra carrera, nuestra
evolución personal y colectiva.

 

Entre el Bien y el Mal

Todo el mal de nuestro mundo perdura y se mantiene gracias a aquellas personas de
buena voluntad que NO HACEN NADA , ni siquiera se interesan por conocer su propia
realidad, miran el televisor, van al futbol, leen el periódico, pero no tienen
tiempo para conocerse de verdad a ellos mismos. Parte de nuestro miedo esta causado
por nuestra falta de conocimiento, pero también por omisión de amor y respeto hacia
ti mismo.

El Proyecto genocida de la Elite Financiera Mundial está basado en nuestro miedo,
siempre nos han manipulado con el miedo, pero queridos amigos, el temible COCO en la
Luz no existe Distinguidos señores de la Elite Global, como Vds. pueden comprobar ya
hemos superado el miedo, su oscuridad ya no nos bloquea, si no que desaparece
delante de nuestra radiante Luz.

Infórmate, es importante, este esfuerzo merece la pena, la información es
imprescindible para nuestra liberación, y también para nuestra felicidad.

 

Hare Krsna!!

Te invitamos a auto-despertar, lo verás todo más claro y la vida verdaderamente
hermosa.

Escrito por Por Julian Florensa Mayoral.

At level 10 range, I graduated to training on cows in Falador.  I made quite a bit of money here as I banked all the cowhides they dropped.  I stayed here ranging cows until I was 30 range.  Then I took and went to Al Karid and turned all my cowhides into soft leather and sold them on the Grand Exchange.

I can remember the first moment when I first realised the connection between eating meat and eating an animal. I was in Year 5 and our Social Studies unit was on food. Each week we had to research a particular food and create a project on it. Always the academic achiever, I jumped into these projects with great gusto. One week it was peanuts, and I learned that Kingaroy was the peanut capital of Australia. Another week it was pineapples, and another macadamias.

I remember going to the local newsagent and buying information packs on these foods as well as coloured pens and pencils to make my project really shine. (My love of stationery stores began early…) I would take these info packs home, absorb everything that I read, then cut out the pictures to glue onto my project sheets. (And I can only imagine how inconvenient that must have been for Mum, a single mother on a tight budget.)

Then the week came when I was required to research beef. There, inside my project information pack, were photos of cows. Dark brown beef cattle stared out at me, huddling together in feedlots. Although I must have known it on some level, it was the first moment I remember of having such a strong, visceral reaction to the connection of cows and the steak that I ate.

The information focused on the number of head of cattle and the major farming areas in Queensland. It didn’t even mention the act of slaughter or butchery, but I turned each page with an ever-increasing mortification: I had been eating cows.

“What Carbon means to Farmers”

Great evening good presentation and heated debate afterwards. Thanks to all the speakers  Dr Glenda Thomas Director FWAG Cymru, Dai Davies President NFU Cymru, Andrew RT Davies AM and our panel chairman Julie Thomas for a very enjoyable evening. There was definitely some food for thought and I am certain some CO2 released in debate. I am sure that our carbon sinks on the farm offset this.

Outcome was that farmers need to promote the positive effects on climate change and advertise the reductions we have made so far.

The startling fact that the carbon footprint of the potato is most when in the home and being cooked …….

This subject will be continued at future events I am sure.

Farm visit by Jill Evans MEP  at the neighbour’s on Friday

NFU GLAMORGAN ON FARM MEETING – FRIDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2009

I write to extend an invitation to you to join us for our forthcoming meeting with Jill Evans MEP.  The meeting will be hosted by Mr and Mrs S Williams at Pantycornant farm, Blackmill, Bridgend. The meeting will start at 11.00 am this Friday, 27^th November.

This meeting will provide us with an opportunity to discuss European issues with the member of the European Parliament, such as food labelling, EU budget/CAP Reform, Climate change and sheep EID.

Dai Davies and Edmund Bailey will also be in attendance.

Please note this is an open meeting so please do encourage friends/neighbours to join us. Please see directions below. 

Yours sincerely,

Stella Owen

Farm Policy Adviser

NFU Cymru

Directions: 

From West (Sarn) : Head for Blackmill (A4061), Turn right for A4093 Tonyrefail, continue on this road up to Glynogwr. Go past a church on the right hand side – after 100yards turn left onto a lane – continue until you reach the farmyard.

From East: Get off M4 at junction 34, take A4119 for Tonyrefail, take A4093 (Gilfachgoch). On entering Glynogwr, see bungalow on the right and turn right onto the lane – continue until you reach the farmyard.

What do Vegetarians think would happen to cows,pigs,and chickens if everybody became a Vegetarian? Do you really believe that farmers and ranchers would raise these animals if there was no market for them?

So, we are still on Tampa time and we woke up at around 5:30 am here in Powell (7:30 am Tampa time) and stayed inside until we couldn’t stand it any more.  Damn, it is cold outside.  We went to check out my cousin’s cows and the Old Mantua Farms sign that hung on my Grandfather’s farm for many decades until he sold the farm about 5 or 6 years ago.  I just thought we would share these photos with all of you.

Oh, and all the winding roads here in Wyoming scream for me to ride my motorcycle down them, but we flew so that is a trip for another day…

Jeannine Schweihofer

On November 9, 2009, a group of researchers and educator from Michigan State University Extension had an opportunity to visit one of the research facilities for Provimi, a global animal feed company headquartered in Brussels. Our U.S. friends may better know their daughter company, Akey Feeds, a leading animal nutrition company out of Lewisburg, Ohio.

We were at their swine, poultry and dairy research facility, a farm nestled on the edge of the town of Velddriel in The Netherlands. There, we met a group of nutritionists and researchers who provide technical expertise to their customers all over the world.

We talked about the carbon footprint of animal agriculture, eco-packaging for milk and fiber digestion. But perhaps the most interesting part of the morning came when we explored the dairy research barn where we saw this:

An emissions detection halter on a dairy cow.

Many consumers are concerned about methane production from dairy cows. Unfortunately, a lot of them are misinformed about where the methane comes from. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not coming from the backend of the cow, but the front end.

The researchers here are using these detection halters to determine how much methane cows eructate every time they breathe. Next, they take a look at how different diets affect methane production.

Why is that important? Because every day consumers are becoming more and more interested about what they are buying at the grocery store and how their product choices are affecting the environment. Too often those grocery-store decisions are based on here-say. These guys are hoping that they can provide sound science to determine the best feeding practices for dairy producers.

It’s raining. Again. It’s been raining for weeks on end on our small farm located in the foothills of beautiful Mt. Rainier. Chores don’t go away when it rains. So, slipping on my warm, worn out green plaid coat and my cold barn boots I head to the barn to feed the cows.

The door opens with its usual squeaky voice and the radio is playing the same old country station it always is. Did you know that dairy cows that listen to music produce more milk? Or, that if you change the usual radio station to something new they will often produce less milk? Cows are peculiar creatures. They like routine. Our cows prefer country and so do I.

As I break open a hay bale and start tossing it to the cows I can’t help but put a little skip into my step. Soon the hips are swaying and the work is getting done quick.

The cows watch with awe, chomping on the hay and swishing their tails. I think they like my barnyard performances. It isn’t long before my legs can’t resist and soon I am whisking myself across the cement pad with feet slopping about in my too-big barn boots.

The cows turn with wide eyes. The calves poke their pink noses through the panels to get a better view.

“No worries girls,” I shout as I fulfill my morning exercise while gliding across the straw strewn floor.  With a shovel for a partner or a pole to get down and dirty with…it’s great to chase away the rainy day blues just dancing in my barn boots.

Sorry, we’ve been reading far more children’s books than adult’s books lately. But it relates to my quick post of the day. For some reason over the past week or so, if I have the north-facing windows open, I will quite clearly hear a bellowing cow. The nearest ones I know of are a handful that were brought from some higher pastures to some pastures that are in between the line of houses of our area and the wooded walking trails. Like this guy:

And he’s probably a half a mile away! I guess that the acoustics of living on the side of a hill account for some of it, and that the cows here are just really loud.

While exploring a food theme, I really like to teach the children about where food comes from.  Milk and dairy products are a great group to explore this way.  I start out by asking the children if they have milk at their homes.  They usually all reply in the affirmative.  Then I ask where milk comes from.  MOST kids know milk comes from a cow, though they’re a bit hazy on the details, and every now and then you’ll find a little one who hasn’t even come to the cow-milk connection yet.  Once we establish that milk comes from cows, I ask if the children have any cows at home.  Most children don’t.  So then I ask how they got the milk they have in their refrigerators?  They came from the store!  Well, does the store have any cows?  None that they’ve seen!  So how does it get there?  It’s a long journey! Then, I explain that I want to tell them the story of milk!

I like to tell the story using pictures (I’ve linked some samples for you) and telling about my grandfather who was a dairy farmer.  I tell them a little about him, then show a picture of cows grazing.  I tell them that when cows eat grass, some of that food goes to giving the cow energy and making it healthy, and part goes to making milk in the cow.  Next, I show a picture of udders (closer here).  This is a point of confusion, and not just for children.  Have you ever seen the animated movie “Barnyard”?  ALL of the cows, including male characters, have udders.  It drives me crazy!  But I digress.  Be clear that the udders are where the milk is stored in the momma cow.  You may have someone claim that the udders are used for going to the bathroom.  Simply dispel that as false, and focus on the milk! 

When my grandfather first started farming, he milked cows by hand.  I tell the children that I don’t have a cow for them to milk, but I have something similar.  I bring out a pair of latex-type gloves (be mindful of allergies here) that have been filled with watered down milk.  The fingertips have been pricked with a pin.  I give each child a chance to squeeze these imitation udders and try to squirt the milk into a jar.  (You may need several sets to get through a large group quickly.) 

Once everyone has had a turn, I point out that with all that work, we only have a little bit of milk.  Well, dairy farmers have a lot of practice and they get pretty good and pretty fast at milking.  But along the way, someone was very clever and came up with a milking machine so that dairy farmers could milk a lot of cows very quickly all at once!    Once the milk is collected, it is cooled and pumped into a special tanker truck designed specifically for transporting milk!  (Of course I show another picture  here.) 

The truck takes the milk to a factory where it is prepared.  It might be packaged into a carton of milk like the one in your fridge or it might be used to make another kind of dairy food.  I show a few samples like cheese, yogurt, and my favorite of course, ice cream!  I also show factory pictures (tons to choose from, just google “cheese factory pictures”) and talk about how the factory is kind of like a huge kitchen where they can cook and stir and mix the milk with other things to create another kind of food.  Then I tell the children that we are going to be like a small factory and make butter from a part of the milk called cream.  Here’s how:

Label clean, small baby food jars with the children’s names.  Fill them about half-way with cream.  Secure the lids and wrap them in paper towels in case of leaking.  Have the children shake them vigorously.  It takes about 10 minutes for the butter to congeal into a little ball (there will also be a separated liquid called whey).  You may want to have the children shake while they dance and then as they listen to a story.  Some may need to continue shaking throughout the day or at home.  If you’re sending these butters home, prepare a note ahead of time explaining the activity so that parents know that this mysterious ball is butter and that they may need to help complete the task.  Or you may choose to use one larger jar and take turns with the children shaking it and use the butter at snack time.

If you weren’t lucky enough to grow up with a dairy farmer as your grandpa, and you’re not so comfortable just ad-libbing your own milk story, don’t worry.  You can find the story of milk online at  www.moomilk.com (click on the icon that reads: The Virtual Tour, The Story of Milk).  You could also use one of these great books:  Milk Comes From a COW?  by Dan Yunk or From Grass to Milk by Stacy Taus-Bolstad.  Intersperse whatever storytelling method you use with the milking and butter-making activities!  These combined activities are great for teaching the origins of food, which builds science knowledge, and it even promotes large and small motor skills as the children milk the faux udders and shake their jars of butter!  If you’re fortunate enough to have the resources, you might even consider taking a field trip to a dairy farm or a cheese factory!

For more food-themed activities, click here!

Top cow photo by marijnvb.

bi-lingual!

for all i know, this could be my last evening as a san francisco occupant. my job is over, my friends have left (if only for thanksgiving break) and i am running out of time before i return to school. some reflections on the city; after deciding to forgo my first semester at UCSC in exchange for a full-time nanny-ing gig, you could say that i am whole-heartedly in love with homeless people, people on drugs, gay men, bay windows and multitudes of handle bar mustaches. i mean, where else in california can you cat call 26 year old men from your bedroom window at 1 am and continue to make different animal sounds until 2?

i speak from experience, last night my roommate becca and i, being the only ones left found ourselves incredibly bored and therefore harassed every human to have the misfortune to walk past our window. around 1 we got lucky, a young man (michael) who is plagued with a terrible case with ADHD (his mom is proud of him nonetheless) and whose symptoms mimicked those of a person on meth, fell into our trap and animal called late into the evening, my proudest was the monkey, becca’s the cow, michael’s the frog. eventually we coaxed him closer until he was standing beneath our window. we fed him lies to the wee hours, i am on house arrest for moving a brick of heroin, becca and i are twins from canada, our parents said they would disown us unless we were married by 25 and becca had recently been cheated on by her huge boyfriend. the night quickly came to an end when michael began to lay down beats.

what a night.

I urge you all to contact your representatives… you can find them at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Lets unite on our requests ask them to support;

1) Big Tariffs on Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) needed because MPCs are not approved for food use

2) Mandatory Audit of food companies’ dairy product inventory is necessary for dairy famers to have honest price triggers and supply management

3) Temporary floor price of at least $17 (cost of production)

4) For long term- new price discovery mechanism utilizing a percentage of cost of production and or a percentage of retail coupled with supply management.

With the price on the upswing we can not be to comfortable….who knows when the NEXT down turn is going to be! We have taken quite a hit! Can we survive the next go around? Do we have the energy? PLEASE speak up.

If I can be any assistance just let me know!

Sincerely,

Barbara Martin
www.dairygoddess.wordpress.com

To all:

Calling to action: Farmers, agribusiness and concerned consumers to perform “Political Farming” on Dec 1 and 2.  A face to face meeting is the most powerful way to make a difference so we can make real change in the dairy industry. Appointments have been made with multiple politicians.  

Please join us. You won’t regret the difference you will make.  Washington, D.C. is a money-driven bureaucracy, however, voices from the folks – us folks – will overcome the system. 

My motto is the man who wins, is the man who tries. He uses his head and his eyes. This is what Washington needs from all of us. 

The New York bus from Utica is paid for thanks to our Agribusiness friends in New York. As of this writing, the bus has seats available. The bus in July filled fast right before we left so get your seat today. 

If you are going, urge a friend or neighbor to join also.  

Reserve your bus seat: Email blcgotham@yahoo.com 

To learn more, read below and/or join the next conference call 

We will finalize strategy and progress with other commitments from Pa, VT , Midwest and NY. 

===  Monday, Nov. 23, 2009  - 

8:30 p.m. EST ===

=== # 1 (605) 715-4900    code 466980  ======

~Bryan Gotham

——————————–News Release —————————–

Contact: Tammy Graves - 315-858-0163

UPCOMING “DAIRY DOES D.C.” DAY – Dec. 2

Delivering a Reality Check

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Dairy farmers and their allies will descend on Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Dec. 2. Seats are filling on buses departing from New York and Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. for appointments with senators and congressmen.

Goals of the upcoming Dairy Does D.C. Day include balancing influence and building bridges. Due to incomplete data and skewed data analysis, our political representatives are being influenced by information that inappropriately portrays the state of the dairy industry.

The most significant areas with data and corresponding analysis flaws include: 1) Import/Export Volume 2) Cold Storage Reports and 3) Domestic Milk Production and Utilization. Talking points in D.C. will reflect these three areas. To receive the data and analysis from which we will be sourcing our talking points, please contact United States Dairy Farmers and Friends at usdairyfarmersandfriends@gmail.com.

Dairy farmers will be delivering messages on their own behalf to keep checks and balances in the political influence as they did in July in conjunction with the House of Agriculture Hearings. In addition, farmers will be building bridges with Congressional representatives of suburban and urban areas.

“We are excited to be launching our campaign of building bridges with metropolitan representatives,” says Debbie Windecker, a dairy farmer from Frankfort, N.Y. “Just as dairy farmers and consumers need to connect, so do our rural and urban politicians. I have been told first-hand and repeatedly that there is a real disconnect between them.”

IMPORTANT NOTE: You need not be in D.C. to be a part of this message delivery. Schedule appointments at your senator and congressman’s local district offices or contact the district offices by mail, fax, phone or email on or around Dec. 2.  For communication-related assistance, please contact Tammy Graves of US Dairy Farmers and Friends at usdairyfarmersandfriends@gmail.com. Your message, meeting, call or letter is valuable whether you are a farmer, consumer, breed association member, state assemblyman or senator, Chamber of Commerce member, Land Trust, FFA teacher, agribusiness owner/employee or college faculty or student.

“I’ll be echoing the D.C. voices in to my representative’s California offices,” says Barbara Borges-Martin, a California dairy farmer.”

Buses are departing from the following locations and will arrive in D.C. by 7:30 a.m.:

Utica, N.Y. 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1 and arrive in Washington by 7 a.m. December 2. The bus will depart Washington, D.C. at 5 p.m. Call Bryan Gotham at 315-405-6456 or blcgotham@yahoo.com to reserve your seat. We want to express our many thanks to our current Utica bus sponsors. GOLD Level: Bourdeau Bros., Brown’s Feed, Whites Farm Supply, Poulin Grain, Cargill; SILVER Level: Leberge & Curtis, Griffith Energy, Performance Premixes, North Country Vet, Animal Medic, Dundee Feeds; BRONZE Level: Blue Seal, Springer’s

Hornell, N.Y. Tuesday, Dec 1. Call Lisa Robinson to reserve your seat – $50/seat and fundraising will continue -607-525-6329  or robinsonfarms@zoominternet.net.

Wyalusing, Pa. on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Call Tina Carlin 570-833-4592.

– 30 –

Holy fuckballs! You guys! Oh, my goshly, this is one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen some truly amazing shit.*

I do not have words for how great that hoodie is. So great. If you want, you can pick up a Karmaloop exclusive Cat Girl Hoodie by Tripp NYC for yourself or, you know, for a charming e kitty who delivers you porn and sparkling social commentary here on karmaloop’s website.

*I once saw two cows fucking, not even lying. It was around ten years ago and I was spontaneously on my way to Monterey, chainsmoking and speeding of course, and I came around a bend and hit a bit of traffic about ten miles outside Gilroy. There were a couple of girl cows on the side of the road (they both had udders is how I know), and, as I glanced over, one just up and mounted the other one, completely out of nowhere. It was an arresting sight.

A short (30 minute) documentry everyone should see.

“Food” is a 30-minute documentary that follows your dinner from the plate to the field, farm and ocean. The investigation reveals some surprising facts about the modern food chain. You may be surprised how far your oranges have traveled, what’s in your farmed salmon, and why your chicken breasts are so large these days.– Thank You KPBS.

<GONG>

THE LYCHEE TOILETS EXPERIMENT: Trial 1 = FLAVOUR

Go ahead. Let your imagination run wild.  What kind of experiment would possibly combine lychee with toilets?  Maybe for cleaning, or sanitizing, or even, dare I say…for FLAVOUR?
…Now, I don’t know what you’re thinking in terms of flavour, but let me say, that I’m just thinking in terms of the “flavour” of aesthetics haha.

Okay, I’m completely lying.  I have no idea what I mean by “flavour” either.  It just seemed to fit really well with lychees (which do have lots of flavour), and toilets (which probably do not have much flavour…I would think you have not tried…Though I suppose you could ask your dog or cat.  But that depends how well you can communicate with your animal.  After all, if you can’t speak “canine-nese, or feline-nese”, how can you really know if your pet enjoys the flavour from the cleanest water in the house?…ahem.)

Hmm.. I also have no idea how to combine lychee with toilets, though I suppose I could come up with all sorts of ways.  The experiment is just my little psychology thing to see whether the combination of lychee and toilets is enough to get your attention to shift your focus away from your either really fun or really busy life.  Stop paying attention to the daily complexities of your life and enter a world of senseless, fantastical nonsense–The world of my Blog.  Haha. Then again, if you’re already “living the dream”, well, God Bless you…that’s a great attitude to have…and may my oddly entertaining blog add some nonsensical wonder to your existence

Ok, so here’s an idea:  Offer your comments. Be creative.

What do you think about when you hear the words “Lychee Toilets” + “Flavour”?  I’ll post my thoughts too eventually

But for now.  Here’s a random picture of a toilet shaped house.  Maybe surrounded by lychee trees?

<GONG>