Irresponsible Homesteading

If you don’t think animals have any real significance don’t read this particular blog.  I am on my soapbox tonight and rather peeved as well.

I found out from a very good source that if a dairy farmer loses 1/3 of its calves to scours they consider that a good year.   A good Year???   Really??   You have to be kidding me??   No pun intended here.  If I lose one rabbit, one kid, one chicken I am broken hearted!  Yes we raise certain animals for their meat but there is the honorable way and there is the disgraceful way of doing it.

I am not naïve about where my food comes from.   That is why I have chosen the harder road, to raise my own food with love, dignity and respect.  In turn it will provide me better health and a connection I simply can’t get from the supermarket.

At Lakeside Country Farm every animal is important to us, every animal has a purpose, but every animal is loved, respected and treated with dignity as all life should be.  No animal is mistreated and each is socialized on a daily basis.   Yes the chickens are petted and talked too.  No animal is sold before they are fully weaned.  This means we have a larger investment in our animals and therefore they cost more.  And that means they are not available as early either.  This policy has cost us sales.  Do we change our policy because of this?  Absolutely not!  And we won’t even consider doing so.

I am so furious with all the breeders, homesteaders, and farmers out there who only care about their damn profit margin.  But really, how dare anyone sell animals to naive or unprepared buyers just because they can! And to those buyers out there always looking for the cheapest animal they can find.  Well you get what you pay for!  And why would you want a cheap animal that is not socialized, and will probably die on you in a few months or it will definitely be unhealthy?  Cheaper is not better!  And where are those breeders when you are having troubles?

It is irresponsible that animals are being sold before they are fully weaned and maybe only a few days old. These animals have been sentenced to a horrible death, scours.  Milk-replacer is what we call the liquid death.  How can any animal owner be so irresponsible?  No wonder the animal activists are out for blood from this industry.  Farmers and breeders are their own worse enemy and then they try to blame it on fanciful thinking or even ignorance.  Sorry guys!  That just doesn’t cut it. It is because the industry has become so focused on the bottom line and making a fast buck, that they no longer care about their animals.  And their animals know it!

It offends my very sense of sensibility to be considered part of it.  All I can hope to do is stand apart from the herd and do things differently along with others out there trying to do the same.  And I offer up advice whenever possible that might save an animal or two.

The Greenhorn Homesteader