shepherd with attitude
Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design
  • Home
    • my blog
  • My Diploma Journey
    • My Permaculture Designer CV
    • Diploma Journey Reflections
    • Summary of Relevant Activities
  • diploma designs
    • The Hill Farm
    • Animals On The Hill Farm
    • Outdoor Living Space
    • Food Peace
    • Reflection and Planner Journal
    • Designing Dying
    • Action Learning Pathway
    • Memories Space
    • Healing Agriculture
    • Journey To Spain
  • articles, reviews and workshops written by me
  • the grazing diaries

animal(s) matter(s)

18/11/2012

3 Comments

 
Picture
Luna
.....earlier this week we took Luna our 18 month old Hereford Stirk (castrated  bull) to slaughter as planned......the preparation for taking him to the abattoir in Ilkley was a time of mixed emotion.....he's been a lovely gentle boy and a great part of our little Hereford herd......but the plan had always been to raise him to provide beef,for family, friends and neighbours locally to us.....our Hereford cows seem to thrive really well here in the roughest of fields and edges of the forestry land eating the abundant mix of grasses, herbs and flowers growing there and spending only the wettest of winter months in the old fashioned stone barn, munching on good quality haylige.....he's had a great life here and with careful planning, the journey to Ilkley and his short time at the abattoir was as stress free for him as possible....

....by chance, over the past couple of weeks, i've also been involved in some very interesting and at times very emotional and heated discussions in a couple of different Face Book groups, about the use of animals within permaculture, and particularly about issues around how animals (wild and agricultural) are killed. The (massively) varying views in the debate have helped me to take a good look at my own thoughts and behaviours (past and present) around ethical aspects of humans' relationships with animals, and how we treat both farmed and wild animals in a permaculture system:

* I have been vegetarian and in the past, vegan, for most of my life, and really being vegetarian supports the production of meat anyway through the consumption of dairy products. (the cow has to give birth to a calf that will probably be used for beef, or if a pure dairy bull calf, shot at birth, for her to produce milk). 
* The decision to be and then remain vegan/vegetarian was/is based on environmental, fair share and animal welfare/rights ethics. I can at some point in the future see myself eating meat from an animal that I have reared.
* I have been farming animals for meat for the past 12 years and over this time have gradually come to the conclusion that farming agricultural animals for meat/dairy/hide production can have an important role in permaculture systems, but in much less numbers and within increased welfare standards compared to present. In addition, I firmly believe that eating ethically raised veal and older sheep (mutton) should be as common place as lamb, beef, pork etc, to avoid a massive amount of waste (energy, work, life). . Both dairy bull calves and sheep past prime breeding age are 'worthless' at present. (Older fell sheep were sold for just £1/each last week at a sale local to here)
* A future where all humans are vegan and no animals are killed would be near impossible....numbers of deer, rabbits and grey squirrels would increase rapidly and eat the veg/fruit/nut/tree crops. 
* Eating 'pests', deer/rabbit/grey squirrel, needs to become the cultural norm for meat eaters in the UK, reducing the numbers of farmed agricultural animals needed and the associated environmental/fair share/welfare issues. 

* If animals are going to be killed for humans to eat (or because the animal is suffering in some way) I firmly believe they should be killed as quickly and with as little stress as possible. In my experience that is with a gun, shot by someone who is not only competent with a firearm, but understands the anatomy, physiology and behaviour of the animal they are shooting. Ideally the animal should be in an environment they know, and shot from behind. Post BSE and Foot and Mouth Disease eras, the government enforces very strict regulations about how and where agricultural animals can be slaughtered. Many animals have to travel long distances to huge abattoirs. Slaughter would be much more kind and less stressful if it took place on the farm. In addition to this the environmental impacts of transporting animals long distances and then having to deal with slaughter 'waste' on a huge scale is considerable. Human involvement with hunting animals (ie using ferrets/hawks/dogs) to chase/catch/kill wild animals causes massive fear and suffering, (often to the hunted and the hunter animal). I don't believe killing animals in this way is morally acceptable.

Picture
...its been good to take some time to reflect on the above...and a first step towards starting on a Diploma design about the use of agricultural animals within my own permaculture system, where I aim to look at these issues in more depth.. I've found reading Simon Fairlie's book 'Meat - A Benign Extravagance' really useful in helping me to understand more about the complex issues around the human consumption of meat, and also in helping me to gain a realistic daydream and vision of what wide scale permaculture design farming could look like in the future. I highly recommend Simon's book (and related article in Permaculture Magazine, for anyone interested in wanting to further their knowledge and thinking about food production in general. 

3 Comments

zone 00 is facing winter

2/11/2012

3 Comments

 
Picture
Floss and me

......I like to split into the cycle of the year into 2 main seasons here in the depths of the Dales... 'summer' - May - mid October the grass grows, the grazing animals can meet their nutritional needs from the plants growing in the ground and ...'Winter' - Mid Oct - end of April, when then animals need feeding daily........and during winter I spend the majority of day light hours outside feeding/ caring for animals, and in rain, hail, snow, ice, storms.....it can be challenging, and its easy to start feeling a sense of dread and gloom at the thought of the months ahead at this time of year...and in 2012 I am consciously aware that these negative outlooks may be even more amplified this year, after very little sun and warm weather over the summer....

...I am pleased not to have full blown SAD (seasonal affective disorder), like so many folks, but I do recognise that my mind and body slow down lots as the days get shorter (as do most mammals!).....and its easy to let unhealthy lifestyle patterns creep in....and finish the winter feeling unfit in mind and body...

...so, this year, I've decided to to proactive in taking care of my emotional and physical health through the winter (and hopefully beyond), and the following plan is being implemented as I type

* i've stopped drinking alcohol and caffeine 
* trying to eat more varied, healthy foods
* admitting to myself I need to sleep more in the winter, and doing so
* gentle activities for after dark....reading, watching TV, writing, drawing....

and more specifically to outside working 

* wearing good quality wind/warmth/waterproof clothing and boots, this is an element of consumerism that is a priority for me, it makes a massive difference to my experience of difficult weather conditions
* taking a flask of tea outside with me...most things can be made little bit better with a cuppa!
* daily deep observing and self awareness of my surroundings... Living in the moment...what can I feel, see, smell feel, touch, hear, sense? ...feeling gratitude and thanks for my health, abilities and freedom that I can immerse myself in the  magical landscapes and their changes around me
* Using meditations I have learnt from Starhawks, 'Earth Magic' audiobook as I work
* understanding and being thankful for my relationship with Floss, my collie....she is by my side throughout the day, everyday..., keeping me warm, making me smile and (usually) making things much easier with my sheep 
* reminding myself that although bad weather episodes are becoming more frequent globally, the UK weather is challenging and difficult, but rarely threatening to life, health, housing etc
* gratitude and awareness of my warm house and the wood/fuel we have to keep it a safe and welcoming place to be .........


Picture
finding and feeding one of the jacob ewes and her lamb in heavy, drifting snow last winter
3 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Author

     Katie Shepherd

Visit my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter