I went to the ‘Ekka’ in Brisbane today. It’s our local show that runs once a year. It has the usual fair type stuff, pavilions, show bags, lots of hot chips and sausages on a stick and of course, the farm animals.
My friend and I spent a lot of time feeding and patting the baby farm animals. They were so cute. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens, pigs, ducks and the odd lama or two (which was a bit weird). I wanted to pick up and cuddle all of them, they were so beautiful. They made us laugh as they shoved their big noses into the cup we had full of farm animal food. My favourites were the baby chickens snuggling under the heated light, the tiny goats running around trying to head butt each other, and one particular little chicken that to me, looked like a tiny little puff ball.
How can I have so much love for these little animals and find them so incredibly beautiful yet eat them at the same time? To be honest, I have trouble associating the live animals I see with the end product, the food on my plate. I never buy raw meat or cook with it at home so I never actually see meat before it’s cooked. It’s almost like my brain can’t put the two together, I can’t look at the animal and then the meat on my plate and consider that they’re one and the same.
Trying to be a vegetarian
I’ve tried to be a vegetarian in the past, although only a semi-vegetarian because I never gave up seafood. I made a conscious decision to stop eating animals because I didn’t like the idea of them being born and raised just to be killed and eaten by us humans. I also considered the amount of meat that was being wasted, just thrown in the bin because we made or ordered more food then what we could eat. Think about it, an animal died for that sausage or that steak on your plate. The least you could do is eat every single last bite of it.
The first week or two of being a semi-vegetarian was hard, but then I found it got really easy. There was always something to eat on the menu when I went out to eat (which is a lot), and I stopped missing eating meat completely. I remember eating some chicken after I hadn’t eaten any meat in a few weeks. I didn’t enjoy the experience at all. The chicken tasted really gamey and strong and it left a yuck taste in my mouth. Actually, it made me feel a little bit sick.
I don’t remember what made me stop trying to be a semi-vegetarian. It guess it had something to do with eating out a lot and slowly getting back into the habit of ordering whatever on the menu. It was around the time of a lot of change in my life too so I think part of me got swept away with a lot of other stuff, although no excuse is good enough really.
The quest to try again
Vegetarians and vegans, I need your help. Send me your horror stories. I want to hear all the bad stuff about eating meat, I want to know why it’s such a bad and horrible thing to do.
I’m warming up to it, I really would like to try being a vegetarian again. At least a vegetarian that still eats seafood anyway. I’ve already got the eating at home thing sorted, I just need to work on the not ordering meat when I’m out. I’m lucky the suburb I live in is a bit alternative, so there’s a lot of vegetarian and vegan alternatives on the menus in my local restaurants. There will be times however that I crave something like a big juicy burger or a lamb souvlaki.
There’s also the inconvenience of having dinner at a friends house or my parents. When I was a vegetarian I felt like I was being really annoying not eating meat. I actually wasn’t prepared for the feeling of being so annoyingly different and putting people out. Then there were the questions people always asked, they’d always want to know why I wasn’t eating meat and I’d have to explain myself all the time. It’s hard enough having to explain why I don’t drink alcohol!
It comes down to a few simple concepts really. I’m not comfortable with the way animals are raised and slaughtered in Australia and I would never kill an animal for food (so isn’t it hypocritical of me to eat an animal that someone else has killed?). I also know I can live a very healthy and happy life without eating meat. I’m sitting in a local cafe writing this article, and I’ve just finished eating the vegetarian breakfast that I ordered off the menu. And I tell you what, it was delicious and I feel great about it!
Frances Kerr
10 responses ↓
Hey Frances,
I’ve been vegan for 8 years, and was vegetarian for 2 before that – so I have a little experience. Unfortunately, I never had much of a problem being vegetarian or vegan – I’m honestly not very sure why that is…
You have to decide what your PRIMARY reason for becoming vegetarian is – is it cruelty to animals, health, taste, environmental concerns, your own spirituality or something else? Focus on that – the rest is just gravy, so to speak.
Then seek out resources that help you on that front. There is no shortage of information on any of them, and if it is your primary motivation you should have no problem staying motivated. I can hook you up with resources on any of them.
Also, I find making excuses for ANY meat (or in my case, ANY dairy products) makes me sloppy. Seafood is meat. That’s always going to give you a little cognitive dissonance, whether you are aware of it or not. If you do a little studying about the horrors of the fishing trade, it might help you out.
Regarding putting people out… I always think of it like this… what if I was deathly allergic to peanuts? Would I feel like I was putting people out by asking them to leave it out of their cooking? Maybe. But I would do it anyway. Sometimes (although this is extreme) I wonder if they would think I was putting them out if I cooked with human meat and they asked me not to do so when they came over. I know… gross… but in all honesty after 10 years and knowing what I know, the comparison isn’t far off.
There is simply no single personal choice you can make that has more far reaching benefits on your physical, emotional and spiritual health as well as being beneficial for other creatures, the environment and your paycheck. I have never, ever regretted going vegan – and my daughter has been vegetarian her whole life (vegan for all but two years of it) and has never regretted it either.
Wow Eric, that’s all really inspirational. Thanks for much for your comment. My primary reason is cruelty to animals, then there’s health and the environment. Seafood is going to be a really, really tough one to give up though. I eat a lot of salmon and tuna.
If you could show me some of those resources you were talking about, that would be fantastic.
It’s morning, I’ve just woken up ..it’s the start of a new day so I think it’s time to start fresh, no more eating meat.
Well, the cruelty to animals bit is pretty easy to find information on. It entirely depends on whether you are motivated more by positive or negative imagery. But of course no adventure into the tragedy of animal cruelty would be complete without a visit to PETA.com. You can like them, you can hate them, but you can’t deny that they get the footage that tells the story.
An easy inroad is here: http://goveg.com/
Here’s another organization, Vegan Outreach, that gives information on slaughterhouses – not very nice. http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/
Definitely don’t complete your research without visiting Farm Sanctuary’s site at http://www.factoryfarming.org/gallery.htm
For some less heavy stuff, Peter Singer is always a good source. Here’s an article he wrote: http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/singer05.htm
You can find more info from him all over the web. He’s another embattled figure, but a good philosopher and someone I respect.
Sorry to send you to so many heavy sites… it’s horrible what happens to animals, but really, when you view this stuff and realize that it’s not just pictures, but real stuff happening right now… you just can’t help but want to do something.
And for folks who inevitably cry foul (no pun intended) and point to their humanely raised pork, chicken, whatever… well… humane killing is still killing. Even if the animals don’t suffer so much, they are still being killed in mass numbers to satisfy our misdirected “need” for flesh and other animal products. Gross.
As for fish – you’ve just got to dig in and figure out why you are having such a hard time giving it up. There’s a reason… not just taste. Maybe someone told you that you can’t have health without it? Maybe you still believe you need some animal protein to be healthy or hearty? Neither is true. You can lead a productive and happy, healthy life without any animal products whatsoever (outside of bacteria – if you count them as animals, as some fun folks like to do).
Be glad to talk to you more…
Eric
Thanks for all the links Eric, some of them are really quite shocking, just the motivation I need. I still haven’t been brave enough to look at the slaughterhouse site, that’s what makes me the most upset (so hypocritical of me when I eat it, I know).
Thanks again, you’ve been so supportive and doing a really good job at helping me to become a vegetarian.
Hey no problem… just keep posting about it, I think it keeps a person honest – being a little more public about their commitments.
I’d be glad to keep talking about it…
Eric
Some links for those wondering ‘Why Not to Eat Seafood’.
http://chetday.com/farmraisedsalmon.htm chemical reason
http://www.sectionz.info/issue_1/Facts_Footnotes.html You might see Vancouver in a slightly different light.
http://www.chooseveg.com/reasons-not-to-eat-fish.asp this may hopefully be enough for anyone not to eat seafood again. It also covers all your reasons Fran why you Want to be Vegetarian!
….shall i continue after that long almost unwatchable vid??…
Yes I shall
http://www.sectionz.info/issue_1/Facts_Footnotes.html
http://www.vegsoc.org/fish/
Anyone wanting clarity/reason to be Vegetarian has enough Essential information gathered by all the contributors right here.
May All Beings Be Happy & Live in Peace & may Fran Save the Oceans.
Hey Fran,
becoming a vegetarian last year was the best decision of my life, and the easiest. I did not miss meat even for a day. I now get my 5 veges and 2 fruits in by lunch, no problem, and i still have protein to help me grow (im 15 and just had another growth spurt) by eating eggs (free range), chickpeas, lentils, baked and refried beans, cheese, etc.
Unfortunately, I still eat seafood. Only occassionaly, but it still counts. You see, becoming a vegetarian was not the most convenient thing in the world for my highly carnivourous family. So when mum says “you still eat tuna and salmon, right?” as she passes me a seafood salad, I just smile and nod and promise myself I’ll explain I dont eat seafood to her later. I really hate being difficult on her.
Its not like I cant cook for myself. Been there, done that, I’m a young carer and ive made my lunches for school everyday since Kindy. Its not like I dont know that seafood isnt JUST AS BAD for the environment and your health and cruel to animals as other meat.
Its just that its hard to assert my belief in this to others.
As with eating out, I cant say. The last time I ate out was January 2008. But I do know from experience during outings with friends is that when youre in a cafe or a foodcourt munching avacado and tomato instead of grease, salt and flesh, like your friends, you feel great before during and after the meal. Which is more than can be said for your sodium, carbohydrate and fat loaded friends who are holding their stomaches groaning.
So good luck trying the vego life again! Remember: you’ll save animals, the environment, money and your conscience PLUS increase your vitality and longevity all in one hit!
Hi Frances,
I noticed that it has been almost two years since you wrote this post. How is it going for you?
I think if many people really made the connection between what is on their plate and where it actually came from there would be a lot more vegetarians.
I was semi-vegetarian for about 10 years (occasional chicken or fish when eating out only) and strictly vegetarian for about two more decades, with the last few years leaning toward more of a vegan diet.
When I stopped occasionally eating chicken and fish, it was kind of like quitting smoking, going cold turkey so to speak, and once I made the decision, there was no going back. I have had some friends, family, and acquaintances that have occasionally given me a hard time about my choice, but I don’t let it bother me too much. I just tell myself (not out loud) that my diet is healthier, more humane and kind, economical and delicious and smile serenely. I try not to draw attention to what I am eating or not eating so it does not become the topic du jour though, as that can be tedious, almost as bad as getting into politics or religion, with folks who are not likeminded, at the dinner table.
When invited out, try bringing your own veggie burgers to the barbecue or a bean salad. Then you will have something filling to eat and quite often you will find that the healthy veggie item is very popular and the first dish to disappear!
I don’t know if this is motivating for you, but I just turned 50 and I am often told that I look younger. Maybe that is partly due to genetics, but I firmly believe my diet is a factor.
Instead of seafood, eat lots of soaked/sprouted beans – very filling, lots of fibre, full of protein and delicious. I have an article on my blog that talks about how to prepare and eat beans so they are easily digested. Nuts are great too. A little tempeh once in awhile. Hemp seed has lots of good fatty acids. Avocado has more usable protein than a steak! Lots of alternatives to seafood that contain fibre, good fats and more.
Anyhow, l the best with your new culinary adventures!
Sorry for this second post, but I tried to edit my comment as I noticed a mistake in the last line, but I couldn’t do so – it should be:
Anyhow, all the best with your new culinary adventures!
I grew up on a farm and can’t buy the animal cruelty bit. Do we think wolves are cruel? What about hawks? Bears? We can’t help that we’re omnivores.
That being said, I’m totally against factory farming and would like to eat less meat, even though most of the meat I eat is from my family’s farm.
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