Vegan vs. Heifer International: A musing
Getting caught up this week after having been out of town since the 4th… only to be leaving again next week. Crazy.
I received “The Most Important Gift Catalog in the World” in yesterday’s mail from Heifer International which, if you’re unfamiliar is an organization who facilitates the purchase of Heifers (duh!), Llamas, pigs, chickens, bunnies, goats and sheep to families living in poverty across the world move toward self reliance.
I’ll say it with eloquence but essentially this is how it works.
You buy a cow. Or a share of a cow on behalf of a loved one at Christmas. So for example, Republican Dude would get a card from JavaJennifer that says, ‘Happy Holidays, in lieu of a gift certificate to Bonefish, I bought a bunch of poor people from a country that I can’t spell or pronounce a cow on your behalf’.
So the poor people get word that they’re getting a cow and they start planting grass. Lots and lots of grass.
The cow shows up and immediately the poor people start looking for a boy-cow to impregnate the girl cow so that a) they’ll have more cows and b) the girl-cow will produce milk. This proves difficult without the conveniences of Mad Dog, a prom dress and the bed of a ford pick-up truck.
Then, they raise the calves, sell some of the milk, drink the rest, make some really good cheese and butter and eventually buy a corrugated tin roof for their one-room hut.
Later, they’ll kill that first cow and eat her.
Now, as a vegan, I’m conflicted. I don’t expect the poor people of my unpronounceable country to fashion themselves a soy latte, but I don’t know how I feel about buying a cow (bunny, chicken, goat, etc.) knowing that the end game is to eat it… even if that end game is several years away.
Still, according to the catalog, “Since 1944 Heifer International has worked to bring healing and hope to millions of impoverished families worldwide. In its first 60 years, Heifer has assisted more than 10 million families. In areas where hunger and despair once prevailed, Heifer programs have reinvigorated communities through livestock training and ‘passing on the gift’”. Next to this caption is a picture of little Li Jun Ca from Sichuan, China with , like, 30 yellow ducklings cuddled into his lap.
…but you know, Li Jun is going to eat those ducklings. So good for Li Jun but maybe not so much for the little fuzzy ducklings.
Page 9 of the catalog is called, “Pigs as Presents” where you can give a gift of a pig for $120. Pictured is “Cambodian, Yorn Sokhan from the Prah Nethprah District” who is “all smiles since piglets arrived from supporters of Heifer International”. Not pictured is the balloon over his head that says, “I’m going to eat you, little piggy” or the one over the piglet that says “This sucks, but I guess it’s better that Smithfield Farms”.
The accompanying article said that “Heifer animals are like ‘living savings accounts’ for struggling families and the pig may well be the most interest bearing. Each gift can give a valuable source of protein, income from the sale of offspring, and natural fertilizer to nourish crops and soil. Pigs need little land and can thrive on crop and garden by-product scraps. An average sow can provide a family with up to 16 piglets a year. Pigs usually double their 3lb birth weight in their first week and can grow to more than 200 lbs in six months!”.
You can get more information about Heifer International at www.heifer.org Clearly a good cause, I get that part.
Oh.. and on page 17, I can give the gift of honey bees. THAT I can live with.
I am seaching for some idea to write in my blog… somehow come to your blog. best of luck. Eugene
Hugh Hefner International gives away cows!! Why I never…Oh, wait. Ha. I am embarrassing myself.
Actually, Jo Beth has sent animals in my name-usually cows and goats- for many years now. I even attended a fund raiser for HI at the OC Fairgrounds a couple of years ago. Wine was involved.
Wine is involved in my comment to this blog as well.
I figured cows were sort of safe since it is usually the males that get et. Cows are for babies and milk. You can sperm bank that stuff and spare the bull too. Notice how elegantly I brought up the subject of sperm banks…I digress.
Chickens can be ok too if not eaten. Pigs…are very cute as babies and good for nothing except cute unless eaten, so I could not give or accept a pig.
Goats give great cheese.
So, Republican Dude. How’s it going? Ask Jen to forward a fun email I sent which is a forward from her Unk.
Love you, Jen! Mom
Well, I am more the vegetarian type, vegan being too extreme. I am a weak vessel. The fishies are at risk with me.
I am having dreams of that pile of fresh chilled seafood that they have on the cruise ship. It’s wrong. I know this.
You certainly don’t need to send me a Christmas gift but I do like the idea of giving a gift like this. Much as I love Bonefish see bass and don’t want to completely discount that gift idea (LOL), I’d love to know that I was indirectly helping someone out who really needs it. Very much in the spirit of the season.
And forward me the email “Mom” referenced, do as your mother says!
If I sent my father a heifer as a gift for christmas, I think he would think I lost my marbles… although we do know two friends who have them in Lutz but they are their “family” and only use the milk. They say to kill them would be like killing their own and that thought sickens me… how morbid. They are their pet. Would you kill your dog or cat to eat them? Some cultures are okay with this, not our society.
You can also give a share of a knitting basket. So people can get wool and make stuff. I know the vegan thing makes it tough, but Heifer is a really, really good organization. The Heifer families I visited in Mexico were WAY cleaner and better maintained than non-Heifer. Not to say that I wasn’t shown just the best places, but I think Heifer is doing really good work. And it certainly beats the alternative, which is giving a bunch of crap to our relatives who don’t need a darn thing. I know my family will appreciate gifts to Heifer. We are totally liberal democrats or independents, nothing republican about it. Just blessed to have plenty of food, jobs, and STUFF, and eager to do something meaningful for someone else at the holidays. I gave my dad some geese for his birthday and he was thrilled. Sure they might get eaten. Big deal. But if you can’t accept the food chain as it exists, you can give the bees, trees, or knitting.