Life on the Farm | 6

Reflective Essay Six

We started off week 6 with a really deep discussion on some controversial concepts of sustainability that turned out to be one of the best class openers we've had. What made the discussion so informative and capturing was the multiple people taking part in the discussion and supporting each side of the debate.

We discussed the ethics of consuming and producing meat and the implications that it can have on people and the planet. For instance, it can require up to 2400 gallons of water just to produce one pound of meat, while one pound of wheat only requires 25 gallons of water. In an age where toxic chemicals have polluted every resources we use like water and air, it's time to start seriously questioning what's more important, eating a pork taco, or drinking water?

We all need water for survival, we can live without meat. Now don't get me wrong, I am not pushing veganism or vegetarianism on anyone as I myself aren't fully either of these and still enjoy eating meat, but I realize the situation we are currently in and have decided to start looking deeper into these issues. There are benefits to having animals on the farm as well though, they can share the workload, can increase the fertility of the land through their manure and can also help to lower the waste produced on the farm.

Most people don't truly think about where the steak they are consuming comes from besides which grocery store it was bought at, and also the fact that it is a paradigm shift of sorts in the way that it challenges preconceived notions and your core understanding of how and what to eat. We also discussed the concept of a "Farm dinner" which is essentially a meal shared with the community with all the meat and vegetables consumed being raised and grown on the farm. I enjoyed looking and discussing more of the theory and ethics behind managing and operating a farm and hope more of this can be incorporated in the future.