More and more, people are returning to grass fed animal meat, which, by far, is healthier for everyone…..

by Katelin Moreen

When we think of farms we typically think of waking up to the rooster crowing at dawn, family owned and run, hand tilled fields filled with hand planted crops and cows grazing in open pastures. This fairytale farm story is far from the reality of what is really going on in today’s farming industry. In the early 1920′s farmers discovered when vitamins A and D are added to the animal feed, they would no longer require exercise and sunlight in order to grow (idausa.com). This made farmers realize there was no need for room to graze, and from this point on farmers began keeping more and more animals on that same plot of land, slowly eliminating any space outside for grazing. As time has gone on, farmers have cultivated numerous ways (many inhumanly) of producing more animals, in a shorter amount of time, while also finding ways to make them even meatier. This concept of merging the farm with the factory has appropriately been dubbed ‘factory farming.’

Factory farming is defined as a system of rearing livestock using intensive methods, by which poultry, pigs, or cattle are confined indoors under strictly controlled conditions as well as the process in which animals are no longer treated as animals but as food producing machines, produced for the soul purpose of revenue (dictionary.com). By no means am I a vegetarian, but the idea of forcing animals to live like this makes me consider the idea. Since the dawn of time people have killed and eaten animals, but these are living beings. How dare we treat another living thing in such a manner. Killing something for consumption is one thing, but is treating animals in such a way even ethical?

For any topic like this there will always be a debate for the pro as well as the con. Around the world this clashing of opinions produces many different views on what is the right, the moral or the most ethical approach to this topic. The farming industry believes in their process of large-scale farming or big business production. In their defense, there is a larger population on our earth, with more starvation than ever before. They look at is as simply doing their best to produce as much as they possibly can, and at a faster rate. Large farms have become one of the world’s largest industries. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “farming has grown into a $15.6 billion dollar industry world wide.” Though it is on the decline, there is still an estimated 1.91 million farms in the United States alone (mercola.com). Many of the small mom and pop farms have found it nearly impossible to compete with these large farms. That is until recently, the U.S. public has begun to take notice to these injustices and promote the idea of organic and sustainable farming. Though this helps, taking on these mega industries will prove to be nearly impossible, a modern day David and Goliath (hopefully with an ending just as triumphant). To this date, 90% of the nation’s poultry production is controlled by 10 companies (mercola.com)so we still have a ways to go.

Another debate for the pro is the regulations the FDIC is able to put on this industry’s product. Meat and poultry qualities are graded on a scale of A through D, grade A being the highest quality possible. Having so few companies involved in the nations poultry production, as well as in all other types of meat production, makes it much easier to regulate the quality of the product. It is much easier to regulate a small group of farming companies, rather than thousands of small family farms. In turn with such a limited number of farms supplying the entire nation, you can be sure of what exactly you are getting. Beyond knowing what you’re getting, you are also able to get it at a cheaper price. “Large farms receive nearly twice as much in government payments [subsidies] as do small farms” (mercola.com), this means they can charge less for their product. This obviously, however comes at a price, which is essentially taking that money out of the small-scale farmers pocket. So this point could be considered both good and bad, almost any person in the United States can find it possible to eat a steak if he or she chooses. This is not the case around the world. In fact, in some countries it is nearly impossible to eat meat at all.

Another argument for (or against) factory farming is the support a large scale farm can bring to a communities economy. When a large farm moves into an area, the benefits can be seen immediately. “Farms are vital to the economy,” explains Rosset. From the time a large farm begins jobs are available. When establishing a large farming industry in a rural community you need workers from day one. Whether it is to build the barns, silos, prepare the fields or design plans for the building, jobs are created from the start. Not to mention in most cases these industries develop a new town, which can potentially create hundreds of jobs due to the lack of supply and increased demand. A community begins to develop in all aspects as a result of one company needing hundreds of employees. However, this new mega farm can very easily drive the other local smaller mom and pop farms out of business. Family farmers are being forced out of business at an alarming rate. According to Farm Aid, every week 330 farmers leave their land. As a result, there are now nearly five million fewer farms in the U.S. than there were in the 1930′s. Of the two million remaining farms, only 565,000 are family operations (Sustainable Table).

There are benefits that can come from large-scale farming. Supporters place their values in supporting the global economy, quality regulation, dependability and the creation of jobs in areas where there are none. However like I stated earlier, for every pro, there is a con. Activists of factory farming have quite different values. They value animal rights, human safety and environmental conservation. With these values in mind, people and organizations that are opposed to large-scale farming believe factory farming should not continue.

As society’s view of what is “appropriate” changes, so does the idea of what is politically correct. Animal rights is one of the “hot topics” of today’s culture, especially now with the Green initiative becoming more and more vital to our planet. The opponents of factory farming feel that one of the most important reasons why this needs to stop is because the animals in these factory farms are being treated in such an inhumane manner. Rather than the farms we are conditioned to expect, these animals are being raised in metal cages stacked to the ceilings. Numerous chickens are kept in cages with dimensions no larger than a sheet of paper. Pigs and calves are kept in pins so small they are unable to turn around, sometimes for their whole lives. These animals are living in conditions unsuitable for any living thing, and denied the essentials that they need most like fresh water and sunshine.

The problems only worsen when you take hygiene into consideration. When such a high volume of animals are confined to a small space, it becomes nearly impossible to keep the space clean. Beyond the removal of carcasses, these places aren’t cleaned in their entirety, more than once every few years! Eventually the build up of feces and other bodily waste can, produce extreme levels of ammonia and other hazardous gases. The methane emitted when they chew their cud and belch, and nitrous oxide and ammonia their manure gives off is one of the top “two or three” most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems we face today (abcnews.com, 2006).

To put the tremendous amount of waste produced by these animals, into perspective; large-scale commercial livestock and poultry operations produce an estimated 500 million tons of manure each year, this is more than three times the sewage produced by the entire U.S. human population. Factory farm waste is stored in manure pits or lagoons, and ultimately it is applied to farm fields as fertilizer. However, being that they produce so much waste in a concentrated area, it must be applied to the land in quantities that exceed the soil’s ability to incorporate it. The vast quantities of manure can – and do – make their way into the local environment where they pollute the air and water (Food & Water Watch, 2010).

To make matters worse, studies have found that much of the meat on grocery store shelves today is contaminated with different types of bacteria, which cannot be killed with conventional antibiotics. That means that if you eat meat tainted with these super-germs and become ill, many antibiotics that doctors rely on to treat infections will be less effective or even useless (PETA). In this country, roughly 29 million pounds of antibiotics, about 80% of the nation’s antibiotics use in total, are added to animal feed every year to speed livestock growth (NRDC, 2011).

Through this over-crowding, unnecessary antibiotics and other foreign chemicals and gases, these animals are not only contracting diseases much easier, but in some cases to spreading them to humans through consumption. An example of this is documented in the movie Food.inc. Kevin, a 2-year-old boy, contracted E coli O157:H7 from simply eating a cheeseburger on a family vacation. He was diagnosed with hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and died just days later (Kenner, 2008). If it seems like epidemics like this are becoming more and more prevalent, that’s because they are, the first cases weren’t reported until 1991.

The problem we face in defeating this issue is that factory farms are designed to make money, not to raise healthy and happy animals. Through crowding as many animals into one space, while feeding them as inexpensively as possible, the farm should have no trouble making a profit. And when something can be profitable by [legally] cutting corners, persuading them to doing the right thing isn’t going to be easy if that means spending more money. That’s why we have to do our part.

Many of the activists opposed to factory farming, continuously lobby congress in an attempt to provoke change. The Humane Society of the United States has an extensive website devoted to factory farming (HSUSA). They have made it one of their [many] missions to do everything in their power to stop this cruel abuse and help to educate others on how they can get involved. There are small ways you can do your part to make a difference. By eating local, organic, sustainable foods you are making sure that you are eating meet from an animal raised on a local self-sufficient farm that was never fed any sorts of harsh chemicals or antibiotics. Though the terms “local, sustainable and organic” have become related to new age hippy jargon, it is really doing things the old fashioned way. More and more grocery stores are offering food guaranteed to be all three of these things, and it has become easier than ever to know what you are getting, guilt free.

Bibliography

abcnews.com. (2006, 12 13). Global Warming Culprits: Cars and … Cows. Retrieved 04 26, 2012, from abcnews.com: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GlobalWarming/story?id=2723201&page=1#.T5nrl-0lbFI
dictionary.com. (n.d.). factory farming. Retrieved 04 12, 2012, from dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/factory+farming?s=t
Food & Water Watch. (2010). How Factory Farms Impact You. Retrieved 04 25, 2012, from Factory Farm Map: http://www.factoryfarmmap.org/problems/
HSUSA. (n.d.). Working to reduce the suffering of animals raised for meat, eggs, and milk. Retrieved 04 20, 2012, from Farm Animal Protection: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/campaigns/factory_farming
idausa.com. (n.d.). Factory Farming Facts. Retrieved 04 20, 2012, from In Defense of Animals: http://www.idausa.org/facts/factoryfarmfacts.html
Pearlstein, E. (Producer), & Kenner, R. (Director). (2008). Food, Inc. [Motion Picture].
mercola.com. (n.d.). Waste Pollution and the Environment. Retrieved 04 25, 2012, from Benefits of Grass Fed Beef: http://www.mercola.com/beef/benefits.htm
NRDC. (2011, 1 13). Facts about Pollution from Livestock Farms. Retrieved 04 26, 2012, from nrdc.org: http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/ffarms.asp
PETA. (n.d.). Meat Contamination. Retrieved 04 20, 2012, from Vegetarian Living: http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/meat-contamination.aspx
Sustainable Table. (n.d.). The Issues – Family Farms. Retrieved 04 23, 2012, from sistainable.org: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/familyfarms/

Super Yummy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup peanut butter, no-stir type preferred (I used Jiff Natural)
2 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening, unsalted butter, or coconut oil (I used coconut oil)
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon heavy cream OR coconut milk (I Used Coconut Milk)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
sugar-free sweetener, to taste (I use Liquid Vanilla Flavored Stevia)
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum- optional (I did not use)

Preparation:
Add peanut butter, honey, and butter to a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for one minute. Remove and immediately whisk in vanilla extract and heavy cream or coconut milk. Stir in sweetener, xanthan gum (if using), and pinch of salt. Taste and adjust if necessary. Fold in peanuts and drop in globs on to a pan lined with wax paper. Chill in freezer until firm, then transfer to refrigerator.

MMMMmmm GOOD!!

The problem I had is that the liquidy or soft ingredients run on the pan. I am still trying to perfect a good method of doing this. However, it had no effect on how delicious they are….and seem to be more of a cookie than bar. Either way, really good in my mouth!!

I tried using and egg plate…

But, I had difficulty removing them from the dish once cooled.

Next time, I will try a candy mold and frozen cookie sheet...

I will perfect the technique. Trust me, I will be making them again!

3 Ingredients

These are the 3 ingredients used to make this chocolate. I have heard agave is a more natural sweetener than sugar, but I am not convinced of this. I did have it available so this time I am using it. However, next time, I am going to use liquid Stevia.

I am sold though on the health benefits of coconut oil and cocoa. I want to incorporate more coconut oil into my diet (mouth), but I do not fry foods often and I tried it right off the spoon~ not so much… There is an abundance of information available about coconut oil on the Internet, which I will not get into here.

Cocoa has also proved to be of great benefit to the human body. (Thank goodness!) It is helpful in reducing blood pressure, improving blood vessel health and increasing good HDL cholesterol. Yeah for cocoa! : )

~ 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
~ 4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (melted)
~ 1/4 cup agave or use NuNatural vanilla stevia drops
~ optional: nuts, extracts, cocoa nibs, or other add-ins

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Add the cocoa to a large bowl and set aside.

4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (melted)

I have read time and time again not to microwave coconut oil, so I put the coconut oil into a pan and melt it on a very low heat.

Once melted, put it in a medium sized mixing bowl

1/4 cup agave or use NuNatural vanilla stevia drops

The recipe calls for agave or stevia, if you use stevia, 15-30 drops. The less drops will make a more bitter chocolate.

Add this to the melted coconut oil in medium bowl.

Combine the two.

The agave is much heavier than the oil, so mix well.

Stir the mixture into the cocoa.

Mix well, until chocolate is nice and thick.

That’s it…all you have to do now is pour it into the molds.

Spoon the chocolate into the molds and level it out.

Put the molds into the fridge or freezer until firm.

Now these bars made with the agave are more brownie-ish…gooier and chewier…

More of a chocolate brownie.

Those below are made with the stevia and are a more traditional candy bar. I needed to use 25 drops of it to get the taste I desire.

mmm, now that's what I'm talkin' bout...

If you are looking for a great, light meal that will fill you up and not lay you out, give it a whirl.

I bought the Eden brand. You can find it at most grocery stores.

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I also made it w/ lemon zest and juice and it was good, too)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use Olive Oil)
1 teaspoon sugar (Or sugar substitute)
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Prepare these items while the quinoa cooks.

Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don’t worry if lid doesn’t fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.

If the Quinoa is crunchy, let it steam a bit longer.

Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste, if need be.

Yummers.

I took the same 2 rings, pictured down below, to a ‘we buy gold’ store here in town just to see what they would offer me so I would have something to go on price wise. This way, I would know if I was getting a better deal with Express Gold Cash. I was told they would buy them for $85.00 on the spot. Though they were friendly, I thanked them and gathered my belongings. I know what I paid for them and just know they are worth more.

So, here I am, giving Express Gold Cash a whirl… I requested my Gold Pack at their website.

Express Gold Pack Request

I was given the option to print my label immediately or have it sent to my home. Since I am not in a huge rush and want as much information as I can for my Express Gold Cash review, I opted to have my Gold Pack sent to my home. After the request, I received the follow up e-mail below.

e-Mail After Gold Pack Request

I filled out the form at the Express Gold Cash website on Wednesday and by Friday, I had already received it in the mail.

I Received My Gold Pack In The Mail In 2 Days.

It included a Fed-Ex envelope with a pre-paid and addressed postage stamp on it, a company brochure, a welcome letter, a baggie to put my jewelry in and a padded envelope to protect it during shipping.

I filled out the information requested on the card.

The brochure has a detachable sheet where you list the items you are sending. This has information on both sides regarding how you would like to receive your payment. I decided I just want a check to be mailed to me. If you select the direct deposit, you will need to send them a voided check. Also, with the direct deposit, if you choose to have your items returned, you will not receive the bonus $20.00 you get if you decide not to sell. This is all explained at their website. Be sure to fill out this information and include it with your jewelry.

Choose a form of payment.

I called the number provided for Fed-Ex and they were able to come the same day and pick it up.

I Mailed 2 Rings

It is Friday and my 2 gold rings have been shipped off to Express Gold Cash. I am watching the clock to see how long it takes to process my sale and get paid. So far, this has been an easy peasy process.

They Came Right To My House

Monday, April 2nd: I am so pleased. I got home from work today and already have an offer for my rings! They will give me $115.50 when the place in town was only going to pay me $85.00. I am very excited. I did request a check in the mail, so I am anticipating it’s arrival either Wednesday or Thursday.

They made me a great offer for my jewelry : )

Wednesday, April 4th: My check arrived for my gold rings. I am so pleased and it was so easy!

My Check Came In

I highly recommend Express Gold Cash if you want to sell gold, silver, platinum or diamonds. I faired so much better than at the ‘we buy gold’ store and know for certain the pawnshops…they never pay you well.

I also got some cards for referral. I did not realize it, but if one of my friends use their service, I will get 5% of what they earn, too. Sweet deal.

Printable Cards To Give To Friends

Express Gold Cash Review, I am totally satisfied, 5 stars!!

I have some rings I no longer want and checked around at cash for gold local places for prices.  Talk about low ball….with the cost of gold as much as it is, I was pretty disgusted at what they offered me.  So, I decided to check online for a gold buyer.  I read that the upside for selling to an online dealer is you will most likely get a better price than by selling to a cash for gold store down on the corner.

Also, I read about the ‘cash for gold scam.’  I wasn’t sure if this was a real thing or something created by online dealers and Internet marketers as an advertising ploy.  Apparently, as I came to discover, it really happens.  Now, that’s just discouraging, right?  Who wants to get nothing compared to something less?  So, I decided to check out a bunch of places online, as many websites suggested.

I was shocked at how easy it is to find out about a cash for gold scam.  When people get burned, there is no stopping them.  Word, especially bad word, spreads like wild fire on the Internet.  Thank goodness…it benefits the rest of us tremendously!

Look what I found at the BBB about Cash4Gold.com

Cash4Gold.com At The BBB

…not accredited…hmmm.  That’s the first sign.  I started clicking around.

201 Complaints Filed With The BBB

Wow!  That would indicate to me there is a serious cash for gold scam going on! Look what else I found… Cash4Gold scam.  Holy cow.  That is really bad.  I am surprised they have not changed their name and are operating under a new entity.  That is shameful.  They definitely are crossed off my list of possible gold buyers.

So, I kept looking.  There has to be some good online cash for gold businesses out there right?  I came across CashForGoldUSA.com, whose business name is CJ Environmental, Inc.  They are all over the search engine and their website says how awesome they are…

'F?' I Know I Haven't Been In School For A While Now, But F Still Means FAIL, Right?!

There must be some serious stuff on them in here, I thought.  So, again, I nosed around and found reviews.

OOoooh, They Have Really Ticked Some People Off!

…and that’s just two of them. There are many others.

CashForGoldUSA.com Should Be CashForGoldScamUSA.com

67 complaints. One, maybe two, I could understand. You can’t please everyone…but 67? Not cool.  You can actually read the complaints.

BBB Screenshot Of Just One Complaint...

There are just way too many to post here, but feel free to look for yourself at the BBB website.  It appears, they are very vague and you cannot get ahold of them once the deal is done.  These people are having to fight for the money that is rightfully theirs from CashForGoldUSA.com.  Scary.

I just kept looking at cash for gold companies.  I was comparing price, speed and BBB rating.   I did Google searches:

-(Company Name) review
-(Company Name) scam
-(Company Name) experience

…looking for genuine reviews of the companies. Some companies pay people to go out and post overly positive reviews for their company or to post negative reviews about their competitors.  I know this, I am a web designer, for pete’s sake.  So, I took extra caution and depended heavily on the honesty of the BBB.

I found this one place, they had no bad reviews that threw up red flags, so again, I turned to the trusty BBB website.

An Accredited Gold Buyer, Finally...

I found one!  A company that buys gold with a good reputation…

Pretty Impressed...Thinking ExpressGoldCash.com Is The One I Will Try.

They have not even one complaint filed against them.

No Cash For Gold Scam Indications.

These are the cash for gold guys I am going to try; ExpressGoldCash.com.  Gonna give them a shot.  I will send off some gold, just my 2 rings, and see how it turns out…keep you posted on how it goes.  I want to see if it is more than what the pawnshop and jewelry store will give me and how good their service really is.

UPDATE: See my Express Gold Cash Review

Today I came across Amy Winehouse.  I am way late to the game, i know, but I never listened to her music until today.  With all the hype about what a tragic mess she was, I never was interested in listening to her sing.  I have to tell ya, I was really blown away and shocked.  This is the first song I came upon was Valerie.  Winehouse was a powerhouse.  I had no idea.

It’s really a shame she was so self destructive.  We all have our vices and no one is perfect….what happened to her?  Was she not hugged enough as a child?  Did she get bullied in school, not have friends?  I don’t get it?  I saw a few videos of her so trashed she could not even sing.  What a shame. I guess we will never know.

I pray she has found Paradise.

Rest In Peace

She was the cutest puppy EVER!

So, I do,  I have a dachshund.  She is a black and tan short hair named Ginger, or Gigi.  I got her when she was only 6 weeks old and I love her to pieces, despite her breath smelling of swamp.  I brush her teeth, but she is due to go in and get them done at the vets…so that’s just something I live with every day.

Since I do not have kids, (please do not feel sorry for me, it’s a conscious decision),  she is my baby.  She knows it and she plays me like a red violin.  She is so spoiled rotten…because of her ‘lack of height’ and my getting tired of listening to her cry every time she wants in bed, I put a step stool next to it so she can get in and out.  Probably not the biggest, brightest or best idea I have ever had…

Apparently, Ginger Likes Her Dinner In Bed.

Now, before I go any further, let me just say, Ginger is very protective of me and the house.  She is adamant that someone MUST be there to kill us if there is a knock at the door and she is bound and determined to make as much racket as she can and will protect me until she draws her last breath.  However, if you show up carrying an insulated bag with pizza inside, not so much.  Not only is she a big fan of the pizza delivery guy, she can smell him coming a mile away.   Let’s just all just agree, pizza is her favorite food.

...if I bury it in these blankets, she will never find it...

Unfortunately for me, Ginger feels compelled to bury her pizza in my bed until she is damn good and ready to eat it.  I don’t know why or who taught her that.  It certainly was not me, by any stretch of the imagination.  But let me tell you, it is quite a surprise to crawl into bed and curl up, nice, cozy and warm and wake up with a slice of cold pepperoni pizza adhered to my leg.  She looks at me with the guiltiest look when I confront her about anything and dives under the blankets to hide.  I guess, it could be worse…at least she doesn’t catch mice.

Note to self: Move the steps away from the bed on pizza night!