My good neighbor can sex chicks! I am in a freakishly good mood over that one. (and yes, the title is a STP reference)
Yesterday the good neighbor brought over some of his bannies, some more of the blacks and a Speckled (black and white checkered board looking) I confronted him on the reasoning he uses to give us certain birds "their color isn't right". Ok It wasn't really confronting in those accusation type terms, it was more of "are you breeding them for show, because you have said over and over, these don't have the right coloring. You keep giving us the bad color" and then a giggle. (Hey I giggle) From there the subject went to roosters.
I have heard of this, but have never meant anyone that admitted to it, but the good neighbor gets um...rid of the males very early. My rooster prejudice must have grown as of late, because the first thing out of my mouth was. "You can sex them!?!" OH Happy happy joy joy! I explained that we have tried and failed multiple times at this sexing thing. We have followed the instruction on various ways of sexing, yet don't seem able to do it. I asked if he would show me how. The reply I got was, it takes an eye.
Then I asked if I could have his unwanted roosters so that we could caponize them. He asked why we do that. Well we don't yet, because of the sexing issue, but we will because they get fatter quicker and butcher younger. MEAT! He agreed to bring the unwanted over.
And before you ask, no I am not worried about the thieves stealing the bannies. They don't seem interested in them, only my nice fat standard meat birds. I only have two of those left and have kept them out of the locked pen because they seem to be able to escape up into the barn rafters, keeping out of the hands of thine enemy. The good Neighbor thinks that someone is stealing his hay. People across from me called last week, their ducks went missing. I need to ask another neighbor if he feels anything is missing. We will catch whoever is doing this.
They are calling for 1-3 inches of snow this weekend, blowing snow. So I might just stop by to say hi, around here. I don't think I feel up to marching around in the blowing snow, maybe it's just me.
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Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Pardon the Interruption.
I feel like screaming. I don't get why people are so willing to roll over for the government. I don't understand why people feel like they need them to run their lives for them. What ever happened to be independent, to standing on your own two feet? When exactly did we become a country like the ones that we fight for freedom for? I feel like throwing myself on the floor and having the biggest hissy fight ever seen, just to get a little attention to what is going on.
Yes, I am talking about NAIS and the USDA once again. I know that I have been talking about it a lot lately. It seems as though I might be obsessing. And maybe I am. I have so many concerns about this program, and my future and that of my boys.
The USDA released a new business plan for NAIS.
a few key components
Traceability - The Way Forward
Emphasis is placed on animals that move within commerce and that are commingled with animals from other premises, not on movements within premises or for local events.
Why then is 4H requiring it in some states, if that isn't a local event what is?
4) Integrate automated data capture technology with animal disease programs.
By using NAIS-compliant identification devices that support automated data capture and integrating handheld computers/readers to replace paper-based forms, animal health officials will increase the volume and quality of the data, minimize errors and speed data entry into searchable databases.
This gets to the heart of why I got that email the other day.
Dear Phelan,, Have you written storys about FFA and 4-H ? see the www.ScoringAg.com main demo recordkeeping system.
Best Regards,
William Kanitz
President
ScoringSystem, Inc.
oh I so want to edit the above, but didn't. I was doing a little looking and found a comment by William Kantiz on Farm Gate {you'll need to scroll down} With a mandatory NAIS, be it by state or Federal laws, Mr Kanitz will lose his business. Now I see why he is against NAIS. Here is a little help for you, if I need to chip my animals for some reason, and not because it is mandatory {I understand chipping horses for theft reasons} I will go with your business, as long as you are not with NAIS. Even if you already have some things going for you in Panama.
6) Collaborate with industry organizations and animal health officials to accelerate the adoption of practices that will advance traceability. In partnership with USDA, non-profit industry organizations will promote premises registration within various species groups. Accredited veterinarians, in collaboration with USDA, will adopt NAIS data standards in everyday animal health management and disease program activities at the producer level.
I love the use of the word collaborate, then suddenly the word will. I don't read that there is a choice in the matter there.
Recent Animal Disease Costs
USDA has spent approximately $130 million on owner indemnification and control activities.
Exotic Newcastle Disease (2002)
Largest animal disease outbreak in the United States in 30 years. It took 10 months to eradicate the disease at a cost of $180 million
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (2003)
USDA spent $5 million on its epidemiology investigation, depopulation and initial response.
5 million for how many cases of BSE in the US?
The USDA spent 810 million in 2 years,
Found this bit of info on Liberty Mnt. Ranch
Missouri resident Doreen Hannes has been researching the funding for NAIS and found the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 is a major funder for the development of the NAIS plan. She reports the Act gave $380 million to develop the NAIS plan. A USDA veterinarian told Hannes he predicted the plan would cost the taxpayers $33 billion to implement. This would not include the cost of continuation and cost to individuals raising the animals.
The states will jump at the $14.3 million in grant money available to them. "WASHINGTON, June 21, 2005-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that USDA will be accepting funding applications from state and tribal governments to continue registering premises for the national animal identification system (NAIS). Approximately $14.3 million will be available to state and tribal cooperators.
Which is cheaper?
The Prairie Star posted this morning, this is the only bit of info worth repeating, sorry to...no journalist listed.
The draft plan was published in the Dec. 19 Federal Register and is available on the National Animal Identification System Web site at www.usda.gov/nais. Comments on the plan or other aspects of the system can be provided by sending an email to animalidcomments@aphis.usda.gov or by writing to the National Animal Identification System program staff, USDA, APHIS, VS, 4700 River Road, Unit 200, Riverdale, MD 20737.
From Farm Futures this morning; The entire article can be found here.
"We are basically at 48-hour traceability of poultry because of the National Poultry Improvement Plan and were very close to it with swine," Knight says. "We're about 80% there in sheep due to the National Scrapie Eradication program. Cattle, both beef and dairy, is where we have a lot of work to be done."
Did you read that one important part...they are using the voluntary programs to sign you people up. Better go check on your own if you use any of these programs to see if you have been signed up.
"Under the traditional system, if we have a disease outbreak we start from where the disease was found or where the animal was harvested and trace back through that animal's life," Knight says. "If we also have premise registration and the place of birth of that animal, we can initiate a trace back from both birth and death and meet in the middle. That cuts your average trace back time in half and that's going to be vitally important to achieve 48-hour traceability."
How many of you have no idea where your livestock came from? I don't need a chip to tell me where they were born, I already know. A 48 hour track back for the avian flu is ridiculous, in that 48 hour time all your poultry will be dead, and who knows where it has gone after that. Especially for those of us that do not have birds that leave their property.
"I see no reason to make it mandatory," Knight says. "We have a long history of success in the U.S. with voluntary programs. We're relying on producers to see that it's in their best interests and that it's the right thing to do."
Could we change producers to Big ag, and those that wish to sell overseas?
"Even if producers are skeptical about animal ID I encourage them to register," Knight says.
Is that begging?
Go on, go read the business plan and please, let me know what you think.
Yes, I am talking about NAIS and the USDA once again. I know that I have been talking about it a lot lately. It seems as though I might be obsessing. And maybe I am. I have so many concerns about this program, and my future and that of my boys.
The USDA released a new business plan for NAIS.
a few key components
Traceability - The Way Forward
Emphasis is placed on animals that move within commerce and that are commingled with animals from other premises, not on movements within premises or for local events.
Why then is 4H requiring it in some states, if that isn't a local event what is?
4) Integrate automated data capture technology with animal disease programs.
By using NAIS-compliant identification devices that support automated data capture and integrating handheld computers/readers to replace paper-based forms, animal health officials will increase the volume and quality of the data, minimize errors and speed data entry into searchable databases.
This gets to the heart of why I got that email the other day.
Dear Phelan,, Have you written storys about FFA and 4-H ? see the www.ScoringAg.com main demo recordkeeping system.
Best Regards,
William Kanitz
President
ScoringSystem, Inc.
oh I so want to edit the above, but didn't. I was doing a little looking and found a comment by William Kantiz on Farm Gate {you'll need to scroll down} With a mandatory NAIS, be it by state or Federal laws, Mr Kanitz will lose his business. Now I see why he is against NAIS. Here is a little help for you, if I need to chip my animals for some reason, and not because it is mandatory {I understand chipping horses for theft reasons} I will go with your business, as long as you are not with NAIS. Even if you already have some things going for you in Panama.
6) Collaborate with industry organizations and animal health officials to accelerate the adoption of practices that will advance traceability. In partnership with USDA, non-profit industry organizations will promote premises registration within various species groups. Accredited veterinarians, in collaboration with USDA, will adopt NAIS data standards in everyday animal health management and disease program activities at the producer level.
I love the use of the word collaborate, then suddenly the word will. I don't read that there is a choice in the matter there.
Recent Animal Disease Costs
USDA has spent approximately $130 million on owner indemnification and control activities.
Exotic Newcastle Disease (2002)
Largest animal disease outbreak in the United States in 30 years. It took 10 months to eradicate the disease at a cost of $180 million
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (2003)
USDA spent $5 million on its epidemiology investigation, depopulation and initial response.
5 million for how many cases of BSE in the US?
The USDA spent 810 million in 2 years,
Found this bit of info on Liberty Mnt. Ranch
Missouri resident Doreen Hannes has been researching the funding for NAIS and found the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 is a major funder for the development of the NAIS plan. She reports the Act gave $380 million to develop the NAIS plan. A USDA veterinarian told Hannes he predicted the plan would cost the taxpayers $33 billion to implement. This would not include the cost of continuation and cost to individuals raising the animals.
The states will jump at the $14.3 million in grant money available to them. "WASHINGTON, June 21, 2005-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that USDA will be accepting funding applications from state and tribal governments to continue registering premises for the national animal identification system (NAIS). Approximately $14.3 million will be available to state and tribal cooperators.
Which is cheaper?
The Prairie Star posted this morning, this is the only bit of info worth repeating, sorry to...no journalist listed.
The draft plan was published in the Dec. 19 Federal Register and is available on the National Animal Identification System Web site at www.usda.gov/nais. Comments on the plan or other aspects of the system can be provided by sending an email to animalidcomments@aphis.usda.gov or by writing to the National Animal Identification System program staff, USDA, APHIS, VS, 4700 River Road, Unit 200, Riverdale, MD 20737.
From Farm Futures this morning; The entire article can be found here.
"We are basically at 48-hour traceability of poultry because of the National Poultry Improvement Plan and were very close to it with swine," Knight says. "We're about 80% there in sheep due to the National Scrapie Eradication program. Cattle, both beef and dairy, is where we have a lot of work to be done."
Did you read that one important part...they are using the voluntary programs to sign you people up. Better go check on your own if you use any of these programs to see if you have been signed up.
"Under the traditional system, if we have a disease outbreak we start from where the disease was found or where the animal was harvested and trace back through that animal's life," Knight says. "If we also have premise registration and the place of birth of that animal, we can initiate a trace back from both birth and death and meet in the middle. That cuts your average trace back time in half and that's going to be vitally important to achieve 48-hour traceability."
How many of you have no idea where your livestock came from? I don't need a chip to tell me where they were born, I already know. A 48 hour track back for the avian flu is ridiculous, in that 48 hour time all your poultry will be dead, and who knows where it has gone after that. Especially for those of us that do not have birds that leave their property.
"I see no reason to make it mandatory," Knight says. "We have a long history of success in the U.S. with voluntary programs. We're relying on producers to see that it's in their best interests and that it's the right thing to do."
Could we change producers to Big ag, and those that wish to sell overseas?
"Even if producers are skeptical about animal ID I encourage them to register," Knight says.
Is that begging?
Go on, go read the business plan and please, let me know what you think.
More Recipes Then You Can Shake a Wooden Spoon at.
It is a well known fact that I am slightly odd. It has been explained to me many, many times over the years. And I think I have convinced some of you of that as well. Mind you I don't go out of my way to be odd, well we can blame it on my mother.
One of my oddities (or so people say it is odd) is the shear amount of books I own. I have been lucky to find an online community that actually consists of people with more books then me, but then they send me even more books to the distress of my husband. I love it, and adore the friends I have made there.
One of my obsessions is cookbooks. I have all the "pop" books as well as church cook books from the 1940's to the 1990's (I need to hit up more estate sales for more recent ones), I have very old hand written recipes, family recipes and from friends. Some date back to the early 1600's. My dinning room looks like a library exploded in it. Not only do I have books up on shelves, but strung out everywhere. I have 10 recipes for each single dish, and every single one of them have hand written variations in them. Same dish, different ingredients, different "fixes" written in them. This little quirk I blame on my father. There is a story my mother tells, even though she doesn't tell it in fondness, I think it is hilarious.
My father threw a pan of lasagna across the room, hitting a wall because there was something off about it.
I can so relate to it. If I mess up, I want to feed it to the dogs, but I try to save it, and grudgingly serve it to my family. Waste not want not.
I can only follow someone else's recipe once, before changing it. Now some would say this isn't a problem, but I have been asked to review cookbooks. ~insert evil laugh here~ Are you serious? You want me to tell other people how messed up someone else's recipes are? Oh I don't like to be cruel. Chefs and cooks have spent precious time working on their babies, and the recipes are probably great for most people. I on the other hand demand perfection when it comes to cooking anything. It is one of two things in my life that I strive and obsess about perfection.
I am going to end up with a lot of people ticked off at me, that is unless I can find a way to not tear apart, nit pick, a recipe to death. I have to get over this particular obsession. ~sigh~
One of my oddities (or so people say it is odd) is the shear amount of books I own. I have been lucky to find an online community that actually consists of people with more books then me, but then they send me even more books to the distress of my husband. I love it, and adore the friends I have made there.
One of my obsessions is cookbooks. I have all the "pop" books as well as church cook books from the 1940's to the 1990's (I need to hit up more estate sales for more recent ones), I have very old hand written recipes, family recipes and from friends. Some date back to the early 1600's. My dinning room looks like a library exploded in it. Not only do I have books up on shelves, but strung out everywhere. I have 10 recipes for each single dish, and every single one of them have hand written variations in them. Same dish, different ingredients, different "fixes" written in them. This little quirk I blame on my father. There is a story my mother tells, even though she doesn't tell it in fondness, I think it is hilarious.
My father threw a pan of lasagna across the room, hitting a wall because there was something off about it.
I can so relate to it. If I mess up, I want to feed it to the dogs, but I try to save it, and grudgingly serve it to my family. Waste not want not.
I can only follow someone else's recipe once, before changing it. Now some would say this isn't a problem, but I have been asked to review cookbooks. ~insert evil laugh here~ Are you serious? You want me to tell other people how messed up someone else's recipes are? Oh I don't like to be cruel. Chefs and cooks have spent precious time working on their babies, and the recipes are probably great for most people. I on the other hand demand perfection when it comes to cooking anything. It is one of two things in my life that I strive and obsess about perfection.
I am going to end up with a lot of people ticked off at me, that is unless I can find a way to not tear apart, nit pick, a recipe to death. I have to get over this particular obsession. ~sigh~
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
I do argue with myself
Killi over on live journal posted a reply ;
Country of Origin can be very misleading ~ so long as something (anything) is done to the food, it then becomes "from" that country, so Argentinian imported beef suddenly becomes Irish because it was processed here. A farmer friend in Somerset raised Aberdeen Angus cattle; these were sold at market, bought, sent to Scotland for 6 days & thus became prime Scottish beef, with prices to match. Is NAIS going to put origin chips in every cut of meat so they can track it successfully? If something turns up contaminated, will the chip still be in it so they know exactly where it came from? At what point is the chip removed from the carcass? Chip swapping from dead animals? Will the chip itself contaminate the meat or cause problems? Has anyone asked these questions? How can you chip an egg? Much better to buy your produce from a very local farm, so you know your supplier & can report any problems back to them.
I bought a chicken from my butcher in Somerset, cooked it & it was awful (was going to write foul, but of course it was fowl!). I happened to be ill before dinner was cooked, so didn't touch any of it, but all the meat had disintegrated from the bones ~ it went back in that state to the butcher so he could get it tested & warn the farmer of a possible problem. That was the only problem chicken the butcher had ~ none of the others from any of his suppliers were anything but perfect. I wasn't out to sue, cause difficulties or anything, just to warn the butcher & his supplier of a possible problem. Chickens are a natural living entity & could have picked up anything in their lifestyle & I told him this. We got free meat for 2 weeks because of what happened. s had prepared the chicken for cooking, I just cooked it, so it wasn't my illness that affected the poor bird. Would all the suppliers to my butcher have had their flocks slaughtered because of 1 rogue chicken? Is that what NAIS is about?
The only question that I can answer is the last one. Yes, Killi, if one chicken is sick the entire flock and neighboring flocks will be "depopulated". How else would one contain a disease, even if it is non-communicable (like mad-cow)?
As for the title of this post, I am having an argument with myself. It is weather I should share an email I received or not.
Yesterday I opened my mail to find a note from the President from a certain Ag Tech company. It was an odd little note, and I am not sure what to make of it. First I thought that he was against what his own company was doing, a cry for help if you will. Then I thought, he wants me to mention his company. But that doesn't make a lot a sense because I don't have a huge readership. I have a good readership, of some wonderful people that wouldn't be interested in this man's wares. Then I looked at the construction of the note. A President of a company should not be writing like this. No spelling errors, but grammar and capitalization problems. Not saying I am perfect. I edit my posts, and then later cringe at me own errors (some are left because some of the feed readers will reissue the post after I correct it, don't want to get too annoying). I did look at the site that he claims to the president of. The company seems legit, and a tad scary (cell phone chip readers?!?) Should I post the email?
Keeping with the political theme, did anyone watch Glenn Beck last night? Ron Paul was on for the entire hour. As an Independent that leans left, I reiterate that I really like this man. He makes sense, and spouts the same things I go off on about here. To bad I am married (ha!)
Country of Origin can be very misleading ~ so long as something (anything) is done to the food, it then becomes "from" that country, so Argentinian imported beef suddenly becomes Irish because it was processed here. A farmer friend in Somerset raised Aberdeen Angus cattle; these were sold at market, bought, sent to Scotland for 6 days & thus became prime Scottish beef, with prices to match. Is NAIS going to put origin chips in every cut of meat so they can track it successfully? If something turns up contaminated, will the chip still be in it so they know exactly where it came from? At what point is the chip removed from the carcass? Chip swapping from dead animals? Will the chip itself contaminate the meat or cause problems? Has anyone asked these questions? How can you chip an egg? Much better to buy your produce from a very local farm, so you know your supplier & can report any problems back to them.
I bought a chicken from my butcher in Somerset, cooked it & it was awful (was going to write foul, but of course it was fowl!). I happened to be ill before dinner was cooked, so didn't touch any of it, but all the meat had disintegrated from the bones ~ it went back in that state to the butcher so he could get it tested & warn the farmer of a possible problem. That was the only problem chicken the butcher had ~ none of the others from any of his suppliers were anything but perfect. I wasn't out to sue, cause difficulties or anything, just to warn the butcher & his supplier of a possible problem. Chickens are a natural living entity & could have picked up anything in their lifestyle & I told him this. We got free meat for 2 weeks because of what happened. s had prepared the chicken for cooking, I just cooked it, so it wasn't my illness that affected the poor bird. Would all the suppliers to my butcher have had their flocks slaughtered because of 1 rogue chicken? Is that what NAIS is about?
The only question that I can answer is the last one. Yes, Killi, if one chicken is sick the entire flock and neighboring flocks will be "depopulated". How else would one contain a disease, even if it is non-communicable (like mad-cow)?
As for the title of this post, I am having an argument with myself. It is weather I should share an email I received or not.
Yesterday I opened my mail to find a note from the President from a certain Ag Tech company. It was an odd little note, and I am not sure what to make of it. First I thought that he was against what his own company was doing, a cry for help if you will. Then I thought, he wants me to mention his company. But that doesn't make a lot a sense because I don't have a huge readership. I have a good readership, of some wonderful people that wouldn't be interested in this man's wares. Then I looked at the construction of the note. A President of a company should not be writing like this. No spelling errors, but grammar and capitalization problems. Not saying I am perfect. I edit my posts, and then later cringe at me own errors (some are left because some of the feed readers will reissue the post after I correct it, don't want to get too annoying). I did look at the site that he claims to the president of. The company seems legit, and a tad scary (cell phone chip readers?!?) Should I post the email?
Keeping with the political theme, did anyone watch Glenn Beck last night? Ron Paul was on for the entire hour. As an Independent that leans left, I reiterate that I really like this man. He makes sense, and spouts the same things I go off on about here. To bad I am married (ha!)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
I am trying hard not to think there is a lie somewhere
Half of the farms in Nebraska are being reported as signing up with premise ID by APHIS. As the title of my posts states, I am having a very hard time trying not to think that there is some lies going on here. Either by the numbers or by how they got all these farmers to sign up.
Something that was quoted in the Farm Futures
"As the number of registered premises continues to grow, it emphasizes the growing support for animal identification, and I applaud these producers for making a choice that is crucial to the health and economic well-being of commercial livestock and poultry industries in theUnited States
To me that seems a little patronizing. No I am not seeing doom and gloom in everything. Mr. Bruce Knight is saying that those of us that do not wish to be part of the National herd, care nothing about the well being of our animals, and could he possibly be hinting at that we are unpatriotic?
What could be more American then standing up for your rights? Fighting for your beliefs, freedom of religion, and homesteading? General America didn't want this, corporations that want to sell overseas want this. Most of the illness come from factories, not the small farmers. If they want NAIS, allow the corporations to have it, but keep the rest of America out of it. Allow us to continue selling, buying and trading without chips in our beasts.
One of the arguments I have heard about needing NAIS is that you, the consumers demand a project called COOL. Those of you that don't know what C.O.O.L. is, it stands for County of Origin Labeling. You can read more about C.O.O.L here
Of course what a great idea, labeling something so I know where it comes from. How easy to slap a label onto a product so I know that it was made here in the US, or Canada, or Ireland. NAIS isn't really necessary to this project. But pro-NAIS say that it is. Why? I guess they feel someone could cheat. Well, people cheat all the time, something like NAIS isn't going to keep them honest. How easy it would be to manipulate the system, to mis-label the NAIS tags. A label a code isn't going to tell you the truth about where something is coming from.
I am an American, I am patriotic, and that is why I do not bend over completely to my government. We were taught once to fight injustices, to fight dictatorships, to bend to the will of the countries people. Yet the US government is fighting the people, the people that pay their wages. NAIS is not a way to prevent disease. Inspections of plants, education of what cattle actually eats, sanitary habits for stock yards, these things will prevent disease, just as education on how to properly handle food will. And it would cost us, in taxes and in purchases, a lot less then NAIS.
I readily accept that I may not when this war. I know I am not alone in thinking that this program is appalling. I accept that I may lose my homestead, and possibly go to jail for not complying. The only regret I will ever have for voicing my opinion and standing up for what I feel is right, is the possible "depopulation", that is USDA speak for slaughter, of my beloved pets.
And in losing this battle, we lose the traditions of the homesteader, we will lose more animals to extinction, we will lose our freedoms of choice, we will lose our right to privacy, our right to own personal property. This program could spiral out of control and we could find ourselves in a place far removed of what the US was and has been. By no means am I attempting to be a pessimist, I am just frightened of where we are going.
Another reason for NAIS is to fight terrorism. To me it feels like the terrorists that they fear so much are winning with a mandatory NAIS. We have heard how they don't like how we live, NAIS gives our freedoms over to the government, changing the way we live. Oh I could go on more about this particular reason. But this will suffice for now. We don't fight those that hate us by changing ourselves. We stick up for ourselves, don't we?
Something that was quoted in the Farm Futures
"As the number of registered premises continues to grow, it emphasizes the growing support for animal identification, and I applaud these producers for making a choice that is crucial to the health and economic well-being of commercial livestock and poultry industries in the
To me that seems a little patronizing. No I am not seeing doom and gloom in everything. Mr. Bruce Knight is saying that those of us that do not wish to be part of the National herd, care nothing about the well being of our animals, and could he possibly be hinting at that we are unpatriotic?
What could be more American then standing up for your rights? Fighting for your beliefs, freedom of religion, and homesteading? General America didn't want this, corporations that want to sell overseas want this. Most of the illness come from factories, not the small farmers. If they want NAIS, allow the corporations to have it, but keep the rest of America out of it. Allow us to continue selling, buying and trading without chips in our beasts.
One of the arguments I have heard about needing NAIS is that you, the consumers demand a project called COOL. Those of you that don't know what C.O.O.L. is, it stands for County of Origin Labeling. You can read more about C.O.O.L here
Of course what a great idea, labeling something so I know where it comes from. How easy to slap a label onto a product so I know that it was made here in the US, or Canada, or Ireland. NAIS isn't really necessary to this project. But pro-NAIS say that it is. Why? I guess they feel someone could cheat. Well, people cheat all the time, something like NAIS isn't going to keep them honest. How easy it would be to manipulate the system, to mis-label the NAIS tags. A label a code isn't going to tell you the truth about where something is coming from.
I am an American, I am patriotic, and that is why I do not bend over completely to my government. We were taught once to fight injustices, to fight dictatorships, to bend to the will of the countries people. Yet the US government is fighting the people, the people that pay their wages. NAIS is not a way to prevent disease. Inspections of plants, education of what cattle actually eats, sanitary habits for stock yards, these things will prevent disease, just as education on how to properly handle food will. And it would cost us, in taxes and in purchases, a lot less then NAIS.
I readily accept that I may not when this war. I know I am not alone in thinking that this program is appalling. I accept that I may lose my homestead, and possibly go to jail for not complying. The only regret I will ever have for voicing my opinion and standing up for what I feel is right, is the possible "depopulation", that is USDA speak for slaughter, of my beloved pets.
And in losing this battle, we lose the traditions of the homesteader, we will lose more animals to extinction, we will lose our freedoms of choice, we will lose our right to privacy, our right to own personal property. This program could spiral out of control and we could find ourselves in a place far removed of what the US was and has been. By no means am I attempting to be a pessimist, I am just frightened of where we are going.
Another reason for NAIS is to fight terrorism. To me it feels like the terrorists that they fear so much are winning with a mandatory NAIS. We have heard how they don't like how we live, NAIS gives our freedoms over to the government, changing the way we live. Oh I could go on more about this particular reason. But this will suffice for now. We don't fight those that hate us by changing ourselves. We stick up for ourselves, don't we?
Monday, December 17, 2007
Shockingly Enough, I Didn't Enjoy It.
We were or are still, covered in snow. Not as much as they had predicted. The day after the snow fell, I went out to feed the animals. The Foghorn Leghorn rooster has decided to take a disliking to me. Which is fine, I am use to roosters suddenly changing their minds about how special I am to them.
Everyone was fed, and this was the first day that Donkey decided to allow me to pet him, actually he pushed his muzzle into my hand. It was brief, but I was there. I walked by the horse tank and noticed that the water wasn't really getting much lower, and the geese were still not going to use it. So I did what any one else would do. I was curious if the ice melter was warming the water up too much, so I skimmed the surface of the water with my finger. OH SWEET MOTHER! THE PAIN! Electricity surged through my finger into my arm, up into my shoulder. My breath caught, and a tear froze on it's way down my cheek. I jerked my hand back as the animals all stared at my with there "now you know" looks. I couldn't feel my fingers to tell you if I could move them. My shoulder screamed, and this was the better of the two shoulders. My arm burned and was numb at the same time.
I made my way into the house to get some sympathy from my husband, but as soon as the story can spilling out, I was greeted with a roar of laughter. No, no you don't understand, this is worse then the hot fence! I whined. Yes, I was whining by them as pins and needles tattooed the muscles of my arm. My pinkie finger twitched involuntarily, but the numbness was fading.
Now I know why the animals stopped using the horse tank. As soon as I plugged in the ice melter, it was shocking all of them. So now it is back to the old fashion way of breaking up the ice every morning.
And even now, a few days after the fact, it hurts just telling you the story.
And in other news, the 2 youngest boys have the chicken pox.
Everyone was fed, and this was the first day that Donkey decided to allow me to pet him, actually he pushed his muzzle into my hand. It was brief, but I was there. I walked by the horse tank and noticed that the water wasn't really getting much lower, and the geese were still not going to use it. So I did what any one else would do. I was curious if the ice melter was warming the water up too much, so I skimmed the surface of the water with my finger. OH SWEET MOTHER! THE PAIN! Electricity surged through my finger into my arm, up into my shoulder. My breath caught, and a tear froze on it's way down my cheek. I jerked my hand back as the animals all stared at my with there "now you know" looks. I couldn't feel my fingers to tell you if I could move them. My shoulder screamed, and this was the better of the two shoulders. My arm burned and was numb at the same time.
I made my way into the house to get some sympathy from my husband, but as soon as the story can spilling out, I was greeted with a roar of laughter. No, no you don't understand, this is worse then the hot fence! I whined. Yes, I was whining by them as pins and needles tattooed the muscles of my arm. My pinkie finger twitched involuntarily, but the numbness was fading.
Now I know why the animals stopped using the horse tank. As soon as I plugged in the ice melter, it was shocking all of them. So now it is back to the old fashion way of breaking up the ice every morning.
And even now, a few days after the fact, it hurts just telling you the story.
And in other news, the 2 youngest boys have the chicken pox.
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