Working Animals

[greensgood]

i have seen a few discussions on other forums about this topic and am still curious as to others opinions:

what is the vegan reasoning behind buying/eating food that was produced w/ the help of animals?

a common example is CA almonds. bees are used to pollinate the trees resulting in tasty almonds. i am not absolutely sure how they trap them and so on etc...
another example is rice production, in India i think buffalo are commonly used in this process.

[Mr. Sun]

There are so very few sources of food that are "completely vegan" if we get right down to it. Most farms use tilling processes that kill all kinds of mice and voles and other critters that make their homes in the fields.

I think every vegan, if they have the chance, should do at least some gardening themselves, and should support other gardener/famers (at local markets) that use no-till, veganic gardening techniques.

As more and more people become vegan there will be more veganic gardening options.

To me the most important thing is what vegans would like to see as far as option, not what options are currently available. If you ask most vegans I'm sure they, if they have the finances, would pay more for food that comes from veganic gardening/farming practices.



VEGAN-ORGANICS - THE BASICS

Vegan-organics is, briefly, any system of cultivation that avoids artificial chemicals and sprays, GMOs, livestock manures and animal remains from slaughterhouses or fish processing etc. Alternatively, fertility is maintained by vegetable composts, green manures, crop rotation, mulches, and any other method that is sustainable, ecologically viable and not dependent upon animal exploitation. This will ensure long-term fertility, and wholesome food for this and future generations.

Whilst conventional cultivation farming relies on synthetic chemicals and animal products, traditional organic production also generally relies on animal wastes and by-products. Both can be seen to have the exploitation of living creatures in common, with conventional agriculture also leading to terrible health, social, economic and environmental problems. Vegan-Organic methods involve none of these drawbacks. Many people who are not themselves vegan or vegetarian are coming to appreciate these benefits of animal free growing.


http://www.vegansociety.com/people/lifestyle/home_and_garden/veganic_gardening.php

[Mrrple]

You know, it's so difficult to find foods and even make foods when you cut everything that hurts an animal out. We can only do our best, but veganic farmed food is typically very expensive and hard to find, and most people are on a tight enough budget as is. Our family buys local when possible, but much of the time local produce isn't available. In Winter for instance, it's darn near impossible.

It's still a big problem with the food industry, but the definition of a vegan also says we must avoid contributing animal suffering to the very best of our ability. Sometimes it just isn't an option for things like this.

[Binary Dragon]

I'm not a vegan (yet) but I think that my philosophy holds here anyway. The point of veg*nism is not to be perfect. The point is to become (present tense, not past) better. There are a lot of things that people do, but could be doing better. It doesn't mean they are bad for not doing it perfectly, or that they should stop trying altogether. The point of life, no matter what your choice of endeavours, is to improve yourself. If you ever were perfect, that'd defeat all the purpose.

[Bof]

The point of veg*nism is not to be perfect.

I see no problem in aspiring to be perfect. (I am one of the few people who has actually achieved it). :)

[Mrrple]

I see no problem in aspiring to be perfect. (I am one of the few people who has actually achieved it). :)

*hits with a boot*

:nana:

[Mr. Sun]

*hits with a boot*

:nana:

:no:

That's elder* abuse.







*he's a grandpa now