Chapter thirteen in the novel describes how the "non barcode people" get their meat. Through "sales at the farm store, farmer's markets, metropolitan clubs and small shops" (240) the consumers prefer small-scale meat because it is hardy, fresh, and clean. The local farms "pile it high and sell it cheap" which keeps customers regular. I have always liked farmers markets, however I appose what the consumers in the book say. Chicken from the back of a truck probably hasn't been pasteurized and cured for the public like the chicken in a grocery store.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
2/9/2010
Chapter twelve of the Omnivore's Dilemma centered around the slaughtering process. Pollan described it in disgusting detail, including comments on the smell, sight, and feeling of the meat getting scalded, plucked, and then ripped apart. An interesting quote I picked out from this chapter was, "It could be that [the farmer] finds a certain beauty in that compost pile, or at least in its redemptive promise" (237). By this, Pollan is referring to how meat factories recycle their resources by spreading the compost, made from dead animal parts, to grow grass to feed the new growing animals. Knowing this alone, makes me not want to eat meat again. I never took into consideration how much meat Americans consume and how mass killing of animals is necessary for the production of meat.
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I thought Pollan's description of killing animals was gross too. However, I still am going to consume meat. It's really interesting to think about what the American population consumes when it comes to meat products. I think it is partially to blame for the obesity epidemic we have. We have a farmers market at home that I absolutely love to shop at.
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t even get through chapter 12, it really grossed me out. As gross as it was, I’m not going to stop eating meat… Since I’m diabetic, protein is really important for me to eat. My main source of protein is from all the meat I eat. I’m just going to have a hard time NOT thinking about what Pollen wrote in chapter 12 for awhile. Also, I grew up on grocery store meat, so I don’t really know the difference between meat from the farm and meat from the grocery store. The meat I eat from the grocery store sure tastes fine to me.
ReplyDeleteI am not going to lie but chapter 12 was pretty disgusting but I will still consume meat. That’s protein that your body needs. To think of how many people live in the U.S. and that consume meat is a big number and for the slaughterhouses to keep up with demands for the people, that’s an even bigger number. To me that’s pretty crazy. Like the commercials say “Beef its what’s for dinner” .
ReplyDeleteVery interesting comments. Good connection to your own experience with farmers' markets. Your last comment might be an interesting start to your research paper.
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