Do you educate or just walk away, shaking your head?

[FarmerChick]

yea being animal people like us, isn't it hard every single time we see something nasty...like farm animals in manure up to their bellies, or just thin starving animals and all that. I judge everyone by the look of their animals. Sometimes it is a curse seriously. Going thru life with the burden of checking every horse and cow in a pasture on a long trip on the highway is my nightmare..LOL I gotta check them out. I always say to Tony when driving, OH that is some well cared for horses in that pasture..nice. good owners! I just have to do that..LOL

 

[freemotion]

yea being animal people like us, isn't it hard every single time we see something nasty...like farm animals in manure up to their bellies, or just thin starving animals and all that. I judge everyone by the look of their animals.

Yeah, me too.....so the new dog is stuck at home, hidden away, until he is no longer skinny and his skin condition clears up. I clipped him yesterday and had the groomer/vet tech do his face for me, and now he looks horrid! But I needed to be able to get to his lesions through all that poodle/spaniel hair. He looks very neglected now! But not by me....

 

[FarmerChick]

I hear ya....LOL
looks are deceiving sometimes in that kind of situation

 

[Farmfresh]

I educate ... can't help it it is just in my blood.

I don't push the info down peoples necks, but often how I live ... so different from the average Joe ... it makes people ask questions. When I bring a blue egg in my lunch box people wonder. When I am eating a HUGE 1/2 chicken breast they are amazed and ask questions. I live smack in the middle of a huge city and drive around with firewood, hay bales, or turkeys in a dog kennel in the back of my pickup. People DO ask me questions.

I have converted many ... maybe not to a whole hearted SS lifestyle but to change the way they do quite a bit of business. Because of me our local farm market has lots more customers. People ask or I talk about my vegetable "bargains" and other shoppers sit up and take notice.

Because of me at least one farmer sells more animals direct to the public. I was in the process of buying a beef for the freezer and one of my co-workers got wind of my deal. I was saving money on my meat and getting a better product. But they did not (or could not afford) a whole cow of their own. I suggested that a couple of them share a cow. What an idea! Beginning that very year the farmer that I had been buying from who raises his own grass fed beef began selling 3 or 4 cows a year to the people I worked with. Our office secretary (who buys 1/2 a beef a year now!) put herself in charge of the cutting orders and collecting the money. They all make a pilgrimage to the processor and stop by a local orchard for berries, peaches or apples on the way home as well. They have a fun day out and far better food for cheaper ... because I educated them.

Most people really WANT to do a good job caring for their animals. These days it is hard to find good info on HOW. So sometimes if I meet someone with animals I will just start off by asking the a few little non-threatening questions. Often this will lead to a conversation and a question or an easy way to mention a better way to do something. Most people are happy to meet a new like minded friend. For those that do not care. I just shut my mouth. Like a farmer who could not afford to keep his corn fed calves, but would not even consider grass feeding them. No amount of talking can change some minds.

 

[freemotion]

I have decided to....I think I've decided to ....raise up a couple of doelings per year, breed them, train them to milk nicely, then sell them as homestead dairy goats along with a few lessons thrown in if needed.

I love that you created more demand for good beef and helped a farmer, FF! I also try to create demand for products I want, as it also keeps stuff available locally. I need a network of individuals who keep a goat or two so I can have emergency milkers around, too. And create a demand for a good goat vet here.

 

[Farmfresh]

Man Free that is a GREAT idea!!

There is a large demand now a days for hand milkable cows as well.

We saw a PBS reality show "Frontier House" (my kids bought me the DVD for Christmas last year). The people making the show commented on how very difficult it was to find gentle hand milkable cows for the show.

Lots of people want to get a milk goat or a cow and have NO Earthly idea how to teach them to do what they need. You would really be providing a service!

 

[me&thegals]

That's awesome, Farmfresh!!! The farmers around you are surely grateful for you helping spread the word.

That's the way it is around here. While I'm sure statistically the majority of people don't care/don't know about their food, more and more do. Word of mouth does wonders for educating people. Especially women, who always seem to be talking about food and other care for their families. I have a bunch of library customers these days since they've started paying attention to the books I check out. It starts many conversations on poultry, grassfed animals, beekeeping, organic vegetables, and now 2 library employees are full CSA members and 5 are egg customers

I think, as FF points out, being really approachable allows people the room to ask questions, not feel dumb and start making some of these choices for themselves.

I think there's a real hunger out there (no pun intended) for a better way of living and eating but people just don't know where and how to begin.

 

[okiegirl1]

I offered to work at a local farm in exchange for being taught how to properly care for goats and chickens. I really want to learn the right way to milk a goat, the right food to feed them and the right way to breed. I know I can figure out most of it, but when it comes to a living breathing thing that depends on you, trial and error isn't the best way, IMO.

I haven't heard back yet, but I think it's a great idea.

 

[me&thegals]

That IS a great idea! I hope they take you up on it!

 

[Augustmomx2]

I only educate if I am asked a question or if someone shows a true interest in the "SS-life."

More often than not, people are not interested...I think that society is so focused on "self" that we have lost the idea of "a village." How do our actions affect others now and in the future? People don't care, they care about themselves and how their actions are affecting the here and now. I do not waste my energy trying to "educate" others who could careless about others and future generations.

I do however, go after their children I live in an urban area and the fact that I have chickens in my backyard gives me an advantage when speaking to kids about SS. I'm hoping maybe even just a small bit of info sticks in their heads, maybe future decisions will be made differently

I do educate my children... a lot...probably more than they want