There are many ongoing conversations going on at the moment in our home. Most nights, when animal protein is consumed at our table, conversations usually entail killing chickens, muscles, bones, blood, how Lui shot a deer, pain, nutrition and so on. You can imagine, that at three, Owen is leading this conversation...with eyes that grow from quarter to silver dollar size and his expression can not be contained to his face...he speaks with his body.
A few days ago, Owen had a really good spill - a big bruised and scraped back left my brave soldier in a puddle of tears - and me angry and scared. "Owen if you fell that hard on your head you could be really hurt.... we could be at the hospital... you could have broken your bones...and on and on." I was exasperated to say the least and in a quiet moment he looked up at me, face smeared in dirty tears, "mama, if my muscles come out....would you eat me?". I had to swallow my urge to burst out in laughter, to take his question with utmost sincerity and compassion. "No, I would never eat you". This conversation ended as abruptly as it came. That is one nice thing about three year olds - a thought provoking double whammy question followed by "can I have some yogurt".
Since that day I have been thinking a lot about the choices we make when it comes to food and why they are so important to us - this isn't new at all. I always want to be honest with them, where food comes from and that there are alternatives (you don't have to eat meat if you don't want to!). Our freezer is empty at the moment, the last home raised chicken was eaten a few weeks ago and I think there is one hunk of pork that we are saving for one last special moment. There are talks of meat birds in the spring but for now I am outsourcing everything. This morning as I look over my shopping list I see a long list of items that include a hefty portion of animal protein (I shop biweekly so it feels lengthy but in reality it is 5 out of 14 nights that include meat of some sort) and I can't help but wonder will I know where any of this comes from? Can I afford to know where my meat comes from? There are times when we slip off the bandwagon - buy conventional to fit the budget...it never feels good. Then I roll my eyes and wonder, is the USDA organic stamp worth anything these days? I know what it means in reference to my wallet...but seriously what does it even mean anymore when it is stamped in a natural inspired section within a conventional super store. I prefer knowing my farmer and their husbandry practices - an organic stamp really doesn't mean much to me. I'm not sure what will end up in my cart at the grocery store today...maybe I will have the energy to stop at the local butcher in town today...maybe I will grab anything I can in a dazed frazzle that usually is my shopping experience. One thing I do know is when we eat, whatever ends up in my cart today, we will inevitably be talking about it at our table....blood, guts, bones and all.
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