I thrive on small acts of resistance and am delighted to read about other people doing it. Love the chicken stories...albiet sad but recognizing the connections we can have with creatures if we pay attention. Thanks for this great article.
I think that 'story' is such an important tool for teaching and remembering. Thank you Linda for sharing the stories of these amazing chickens.
Like you I have many animal stories from the many years of keeping chickens and ducks and geese and turkeys etc.... And while many of these beings became food, they all got to experience joy, and curiosity, and taste diverse foods, and feel sunshine and rain...and sleep on roosts or live in family flocks. Even some of the 'industrial' creatures...such as the 'meat kings' I raised for a couple of years, even they got a chance to dig deep into their animal core and learn to act like chickens.
While raising animals for my family's food always comes with that moment of deep anguish when they are killed, I actually believe that if we considered all sentient beings with the same depth of feeling, perhaps we industrialized humans would get to dig deep into our cores, our long-forgotten stories, our teachings, and remember that all the animals, and plants welcomed us here and made covenant with us to offer their lives so that we could live. And our obligation in this covenant is...well...it's obvious really. It's to offer thanks and show respect.
I thrive on small acts of resistance and am delighted to read about other people doing it. Love the chicken stories...albiet sad but recognizing the connections we can have with creatures if we pay attention. Thanks for this great article.
I think that 'story' is such an important tool for teaching and remembering. Thank you Linda for sharing the stories of these amazing chickens.
Like you I have many animal stories from the many years of keeping chickens and ducks and geese and turkeys etc.... And while many of these beings became food, they all got to experience joy, and curiosity, and taste diverse foods, and feel sunshine and rain...and sleep on roosts or live in family flocks. Even some of the 'industrial' creatures...such as the 'meat kings' I raised for a couple of years, even they got a chance to dig deep into their animal core and learn to act like chickens.
While raising animals for my family's food always comes with that moment of deep anguish when they are killed, I actually believe that if we considered all sentient beings with the same depth of feeling, perhaps we industrialized humans would get to dig deep into our cores, our long-forgotten stories, our teachings, and remember that all the animals, and plants welcomed us here and made covenant with us to offer their lives so that we could live. And our obligation in this covenant is...well...it's obvious really. It's to offer thanks and show respect.
Sweet piece. Particularly enjoyed meeting the chickens. Ditto on the Rebank’s book. Although probably easier for a non farmer to give it thumbs up.