I don't believe it... Michael and I ordered pet chickens today! I am so freaked out! I have never taken care of chickens before in my life! Sorry for the juvenile excitement, but I can't think the last time I was more nervous and excited about something!
So, anyhow, we ordered four Salmon Faverolles females. They'll arrive as chicks, and we'll raise them. We actually have a big cage that we bought for the rabbits, who NEVER use it, which will be perfect for the chicks, until they're old enough for a coop. Apparently this takes several weeks.
I realized last night that we'll each get to name a chick. I'm rather stuck on Chloe right now, as these are French ladies, whose breed originates about an hour west of Paris. The Favorelles are very docile birds (important because of our children and rabbits). They are supposedly prolific egg-layers and even lay eggs in winter. They are an heirloom breed, I suppose (if that's what is meant by 'rare'), which is nice, as nearly all the eggs in the country are produced by a single breed. The eggs should be a cream color. I can't wait!!!!
I do worry, though, a bit. I'd like to let them roam freely about the yard, but our neighbors have a small garden... I wonder if the chickens will cross the privacy fence and invade the garden?
Anyhow, we'll see how it goes. Oh, we may not get our chickens for months. We have to wait until they have four females to send us, which is an undetermined wait. Meanwhile, we'll build our coop, read, and anticipate!
The primary motivation for getting the chickens is simple...ethical and humane egg production. Foremost are the inhumane factory farm conditions, but we do try to buy free range or cageless eggs, which doesn't guarantee much. Also, though, I found out tonight that most egg-laying chickens are slaughtered for dog food and the like at 12 months. Surprised? Well, they're the lucky ones. Most meat birds in the supermarkets live a full 14 weeks! Note that chickens have a normal lifespan of 5-11 years (up to 16 years).
My concern is that our birds won't lay many eggs after the first couple of years (normal decline). So, I'm hoping that we'll feel comfortable with ordering four more or so at that point. Hopefully 8 chickens won't seem too much. My Grandmama had a lot more than that in her chicken coop, I believe!
I do think ahead, eh? I think our four hens should keep us busy with the whole hen experience for a while, though!
It may seem like forever before we actually get them, but I'm a little relieved, actually! It gives us lots of prep time.
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
organic vs. packaging and cost ethics
This may sound silly, but I've been struggling with an ethical dilemma a bit.
Here's an example...
Yesterday, I looked at canned string beans, which Fiona had asked for and is in a phase for. The regular 14.5 oz can of organic string beans cost $1.25 (8.6 cents per ounce). Food Lion brand string beans cost $1.99 on sale for a 50.8 oz can (3.9 cents per ounce).
Just to be clear, I try to sort of go by a rule of thumb of not paying more than twice as much for organic. That's not really the point here, though it plays into it.
Besides the cost consideration, there is far less packaging in the large can.
Honestly, I am a little daunted at the moment by the big Pyrex bowl in my fridge full of green beans for later, but it actually makes it easy to make a small container of green beans for her lunch or to accompany her dinner, when she won't eat whatever veggie I've prepared. So not a huge deal. I'm just used to buying the small cans.
I guess what I'm trying to say is:
Is there less environmental impact by cutting out two more cans from production and waste than there is to growing conventional produce from big chemically-laiden farms? There really aren't that many green beans in a can, which seems the more substantial part of the purchase, to me.
I have the same issue with Ketchup. I can buy the 14 oz organic ketchup for not much less than the 64 oz huge conventional ketchup bottle. If I'm cutting out production and waste of 3 more plastic bottles when I buy the big bottle, doesn't that weigh in more pro-environmentally than the few chemicals left out in the farming of the tomatoes?
A dilemma to consider, though, in wanting the bulk packaging, is that the organic companies have less difficulty selling small packages than large amounts. The bulk packaging will probably come in future years, but for now we should perhaps be grateful to have the option at all.
Another thought is that organic packs a much greater nutritional punch, with twice the antioxidants. Since Fiona eats very few veggies, perhaps it's worth it to buy the organic ones, so she gets more bang per bite? She's not going to eat twice as many green beans to make up for poor farming practices.
Finally, we get back to basic ethics. Poor farming practices are being supported with my money when I buy conventional instead of organic, despite being given the option. Would I really buy a stolen radio because it was locally stolen and had no packaging? Just a thought... We're stealing from our children and environment when we don't adequately steward the land.
Again, though, I really am concerned about the damage done by the plastics and packaging. They have their own profound impact on the environment... Which impact is bigger?
If the environmental impact is less for conventional foods in bulk packaging, AND it costs less than half of the organic price, it's hard for me to justify paying for the organic. Factoring in greater nutritional value for the organics, though, leaves me in a stalemate.
Do I overthink things or what?:)
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Here's an example...
Yesterday, I looked at canned string beans, which Fiona had asked for and is in a phase for. The regular 14.5 oz can of organic string beans cost $1.25 (8.6 cents per ounce). Food Lion brand string beans cost $1.99 on sale for a 50.8 oz can (3.9 cents per ounce).
Just to be clear, I try to sort of go by a rule of thumb of not paying more than twice as much for organic. That's not really the point here, though it plays into it.
Besides the cost consideration, there is far less packaging in the large can.
Honestly, I am a little daunted at the moment by the big Pyrex bowl in my fridge full of green beans for later, but it actually makes it easy to make a small container of green beans for her lunch or to accompany her dinner, when she won't eat whatever veggie I've prepared. So not a huge deal. I'm just used to buying the small cans.
I guess what I'm trying to say is:
Is there less environmental impact by cutting out two more cans from production and waste than there is to growing conventional produce from big chemically-laiden farms? There really aren't that many green beans in a can, which seems the more substantial part of the purchase, to me.
I have the same issue with Ketchup. I can buy the 14 oz organic ketchup for not much less than the 64 oz huge conventional ketchup bottle. If I'm cutting out production and waste of 3 more plastic bottles when I buy the big bottle, doesn't that weigh in more pro-environmentally than the few chemicals left out in the farming of the tomatoes?
A dilemma to consider, though, in wanting the bulk packaging, is that the organic companies have less difficulty selling small packages than large amounts. The bulk packaging will probably come in future years, but for now we should perhaps be grateful to have the option at all.
Another thought is that organic packs a much greater nutritional punch, with twice the antioxidants. Since Fiona eats very few veggies, perhaps it's worth it to buy the organic ones, so she gets more bang per bite? She's not going to eat twice as many green beans to make up for poor farming practices.
Finally, we get back to basic ethics. Poor farming practices are being supported with my money when I buy conventional instead of organic, despite being given the option. Would I really buy a stolen radio because it was locally stolen and had no packaging? Just a thought... We're stealing from our children and environment when we don't adequately steward the land.
Again, though, I really am concerned about the damage done by the plastics and packaging. They have their own profound impact on the environment... Which impact is bigger?
If the environmental impact is less for conventional foods in bulk packaging, AND it costs less than half of the organic price, it's hard for me to justify paying for the organic. Factoring in greater nutritional value for the organics, though, leaves me in a stalemate.
Do I overthink things or what?:)
Insert movie times and more without leaving Hotmail®. See how.
Hotmail® has ever-growing storage! Don't worry about storage limits. Check it out.
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