Comments on: My limited part-time strict vegetarianism http://www.sculpin.com/journal/2009/08/03/my-limited-part-time-strict-vegetarianism/ stargazer, muddler, muffle-jaw, cockatouch, spoonhead, hookear, gudgeon, grubby, blob, bull-rout, blue garnet, miller's thumb Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:50:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Cam Sculpin http://www.sculpin.com/journal/2009/08/03/my-limited-part-time-strict-vegetarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-93329 Cam Sculpin Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:11:58 +0000 http://www.sculpin.com/journal/?p=563#comment-93329 Bemusedoutsider: what's the Jain take on the male calves that are a necessary byproduct of a dairy? It was my understanding that Jainism was very strict about ahimsa, and I don't get how that works with modern dairy practices in even the better dairies. I buy best-practices dairy products myself, but that means basically that I buy milk from local animals that range around and eat grass. I don't think I've come across any dairies that have a policy of refusing to send male calves and older cows into the beef system. Bemusedoutsider: what’s the Jain take on the male calves that are a necessary byproduct of a dairy? It was my understanding that Jainism was very strict about ahimsa, and I don’t get how that works with modern dairy practices in even the better dairies.

I buy best-practices dairy products myself, but that means basically that I buy milk from local animals that range around and eat grass. I don’t think I’ve come across any dairies that have a policy of refusing to send male calves and older cows into the beef system.

]]> By: bemusedoutsider http://www.sculpin.com/journal/2009/08/03/my-limited-part-time-strict-vegetarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-93306 bemusedoutsider Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:14:27 +0000 http://www.sculpin.com/journal/?p=563#comment-93306 I've been studying the Jain system for a long time. They do not eat meat, but do use a lot of milk. Traditionally in India the cow was a member of the family, treated like we treat our dogs and cats. Now Jains make it a point to buy at health food stores from the dairies who have the best practices. This encourages the better dairies and shows that we care about animal welfare -- in a way that simply avoiding all milk would not show. I’ve been studying the Jain system for a long time. They do not eat meat, but do use a lot of milk.

Traditionally in India the cow was a member of the family, treated like we treat our dogs and cats. Now Jains make it a point to buy at health food stores from the dairies who have the best practices.

This encourages the better dairies and shows that we care about animal welfare — in a way that simply avoiding all milk would not show.

]]> By: Cam Sculpin http://www.sculpin.com/journal/2009/08/03/my-limited-part-time-strict-vegetarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-93304 Cam Sculpin Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:04:26 +0000 http://www.sculpin.com/journal/?p=563#comment-93304 Paul: those blueberries were <i>awesome</i>. They were from <a href="http://www.whitehorsemeadowsfarm.com/" rel="nofollow">Whitehorse Meadows Farm</a> in Arlington. Barnaby: yeah, it's tricky. I gather that an argument has been smoldering among some vegans for a while now about whether there should be a no-honey thing and, much more to the point, whether vegans should make a big deal over it. I'm sure it's been hashed out to the nth degree by people who've thought about all this more carefully than I have. It does seem to me that when you get into the question of honey, you're very close to also getting into the question of insecticides. Is it consistent to forgo honey but not seek out organic products? Or is the harm reduction of not eating honey what really counts here? Fortunately, this is no problem of mine. I'm just saying, from here it looks to me like it gets messy. Paul: those blueberries were awesome. They were from Whitehorse Meadows Farm in Arlington.

Barnaby: yeah, it’s tricky. I gather that an argument has been smoldering among some vegans for a while now about whether there should be a no-honey thing and, much more to the point, whether vegans should make a big deal over it. I’m sure it’s been hashed out to the nth degree by people who’ve thought about all this more carefully than I have.

It does seem to me that when you get into the question of honey, you’re very close to also getting into the question of insecticides. Is it consistent to forgo honey but not seek out organic products? Or is the harm reduction of not eating honey what really counts here? Fortunately, this is no problem of mine. I’m just saying, from here it looks to me like it gets messy.

]]> By: Barnaby http://www.sculpin.com/journal/2009/08/03/my-limited-part-time-strict-vegetarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-93302 Barnaby Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:23:50 +0000 http://www.sculpin.com/journal/?p=563#comment-93302 I honestly don't get the "no honey" for vegans thing. Well, I mean, I get it...but it does start to get beg the question of what about fruits that require bee pollination, etc? Partially, as a bee keeper, and former keeper of food animals, and current omnivore, I find beekeeping to be a very different activity than other animal-husbandry as it where. Fortunately, the vegans I know are of the honey-eating kind, so I can still gift them my honey. -B. I honestly don’t get the “no honey” for vegans thing. Well, I mean, I get it…but it does start to get beg the question of what about fruits that require bee pollination, etc? Partially, as a bee keeper, and former keeper of food animals, and current omnivore, I find beekeeping to be a very different activity than other animal-husbandry as it where.

Fortunately, the vegans I know are of the honey-eating kind, so I can still gift them my honey.

-B.

]]> By: paul http://www.sculpin.com/journal/2009/08/03/my-limited-part-time-strict-vegetarianism/comment-page-1/#comment-93296 paul Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:48:51 +0000 http://www.sculpin.com/journal/?p=563#comment-93296 Hey, conscious eating is all anyone has a right to expect. Now about those blueberries . . . . Hey, conscious eating is all anyone has a right to expect. Now about those blueberries . . . .

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