Why I LOVE My Catering Job!

Sometimes, I just get overwhelmed by the generosity of people around me! This was definitely one of those mornings! After several crazy busy days of wonderfulness, I finally had a relaxing morning to sleep in. I had warned the goats last night that they should eat plenty of hay, as they would not be seeing me very early this morning (and, as usual, they completely ignored me!) Thus, my lazy morning started with coffee, play time with my pups, and then an email check. Imagine my delight to find the following article on the website of Two Caterers!

http://www.twocaterers.com/2012/04/have-we-mentioned-that-we-love.html

I have had the pleasure of working for Two Caterers since September 2010. I never imagined myself catering -- much like I never imagined myself as a butcher -- but I absolutely adore it! The people with whom I work are amazing, and the food is unbelievable! It is a pleasure to serve a product of which you truly believe in the quality. I started out as a server with Two Caterers, then began bartending, and now work as an Event Supervisor. This company is a good fit for me, because it shares my values: stewardship of the environment, connecting people with food, and supporting local businesses. It has been an exciting evolution for me to raise food, market meats, and now be involved in serving high quality meals. Two Caterers is an awesome company and I am very proud to be one of their employees!

Picture Caption: The photo above is of me with Angela Petro, prepping salads for the Girasole Dinner at Jorgensen Farm. Two Caterers is the caterer of choice for events at Jorgensen Farm, which is owned by my friend (and heroine) Val Jorgensen. Jorgensen Farm raises organic herbs, honey, and lamb. In addition, the restored barn serves as an event space. The Girasole Dinner is an annual event that celebrates sunflowers in late summer. I had the pleasure of assisting with the 2011 event, and working with the amazing Angela -- who owns Two Caterers.

Conundrums of International Travel . . .

27 September 2011

This amused me: I flew all the way to Germany to eat Australian lamb in a Mexican restaurant . . . and it was excellent! Yay for Berlin!

Happy Election Day from the Goats!

It's Election Day in America, and I am inspired to address two of my favorite things: food & politics! Thanks to my training in the social sciences, I am very much an observer of life around me. Unfortunately, this can serve to anger me at times. I had one of those moments at the grocery store on Friday . . .

I firmly believe that we each make the decisions that form our lives as adults. While there are situations that we cannot control -- disease, unexpected job loss, natural disasters -- we are responsible for the lives we create for ourselves. Like any human, I have had struggles, but I view them as no more profound than any other person's troubles. It is simply part of the human condition. That being said, there are certainly things I would like: more money, my own land, health insurance, etc, etc. I recognize, however, that I have chosen my life. I could have a better paying job, but the trade-off would take me away from the farm & alter my schedule. I could find a career that provided health insurance, but then I might have to drive downtown during rush hour every day. There are trade-offs to every situation -- and we are all responsible for the situation we choose.

That being said, I am glad to have the life that I do, although it comes with certain limitations. One of these is financial. This limitation, however, has made me into quite the bargain shopper! (There is an upside to everything!) On Friday, when I decided that groceries were definitely needed before the weekend, I knew exactly how much cash I could possibly spend. I went through the aisles of my local Kroger making purchases that were on sale and fit my strict budget. Anything that was not a necessity was postponed. I selected food items that I would cook -- no prepared/boxed food items. I was most delighted that my basket full of foods was a total of only $16.00 at the cash register! What was unsettling was the contrast I observed with the customer ahead of me in line . . .

As aforementioned, I like to observe human behavior. The indidvidual in front of me was dressed casually, but in nice clothes. The two children with them were likewise neatly attired, and appeared alert & healthy. I knew they must have a certain level of income to possess a car to bring them to this suburban grocery store. I noticed that the individual ahead of me had a handful of purchases, including a large bag of Doritos and a box of pre-packaged Hostess cupcakes. When the lady at the register rang up this individual's purchases, the total was $16 and change. The individual then paid for it with an electronic benefit card, or EBT -- the modern day name for Food Stamps.

I do not believe the government should dictate what we are able to choose to feed our families. I also believe there is a need for assistance to individuals who need short-term help to aid them during difficult times. I am offended, however, that my tax dollars are being used to subsidize the purchase of Doritos and hostess cupcakes! For the price of a large bag of Doritos, this person could have purchased a bag of potatoes to feed their family for days. For the price of a box of packaged Hostess cupcakes, this individual could have bought a bag of flour and baked bread for their family for weeks. The argument that some individuals have to purchase food of this nature while on Food Stamps due to the fact that they reside in "food deserts" is absolutely unacceptable -- the person I happened to observe was shopping at a major grocery in our community. And they were shopping with MY TAX DOLLARS!

I work hard. I scrimp and save. I do not take, nor do I want, any government payments. I simply want to keep the money that I endeavor to earn by the sweat of my brow & the labor of my hands. The ultimate question here is whether it is acceptable under Constitutional law -- or under God's law -- that one class of citizen should be expected to subsidize another. I argue strongly that it is not only unjust, it is sinful. By taking MY tax dollars and YOUR tax dollars to subsidize government payments for others, we in fact are penalizing ALL of us. Yes, I lose out on the money I have legitimately earned, but even more profound is the enslavement to the government that is created when citizens come to rely on government handouts. As Americans, we cannot financially afford, we cannot ethically afford, and we cannot politically afford to force our own people into servitude to the government.

Today is Election Day. Please go out and vote. Please vote to create an America that is prosperous and free. May God bless you and may God bless our great country!

The Goatherd Meets the Greens; The Goatherd is NOT Impressed

26 September 2011

Our first "business" day in Berlin was full of meetings at the DBV: Deutscher Bauernverband. The DBV is the German equivalent of AFBF: American Farm Bureau Federation. Much like AFBF, the DBV is organized into county associations that make up state organizations, which in turn form the national farm group. We were welcomed to the DBV by Dr. Helmut Born, the General Secretary of the DBV. After coffee with Dr. Born, we sat in on the start of the DBV's weekly staff meeting. It was -- of course -- in German and I quickly realized that I was not understanding nearly as much as I wanted to! Oh, Rosetta Stone -- you should have taught me more agriculture & political terms! I really did not need to know "Der Kaffee schmeckt schleckt": The coffee tastes bad!

A highlight of the day was our morning session with representatives from several political parties. It was an excellent introduction to the German political system. In Germany there are several parties which influence politics. This diversity results in a need for parties to work together to create policy and pass legislation. It also forces organizations like DBV to be responsive to interacting with multiples parties so as to ensure their voice is heard. Laws are written by the parliament only, but can be requested by the government (similar to our executive branch) or the Landers (which are the states of Germany). When a German votes in a parliamentary election, he votes twice: once for the chosen candidate and once for the party of choice. These votes result in a complex equation that dictates who will serve in the parliament.

The political party representatives that we met with were from the CDU (largest party, conservative, and party of the Chancellor Angela Merkel), the Liberals (a party which harkens to the original meaning of the word "liberal" and is thus now considered conservative), and the Greens. Oh, the Greens. The party that loves organics and fear! The Greens reached a new level of popularity with Lander (state) elections in the spring . . . that happened to occur shortly after the nuclear issues caused by the tsunami in Japan. Fears over nuclear accidents led to a popular movement to ban nuclear power in Germany. The Greens led this effort, which will force renewable energy to the forefront. While this is a good thing for farmers (thanks to solar power on farms, windmills in the countryside, and the agricultural popularity of biogas), it creates a situation where less power will be produced within Germany, but the level of demand will probably stay the same. This may force the Germans to purchase more power from Russia and France -- both of which rely heavily on nuclear!

The woman from the Green Party was very well-spoken in sharing her views on agriculture. She was opposed to nuclear power due to the potential for accidents. She was opposed to windmills since they ruin the view of the countryside. She was opposed to biogas that operates from corn, as her constituents complain that corn is abhorrent in the landscape of Germany. She was opposed to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as one study from Argentina hypothesized that they were negative to humans. She would only acquiese to the usefulness of biotechnology in medicine -- never food or farming. She believed that 3rd World nations did not need the advances of science through GMOs, but could feed their people if they wasted less and had more local farms. I would personally have a hard time telling my friends from Somalia -- whose countrymen are dying by the thousands from starvation -- that they just need to waste less food.

I will absolutely give credit to the Green Party representative that she was firm in her beliefs and dedicated to them. She was quite pleasant and had a charming personality. We simply had very different beliefs. Her view of American agriculture as being "industrial" was based on the notion that American farmers specialize and hope for a profit . . . two things that I see as excellent attributes of agriculture! Diversity is a good thing, just as specialization is a good thing, and profit is always a good thing! If a farmer has no interest in profit, that is certainly acceptable -- but then it is a hobby, not a true career.

Delicious Pork Chops!

I am definitely a spur-of-the-moment cook: whatever is available tends to be what I concoct! Last night's pork chops turned out particularly well, so I wanted to share how simple they were. I used a package of chops from "Man Pig", so there was plenty of fat for flavoring thanks to his lazy lifestyle & penchant for eating! These were thick chops, probably cut an inch and a quarter thick. Thinner chops would cook much quicker.

The chops were thawed to room temperature, then I covered them in garlic salt, pepper, and oregano. I let this sit in the refrigerator for about 5 hours, until I was ready to cook. At that point, I placed the chops in the oven at 350 degrees. They cooked for about 20 minutes just like that. In the meantime, I sliced some fresh mushrooms and dried apricots that I had on hand. I pulled the chops from the oven, added half a can of chicken broth to keep them moist, and then covered them in mushrooms & apricots. The chops cooked for another 40 minutes. I served them with fresh green beans sauteed with ham, local potatoes that I baked and covered with cheese & bacon, and a green salad with items from our local farm market.

Christopher said these were some of the best chops I had made! I hope they inspire you!

What I Learned from the Slaughterhouse

Here is my equivalent of a glamour shot: hair pulled back under a bandana, big yellow butcher apron covering my clothes, a knife in one hand, and an animal foot in the other!

When I first started working at the slaughterhouse, it took me some time to become used to the process. I have always been on the carnivorous side of the omnivore lifestyle, and I have always held a firm belief in the circle of life. Despite this, it does take an adjustment to be able to handle the reality of working in a slaughterhouse. For the first year that I was there, I observed the kill floor, but did not participate much in the process. Eventually, there was a day that our Christian employee was unexpectedly unable to be at work. We had both Muslim & Christian customers, and our goal was to serve their religious & cultural needs for their food products. Thus, I had to step up and perform the Christian kills to suit the needs of the Ethiopians & Eritreans that were purchasing animals that day.

I had observed the kill completed on an animal hundreds of times by that point, but I do vividly recall doing it myself for the first time. Mohamed held the sheep down to ensure the animal did not struggle, and to keep me safe as well (after all, a 200 pound ewe has the weight advantage on me!) I followed the procedure I had been taught: one stroke of the blade with a sure hand to sever both the carotid and the jugular as quickly as possible. I stepped back from the large sheep, as Mohamed held the animal to allow it to bleed out rapidly. I can remember with clarity standing there with the knife in my hand, and letting the impact sink in. For the first time, I felt that I was really taking ownership of my position at the slaughterhouse. If I was going to be the general manager, if I was going to be an advocate for local meats, if I was going to promote animal agriculture -- then I needed to be a part of EVERY step of the process.

From that day on, I made it my responsibility to learn every step of the process. I was already the "staff expert" on stomach cleaning, but I worked to learn the appropriate skinning process as well. Some things I was skilled at (bandsaw, you are mine!), and other things I struggled with (I can wrestle 120-140 pound lambs out of a pen . . . but I would rather not!) One part I always enjoyed was the evisceration process. I am fascinated by the anatomy of the animal and how each part of the body functions. In the picture above, the pig carcass has been skinned & washed. The next step was to open the mid-section, to remove the stomach, intestines, and internal items.

By working with the inside of the animal, I have learned a great deal about taking care of the outside of the animal. Intestines that split apart when you try to clean them? Parasite overload! That goat needed a good de-wormer. Lungs that are hard & purple? Pneumonia. Livers with hard spots? Possible parasites . . . must trim these off before releasing to the customer. We would even see bizarre things, like the goat that had testicles AND ovaries. The thousands of animals that I opened up taught me numerous lessons to make me a better farmer.

Slaughter isn't glamorous, but it is a part of the process of raising & enjoying food! The more we share with the public about what we do, the better educated they will be to make their own decisions on food. Besides, who doesn't enjoy a good slaughterhouse story?!?

I Want You to Know Mohamed

This picture is of me & my friend Mohamed. Mo Mo was our first Somali employee at the slaughterhouse, and he has been there for five years now. Mo is a wonderful person: charming, funny, and just odd enough to be adorable. Over the years, I have grown to have a great deal of respect for Mohamed. There were a lot of late nights that it was me & Mo Mo working very hard to clean the slaughterhouse after a long day of processing. He is a good man.

Mohamed always managed to catch my attention with his interesting perspective on the world. This was influenced by his life experience. Mo grew up in Mogadishu, and spent his youth during the turbulent years of the 1990s. As a teenager, he & some other boys were playing with a rocket launcher. Yes, it really was common for such weapons to be accessed by children in Somalia. The rocket launcher strafed Mohamed's face. He lost an eye and suffered some minor brain damage. Mohamed was eventually able to come to America, and I have never heard him say anything but good about this country. He is now married with four children, and he is delighted to raise them in an environment so different from his own childhood.

Every once in a while, I would find myself conversing with Mo and then catching myself when I realized how different our experiences have been. When Mo was still new to the slaughterhouse, I tried to explain to him how to handle the stomachs on inspection day. Since the lamb & goat stomachs were condemned under inspected slaughter, they ended up in our inedible barrels. During the summer, the gasses in the stomachs would expand, so each stomach needed to be slit to allow the gas to escape. As I described this to Mohamed, he tried to confirm his understanding of the expansion problem by comparing it to the human bodies he would observe lying by the road back home in Somalia. Wow . . .

After spending five years working with Somalis, marketing products to them, and preparing their meats, I feel a deep bond to the Somali community -- and especially to my Somali staff members. Somalia has experienced so much turbulence, and now it is being wracked by a horrific famine. This evening on the news, there was terrible footage of the starving children. It tore up my heart to see little ones literally starving to death, mothers mourning their children, aid workers frustrated by the lack of resources. I know this touches me especially, because when I see the proud Somali faces, I think of my staff, my customers, my friends.

I want you to know about Mohamed. I want you to know about the starving children of Somalia. And I want you to think about them the next time you hear of genetically-modified crops. Too often, scientific advances in agriculture have been pronounced "franken-food" in the media. It is absolutely true that science is being applied to advance agriculture. To me, this is a golden opportunity! Research is being done to develop new varieties of crops (such as corn) that can grow in areas with less rain -- like Somalia! Before you condemn the combination of science & food production, think about the dying children of Somalia. Consider how their mothers would rejoice if crops were more readily available in their region to feed their children. Ask yourself what you would do if your baby was wasting away before your own eyes . . .

While I tend to choose numerous organic products, I recognize how fortunate I am to have the freedom, the access, and the resources to choose these products. I have so much respect for individuals like Mohamed who have come to a new country to build a better life. The Somalis in our country are grateful for the American food system that provides safe, quality, affordable products. We need to be responsive to food policies that help feed the world. We must consider the advances that will be required to provide food internationally. These same advances could even create jobs for farmers in other nations! Science has helped to cure diseases, advance communication, and send humans to space . . . science can even help farmers to conquer starvation! Before you condemn genetic research in agriculture, consider Mohamed. Consider his countrymen. Consider what you would do to feed your own child.

Hey Oprah! Why Didn't You Invite The Goatherd on Your Show?!?

I have had the pleasure of speaking twice at OSU on a farmer's perspective of the human/animal relationship. A point I always stress is that we must have perspective: while Americans have the blessed ability to analyze & sometimes criticize food production, to some of my friends & staff members who lived in countries with unreliable & unsafe food, the American bounty is a marvel! I absolutely encourage food choice, and believe we should each be able to make our own choices on what we eat! (And as an aside, I am intrigued that one of Oprah's guests is a vegan author & spiritual advisor . . . interesting!) I love talking about my experiences as a butcher & farmer, so please let me know if the show leaves you with any questions that I can answer! Thanks to the Ohio Farm Bureau for the following information.

We recently learned that The Oprah Winfrey Show plans to air an episode called “Food 201” that will center on food production issues. It isbelieved the show will likely include video about cattle feeding and slaughter, among other food production topics. While we will not know the tone of this show until it airs, it will likely require further discussion by farmers and food system experts to express a balanced viewpoint.Those involved in the industry believe potential show guests on include Michael Pollan, author of “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” and Kathy Freston, a vegan author and spiritual advisor. We are not aware of any food system experts who have been invited to participate.The show is tentatively scheduled to air on Tuesday, February 1, 2011

We encourage farmers and leaders in the food system to pro-actively engage in values-based discussions about the content on this talk show, including the benefits of a diet that includes animal-based foods. Most consumers today are more than two generations removed from the farm. They don’t understand why farms look like they do today, why beneficialtechnology is used, or other recent advances in food production. What theywant to know first and foremost is that farmers are doing the right thingand share their values. The following messages are examples of how farmerscan connect with the values of consumers on many current topics about thefood system. These are presented as examples only – it’s important for youto put these in your own words so they are unique to you.

“Farmers have an ethical obligation to ensure food safety on the farm. Regulations and inspections by U.S. Government agencies at the plants haveresulted in one of the world’s safest food supplies.”

“I am committed to providing for the well-being of my animals and providing consumers a safe, nutritious and affordable supply of food. In fact, I’ve committed my life to it.”

“As a producer, I have an ethical obligation to make sure the animals on my farm are well cared for. I would not be in business today if I didn’t provide my livestock with a safe, healthy environment in which to grow.”

“I applaud efforts to improve the well-being of livestock but when itcomes to animal welfare, we must consider facts as well as emotion. I have a moral obligation to provide for the well-being of my farm animals, and I rely on veterinarians and science to provide guidance on best practices fortheir care. Research shows there are pluses and minuses with all systems and that individual housing or group housing can provide for the well-being of our animals.”

"Animal abuse in any form is unacceptable. The actions of a few “badactors” in no way reflect the high standards demonstrated daily by a vast majority of America’s farmers and ranchers."

“Here are some important facts to keep in mind when talking about antibiotics used by farmers. Veterinarians are involved in animal care and discuss with farmers how best to use medicines. The Food and Drug Administration approves medicines used if animals get sick and animals thatreceive antibiotics are not allowed to enter the food supply until after their systems are clear. Government agencies require testing to ensure the absence of antibiotic residues in food products.”

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved antibiotics for use in livestock more than 50 years ago, when most food animals were raised outside. Modern housing systems, where animals are kept in comfortable indoor environments, help today’s producers better manage the health of their animals because they can act quickly when an individual animal issick.”

“Whether raised indoors or outdoors, early treatment of disease is crucial. Because modern housing means today’s producers and veterinarians are more aware of the health of individual animals, they are able to provide better overall health care and disease treatment for each animal in their care.”

"U.S. farmers continue to produce more food using fewer resources to meet demands of growing global population."

"Today’s ag practices allow America’s farmers to produce twice as much wheat on fewer acres (compared to 1950 acres/yield), 3.5 times as much corn on nearly the same acreage and 12 times the lettuce on 2.5 times the land.”

“In 50 years, we will need to produce 100% more food than we do today to meet demand.”

"By 2050, the global population is expected to increase by 3+ billion people.”

"United Nations: 80% of future production growth must come from increased yields, 10-15% from higher cropping density, and 5-10% from expansion of land use.”

"Consumer choice is important but shouldn’t limit our ability to increase production.”

"Consumers have the right to expect the food system to act in a responsible manner.”

"We can produce more with fewer resources to meet global demand by using technology and innovation in an ethical way that’s right for people, animals and the planet.”

"Producing more food using fewer resources is the ethical choice for people, animals and the planet.”

"If we relied on the food production systems of 1950, approximately 150million people living in the U.S. would be without food.”

"The best food choices for one family may not be right for another. We should support the right we each have to choose the food that fits our lifestyle and our family budget."

"Supporting a diverse food supply, raised using a variety of farming methods, is vital to ensuring that we all have access to affordable food."

"Placing restrictions on the U.S. food system that limit the ability to produce the food we need will increase the cost of food and limit healthy, affordable food choices for all of us, including those who can least afford it."

"Supporting today’s food system in order to produce the food we need using fewer resources is the ethical choice for people, animals and the planet."

"Understanding our choices and how they affect our food supply is vital to preserving our personal right to choose the best food for our family's dinner table."

"We should each be free to buy the food that works best for us. Access to abundant and affordable food is necessary to ensure that millions of American families do not go to bed hungry."

Promote Peace Amongst Men -- Serve Meat!

There was an intriguing article on meat consumption in the American Sheep Industry's weekly email that I wanted to share with you . . . and for those with meat-loving men in their lives, it is wonderful news! I intend to cook plenty of lamb & beef for my brothers & guy friends!

Lamb Chops and Steaks Calm Down Stressed Men

Women who want to calm down their husbands after a stressful day should serve him a big steak, scientists said this week. Contrary to popular opinion that a hunk of red meat may make men aggressive, experts said it actually has a calming effect. The researchers from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, said seeing meat provokes a sense of non-aggression that could be related to family feasting among the earliest humans and reminds males of friends and family at meal time.

Lead researcher Frank Kachanoff, Ph.D., admitted he was surprised by the findings. He said the idea that meat would prompt aggressive behavior makes sense as it would have helped our primate ancestors with hunting. However, experiments found that the opposite was true and that the sight of meat had a calming effect on males and made them less aggressive.

Evolutionary experts believe it is useful to look at innate reflexes in order to understand trends in society and personal behavior. They said this latest research was important because it looked at ways society may influence environmental factors to decrease the likelihood of aggressive behavior.

Photo Caption: Researchers would encourage this type of meat-rich meal to promote happiness & peace amongst men! On a side note, does this mean vegans are angry?!?

Delicious SHEEP Cheese!

I had a wonderful adventure yesterday attending the Ohio Dairy Sheep & Milk Initiative Symposium! I was there as a representative of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, and I greatly enjoyed it! In recent years, interest in dairy sheep has begun to grow in the United States. Throughout the world, sheep are often used as dairy animals, but in America we tend to consider them as fiber & meat animals. They can, however, be prolific producers of milk, which can then be used for delicious cheeses.

I first became aware of sheep cheese a few years ago, while shopping at my friend Said's market. His store offered an amazing Bulgarian-made sheep cheese, that was particularly good crumbled on a salad. Having had this enjoyable experience with sheep cheese, I was delighted to have the opportunity to be involved with the Dairy Sheep Symposium! The Ohio Sheep Improvement Association works to promote all sheep-related products, while offering education for farmers, and informing political leadership about agricultural needs. Thus, while the director of OSIA was attending the Make It Yourself With Wool Contest to support the fiber production of sheep, I got to attend a meeting promoting the dairy abilities of sheep!

The Dairy Sheep Symposium was held up in Wooster OH, which is a fascinating community. Wooster, in Wayne County, sits in the middle of beautiful agricultural land. This rich soil has encouraged large conventional farms as well as specialized niche operations. In addition, Wooster is the home of The Ohio State University's Agricultural Technical Institute (which hosted the Dairy Sheep Symposium) and the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center. Several of my student assistants have studied at ATI, so I have a connection to the college through my visits there to my kids.

Wooster is about two hours from the Farm, so it was an early morning for me yesterday! My dog was a bit baffled as to why she was leaving her comfy bed to be put outside on her lead at 6:30am, but I stressed to her the importance of promoting the sheep industry! The drive to Wooster is an easy one, and passes by scenic farmland along Route 30. I was a bit surprised to encounter snow falling the closer I got to Wooster, but fortunately it did not stick!

The event was well-attended, which definitely illustrated interest in the potential for sheep dairies! There were speakers on many facets of this niche market: a researcher on dairy sheep, a farmer from Virginia that raises dairy sheep, and experts on nutrition & grazing. I manned a table to promote the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, which is sponsoring its annual Buckeye Shepherd Symposium in December. The Shepherd Symposium will be held at ATI this year, so it was a natural fit to encourage the attendees of the Dairy Sheep Symposium to return to the same location next month for even more opportunities to learn about sheep!

After departing the event, I took time to stop by Local Roots in Wooster. Local Roots is a market that promotes locally raised & made products. There was great community support for farm markets in Wooster over the years, but those were seasonally limited. Thus, a group of individuals came together to find a standing location where farmers could offer their items for sale throughout the year. A non-utilized county building was converted to a marketplace. Farmers can join for a fee to sell their products and shoppers can join for a fee to purchase at Local Roots, or a donation of time working at the market can fulfill this requirement. After hearing about Local Roots, I was very excited to see it. There was a bounty of local products, and this marketplace fulfills a true need of connecting farmers with those who wish to source locally raised items.

With all the fun of my trip to Wooster, the highlight remained the delicious sheep cheese that was served at the Dairy Sheep Symposium! Thin slices of a flavorful cheese, along with fresh grapes & apples . . . marvelous! Looking for sheep cheese in Columbus? I would like to suggest Al Safa Market at the corner of Trabue & Fisher on the west side of town. Take 70 west and exit at Fisher Road, turning north on Fisher. The next major intersection is Trabue Road, and Al Safa Market sits in a small strip of stores on the corner. Ask Said for some of the delicious sheep cheese and tell him that Kayt sent you!

Goodbye to Betty's, Columbus Brewing Co., and the Surly Girl!

During my lecture to the Animal Science 597 students -- as with all my presentations -- I emphasized the importance of food choice! I sincerely believe that we should be able to select the foods we want for ourselves and our families. Thus, I fully support the many different types of production: conventional, organic, locally raised, naturally raised, etc. I believe the ability to choose our own food is extraordinarily important! No one -- and no government entity -- should be able to force certain foods or production methods on us!

The handsome young man with me in the picture above is one of my very favorite people, my wonderful younger brother! He currently lives in Philadelphia, where he is very active in the cultural scene of that city. My Philadelphia brother is one of those amazing people who is so kind of heart and such a pleasure to spend time with! I am so happy whenever we are together! We are, however, two very different individuals -- and this includes our diet. For his well-being, my brother is a vegetarian. I think this is awesome! I love vegetarians because they show the importance of food choice. I have extremely different health concerns from my brother, though. Because I am typically very low in iron and have a gluten intolerance, I structure my diet around protein-rich red meats, dairy, and fruits & vegetables. My brother's diet works for him; my choices work for me. The freedom to choose our own food is very important to both of us!

Despite my support for vegetarian choices, I was very disturbed to read in the paper this morning that a few local restaurants had joined with a so-called "animal rights" group (Mercy for Animals) to offer vegan menu items during "World Go Vegan Week". These restaurants are Phat Wraps, Knead, Columbus Brewing Company, Surly Girl Saloon, Dirty Frank's, the Tip Top, and Betty's. I will no longer support these businesses, and I will be contacting those that I have frequented to express my concerns.

To clarify, I have NO problem with these restaurants offering vegan choices! Food choice is important and I believe in the market dictating production. If businesses wish to offer vegan options and consumers wish to buy them, I think that is fantastic! My concern is that these restaurants are joining with a group that exists to shut down farms that raise livestock and businesses that are involved with meat processing. This is NOT food choice -- this is forcing an agenda on consumers! Mercy for Animals is very clear in all its publications and presentations that they intend to promote world veganism . . . thus putting farmers like me out of business, subverting the ability of individuals to choose their own foods, and adding to the world hunger problem (since meat is a protein-rich food source that provides needed calories).

Please support food choice! Please voice your desire to be able to select what you want to feed your families! Please use your dollars to support businesses that reflect this!