permaculture

[mgd5@cornell.edu]

Jen:

The meatless or vegetarian discussion sometimes sounds proselytic. And 
there are those who merely say, "I choose to feed myself in this way". 
The diversity of choices for how one feeds oneself in this world is just 
another sign of how we reflect the Earth's diverse cultures (human and 
otherwise). 

The story of Sky Woman and corn, beans, and squash has a fascinating
wrinkle I've always thought had intrinsic lessons. For instance I've heard
that red meat contains 12 amino acids, but that corn/beans/squash contains
10 proteins. I've often thought that the two proteins missing from the
Three Sisters might account for some differences in human temperament. The
myth of meat-eater Amerindian hunter-gatherer society's is set against the
wide agricultural variety. We also ate lots of fish, fowl, and small game. 
Red meat was a festival and ceremony food, eaten far less frequently than
was thought before. 

We seemed wary of two proteins that triggered barbarism. But I haven't
been able to find a name for those two proteins in our arts and sciences.
I believe they're in there somewhere. 
All Food Is Medicine. Niawen.

Michael Doxtater
Thohahoken,
Cornell University


On Fri, 24 Apr 1998, jenifer a white wrote:

> I will only type a little on this subject, as it is probably wearing
> thin.
> 
> Please tell me if I appear to be a tad bit naive, but being a vegan and
> living among animals, to me, does not seem contradictory.  As a
> vegetarian who has went back and forth being a vegan, (It is very
> difficult for me to eat a cheeseless pizza, and I am in counseling if
> anyone is curious...hee hee... ), I have never really questioned the
> place animals have in PC.   Just because I choose not to eat animals, I
> do not discount their importance in ecology.  I happen to love the
> chickens that peck around my home, scratching for insects and pooping
> everywhere.  Geese make wonderful watch dogs among other fine traits. 
> Goats perform inventory control and eat many predacious plants, and then
> some.  There are many other animals that work well in a PC environment,
> and then there are those that, well...  
> 
> I, myself only live with chickens.  Simply by default as they were here
> when I moved into my home.  I would not however consider them as
> potential food or nutrients for myself.  I am well fed off of plant
> matter.  If anyone is wondering what then happens to all of those chicks
> that hatch, a few have lived to become adults.  Most however, are eaten
> by creatures such as coyotes, who cannot go to the local market to buy
> free-range chicken with no added hormones.  Then again, those coyotes are
> sneaky fellas.      ;-)
> 
> One quick anecdote:
> 
> A friend of mine stopped by one time and we sat outside and watched a
> mother hen teaching her chicks how to scratch and peck.  He asked me if
> he could have a few of the babies once they got a bit bigger, as he was
> eager to try the "chicken tractor" in his garden. 
> I answered,  "I don't know.  They're not mine.  You'll have to ask their
> mother."
> 
> Eat well everyone!
> 
> Jen White
> Modesto, CA   
>