Day Trip to Southern Manitoba

Yesterday Andrew took the day off. Wow we love having that guy around. Andrew has some family in Southern MB and we did a little day trip. We had a really nice lunch with his cousin and then we headed out to visit his second cousin’s dairy farm.

It was a highlight two years ago, and it was a highlight yesterday.

When we were last there, they were just completing the process of becoming organic. It was fascinating to see first hand what that means. I particularly remember them saying that their conventional counterparts asked them how they can raise the dairy cows without antibiotics, as per the organic requirements. They said that when you are raising cows organically, you don’t *need* antibiotics. The cows don’t get sick.

Since we were there they have also started to raise and sell broiler chickens, to sell fresh eggs, and to raise pigs for meat. Despite the higher-than-supermarket prices for the chickens and eggs, they were pleasantly surprised to find a large demand. And the two pigs- spring pigs like Wilbur from Charlotte’s web, which Eva and I are reading right now- have been great for them so far. They live in the shed which is usually vacant during these months, they dig it up which saves the farmers from doing it, and they don’t even smell bad.

They are so enthusiastic about what they are doing, and it makes so much sense; the different parts of the farm working together to sustain the other parts- and the earth. It is really exciting to see organic farming in action.

We were thrilled to leave with farm fresh organic eggs and ground beef. We enjoyed the nice bright orange yolked eggs poached with some bacon this morning.

Last time we were there they recommended I read Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and I loved it. What a fascinating read! This time the recommendation was the movie “Food, Inc”. We are half way through. Did you know that only 13 slaughterhouses in the U.S. process the majority of the beef? That a given hamburger patty may contain parts of literally thousands of cows? Crazy stuff.

Here in Canada the sale of raw milk is illegal. That is wild to me considering the edible non-food items for sale in every grocery and convenience store. I also learned that someone like our second cousin isn’t allowed to sell his broiler chickens direct to a restaurant. I wonder if there is a consumer advocacy group out there that we could add our voices to and demand change. We should be able to legally buy real food. Restaurants should be able to buy food from whatever source they choose, don’t you think?

It was a hot day and our fun on the farm pooped us out. This was the view in the back seat on the way home.

This was the view in the front seat. About a hundred self portraits were all part of the efforts to keep the head bobs at bay.