Fabian and Pyrex bringing them in. Yes, they did name the dog after the kitchenware. Fabian was born the year after we came here, so must be about nine, Pyrex a little younger.Whatever the evils, and they are legion, of modern farming practices in general, and French farmers in particular: raising animals for food, monoculture, pollution from run-off, the dairy industry, the Common Agricultural Policy, etc., etc., it's nevertheless one of the few areas of modern life where everyone in a family, parents, grandparents, kids, dogs are still engaged, willingly and co-operatively, in productive work together.
This is a cheerful sight, and one I never mind having to stop the car for. ( Hence the glare and graininess, taken through a dirty windscreen. If I'd got out to take it the lad might have become distracted and self-conscious and the cows bolshy!).
6 comments:
Pyrex! I love it. Probably sounds better in French...
Just started Updike's Terrorist, in which there is a young character called Tylenol, after the pain-killer.
Indeed, this is a cheerful sight! There's something to be said for being close to and aware of one's food sources, unlike living in a big city and finding everything packaged in supermarkets. Maybe that's a romantic notion, but actually there's quite a movement now encouraging people to buy their food from local sources, instead of from huge distances away. It's easier if you live close to farms. Do you find that where you are living?
Thanks, both.
ML, yes and no. In fact the French have always been quite good about eating local things, things in season etc, and french markets have always been rather more like the farmers' markets that are getting popular in the UK and US. The supermarkets make a big thing about sourcing local stuff too.
But some of the farmer's themselves are quite arrogant about their right to go on (over-)producing as they always have, with lots of state/European help and without making any cocessions to people's changing ideas and wishes about how their food is produced.
Great image L. Love the dog's name!
Haven't eaten meat for 23 years now and still can't bear the idea of these gentle creatures being exploited, injected with hormones etc.
Dear H, I respect and admire your decision. I've concluded that vegetarianism is somewhat of a calling; I've heard persuasive arguments for and against, as with most things. ( I find the dairy industry is possibly crueller than the beef one, but total veganism is tricky...)
We try to moderate our meat consumption, and to pay attention to what we eat and where it comes from, but all is fraught with contradictions.
thanks for calling!
L. I cannot and do not all myself a Vegetarian. I still eat fish and that is meat I know. I gave up, what shall I call it? 4- legged meat? All that time ago because one day ( and the memory is still so distinct) while working in a childrens' respite unit, I smelt the Pork being roasted for Sunday lunch. I found the smell hugely unbearable and went outside and threw up!!! Didn't eat the stuff from that day on. I take your point about the dairy industry too. I still drink milk and every so often buy soya ( but it tastes foul!). What to do? As you say it is fraught with contradictions.
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