This past summer in Fresno, CA I ate nearly as much tri-tip in the course of a two-week vacation as I eat entrecôte in Paris during the working year. My choice to do so clearly contradicted my ideas about healthy, ethical eating, though in my defense, I was being true to my principle of celebrating local fare. The central valley is home of the trip tip steak, which frankly, beats most steaks anywhere. It’s real good.
My sister Lisa stumbled upon an ad on Craig’s list which I feel compelled to share with you, for it is written in a kind of verse (notice the attention to line play) and expresses with poetic concision the contradictions and plight of the cattle rancher.
angus slaughter cow ready to eat – $1200 (bakersfield wasco)
a sad looking case
but will taste great
tripod hip has been out of socket since birth
was grass feed on the ranch until it became apparent she was struggling
in a pen setting to fatten up
has been only feed grain and rolled corn for thr last 60 days
she is tender and ready to eat
1000 lbs
take her to slaughter or finish her another 60 days
im done
bad pictures but you can see shes fat as a tick
with the hot weather i dont want her going backwards on the feed i gave her
she was attacked by coyotes and has had her ears eaten off they are healed over and she is a nice gentle cow , can walk on to the trailer but a sorry mess to look at
bring your cash and trailer or meet the butcher there
if you dont buy her I’m going to slaughter her in the next 2 weeks and eat her myself.
dont miss out on my hard work
im not buying any more feed for her
get it gone this run is over
call today and put her out of her misery
6six13threeO4four four 8
if your a Peta prick or some tree hugger , dont judge me, the coyotes would have eaten her if i hadnt come along with my gun
remember not all food comes from the grocery store some people raise it, hope you choke on your tofu.
beef its whats for dinner at my house.
You will wish you bought her at this price next year………..
As you can see, my friends, she is indeed an earless cow and the little Goddess of Misfits in me me wants to save her from the inevitable. Yet the eater in me knows better; she must and will end up on a plate because she was raised on the ranch for that purpose. I am fairly certain her sacrifice will not be in vain, by which I mean, she won’t end up between the buns of a fast-food burger.
I was for years a vegetarian until I met and shared my table with an Algerian who, having grown up hungry during the French-Algerian war, celebrated the cooking and eating of meat. His enthusiasm was contagious and soon I shucked my vegetarianism and began eating again of the cow and lamb — not everyday, but whenever it felt right and necessary to celebrate, to bring warmth and company into the house. I purchase meat at my excellent butcher shop down the street, never at the grocery store under plastic. My family has meat several times a week and it still feels like a celebration of sorts when we do. The sacrifice, if we choose to partake in it, should be honoured in some way, if only by preparing the food well and sharing it with friends.
That’s my take on it. I hope you’ve enjoyed the poem.