We read an article in the paper the other day announcing proudly that while New Zealand has been the butt of jokes for years because of its 40:1 sheep:human population, that population has in fact halved and now there are only 20 times as many sheep per people in New Zealand. The fact that this was a headline in a national paper, may be self-defeating.
We had heard that in New Zealand there were more sheep than people, but after seeing factory farms in the US that fact didn't seem too surprising. Undoubtedly if they can fit tens of thousands of cattle into a square mile, then it shouldn't be hard to surpass a population of four million people spread out over two islands. But here in New Zealand factory farming, feed lots, and corn-fed cattle is unheard of. "What do you mean you can't find grass-fed meat where you live? What else would cows eat?" asks our friend Lisa. Not surprisingly, "spray-free" fruits and veggies are also much easier to find here. The things we take for granted in the states. When did "conventional" foods become the ones that require the most sprays, shipping, processing, and corn?
Here are a few photos of our six hour bus ride from Hamilton to Wanganui, where we will be house-sitting for 9 weeks. We rode almost the entire length of the north island and passed endless miles of fields with sheep and cattle grazing. No doubt, millions of sheep and cattle grazing happily, and not one feed lot.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment