Grass Fed Beef and Presidential Elections

Yesterday on Facebook I about gave somebody a coronary by saying “I think paying a visit to your local grass fed beef rancher is more important than voting for president.”  So let me explain … First, most people agree that the federal government is too big and that the dollar is being destroyed and that abortion should not be legal and taxes are too high and so on, right?  Secondly, nothing really substantive has changed for a very long time whether a Democrat or Republican has been president.  Third, it has recently occurred to me that we have a much bigger problem on our hands than any of those listed above, namely that (a) our farmland is being destroyed by our agricultural practices and thus our ability to feed ourselves in the future (browse my blog), and (b) the only real solution for reversing this land degradation is … drum roll … Holistic Grazing Management of Grass Fed Beef (or bison or wildebeest or some large herbivore).

So … strange as it sounds … the most “responsible citizen” thing you can do might just be … buying grass fed beef / dairy products from your local rancher!   Maybe more important than voting for president.

I didn’t come up with this idea on my own, by the way.  I got it from Joel Salatin, my hero for the last 4 years.  Joel first pointed out the idea that eating grass fed beef is a “responsible world citizen” thing to do in his book “Salad Bar Beef.”  Here’s how it works.  When you buy grass fed beef, two things happen.  First, you are helping to reverse land degradation – and without productive farmland, we’ve got no country at all.  As Joel Salatin puts it, you are helping to “heal the land” and when the land gets healed, lots of other things get healed too — people, relationships, communities and government.  Secondly, you are putting multinational corporations like Monsanto on a “diet” by reducing the amount of GMO corn used to feed cattle.  I am of the opinion that the more we reduce the power and influence of multi-national corporations, the more freedom we will have in this country.  I think “bigness” is bad when it comes to government, corporations and some people say … churches.

Talking about visiting your local rancher to buy grass fed beef and dairy products makes me think … another way to reduce the size of government … again, a more effective way than voting for president in my opinion is …

STARVE THE BEAST.

“The Beast” in this context being the Federal Government, Monsanto, Tyson, and other big multinational corporations (yes, I view the federal government as a big multinational corporation). Don’t like Monsanto? Then starve it. Don’t buy anything made directly or indirectly by Monsanto. Corn and soybeans mainly. If everyone stopped buying corn fed beef (Monsanto corn) and factory chicken it would put Monsanto on a severe diet … ha! Think the federal government is too big? Again, starve it. Or to be a little kinder, put it on a strict diet. How? Well, by Working Toward Self Sufficiency. Think about it.  Becoming more self sufficient lowers your Income Requirement, thereby lowering your Income Tax which in turn puts government on a “diet.” Additionally, Self Sufficiency reduces your need to buy from multi-national corporations like Walmart, thus lowering THEIR income and hence their income tax, again putting government on a “diet.” See how that works?

Anyway … those are my latest and greatest ideas for fixing the country … BUY LOCAL … BUY GRASS FED BEEF and … STARVE THE BEAST!

And yes, I do really believe that the kinds of things I’m talking about here have more power to bring renewal and revival to this country than voting for president does.  Not saying you shouldn’t vote.  Not saying you shouldn’t be involved in politics.  Just saying that there are other things I believe you can do which will have a greater impact.

So there … opinions are like noses … everyone has one … and now you have mine!

One Response to “Grass Fed Beef and Presidential Elections”

  1. Kestalkayden says:

    Excellent article. I absolutely love this website. Keep it up!