If you were to eat supper at our home, the question you’re likely to hear the girls ask is “Is this ours?”. They are so excited to be eating food that we’ve grown or raised ourselves, whether it be the sweet corn and green beans we froze last summer or our beef or our chicken. The girls help us a lot with the day-to-day work of the farm. Even though they are sometimes willing helpers and sometimes not, they rightfully take great pride in the end results.
One night not long ago we were having beef. Out of the blue Olivia – our 7-year-old middle child – remarked, “So we feed them and then they feed us. That’s cool!”
Her remark made me smile. She gets it! She has grasped so much more than just the concept of the food chain. Her model of the food chain includes respect and gratefulness. For the animals that feed us. For the soil that feeds the vegetables that feed us. For the cycle of life and death and all that lies in between.
Chalk up another one in the Why We Do This category.
Wonbderful…have you seen the PBS Series…I think it was called “Prairie House”?? The kids had to learn a hard lesson, that the livestock were not pets, but food source that would help them survive. Most city dwellers are so far removed from their food sources, they don’t have a clue how the pork chop or green bean get on their plate.
I’m a city dweller. I know how food gets on my plate. It comes from boxes..
i must agree – that IS cool. such a smart girl you’ve got there!