All men kill the thing they love
By all let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!
—Oscar Wilde
I came around the corner in my farm truck and there it was. The rabbit ran almost all the way across the road, but an oncoming truck sent it back into my path. Then it was over — a couple of thrashes and it lay still, carrion for any nearby buzzard. Around the next corner I braked, stopped, and moved a box turtle to the other side of the road. Such is the state of small mercies on a small East Tennessee highway.
This particular trip, I was dashing into Sweetwater, after a nap, to pick up some diesel, in the truck, for my tractor. Because more fuel was needed to cut the hay, to feed our sheep over the next winter. While driving over rabbits I listened to “Crazy Town,” a new podcast from the Post Carbon Institute decrying the absurdity of our faith in a pro-growth, fossil fuel–dependent future on a planet of finite resources (even if partially powered by “sustainable” energy). I shook my head sagely in agreement as I listened, earning an indulgence against the sins of this life. Fortunately, these indulgences are for now only $2.49 each a gallon.
Earlier in the week a post on eating lamb fries resulted in a couple of vegetarians unfriending me on Facebook. They can handle my omnivorish ways but not my nose-to-tail (or should I say, cheek-to-balls) culinary choices. For in our modern hierarchy of privilege and separation from our sins against nature, consuming testicles apparently ranks as a much more serious crime than devouring steak.
Last weekend, after helping me replace the expansion bolts on the sickle bar mower, some friends stayed to dine with us. One of them defended the Green New Deal as we ate farm-raised catfish from Mississippi that had been conveniently delivered to our nearby Walmart. We all agreed that the plan and the deal were next to useless, having been predicated on the same notion that growth is both sustainable and desirable. “But still,” one of them said, “it is better than nothing.”
Last month one million-plus students around the world went on strike against our inability or unwillingness to do anything about climate change. They caught rides, drove, and used mass transit to attend rallies; they posted on social media and waved signs. Reporters jetted to far-flung locations to catch the latest soundbites of sincere Scandinavians and city dwellers in 125 countries in order to rebroadcast the urgent message to an aging and dwindling audience of people who still watch TV.
Between April 2017 and April 2018, Tennessee beekeepers lost 75 percent of their colonies.
We each kill rabbits.
All men kill the thing they love
By all let this be heard….
………………………………………………………………………………..
Reading this weekend: Nathan Coulter (Berry), Rocket Men (Kurson)
Listening to this weekend: Crazy Town podcast
I’ve never quite resolved the conflict between the desire for ideological purity and the simple recognition that life eats life. Thus, there is no escape from destroying — by the mere fact of our existence — in measures both small and large. One well-known fellow (unnamed) observes periodically that we moderns (domesticated humans) were born into captivity to this way of life that provides energy and sustenance for each successive generation. So as much as one may decry it, there really is no way off this merry-go-round except the obvious (and eventual).
It is a bit like that story from the Bible (and I’m more than a bit rusty in the recalling). The one about the rich man being told he needed to give up everything, all his wealth and status. We are each that rich man; none of us are willing to give up our advantages in this life.
I would argue that the diesel fuel cost a hare over $2.49 per gallon. But that’s just me. Sorry.
Two other tidbits to munch on from this collection – that the vegetarians understand (or tolerate) omnivorous eating… but not the significance of eating all (or by another assessment… not wasting anything). Their loss.
The second… 75% hive mortality for keepers… this is more disturbing for me than the fate of the bunny. Do you recall where you learned this? I know CCD has been significant for several years now, but also that there are wild swings in overwintering that are not entirely accounted for by CCD.
Now that I think of it… do vegans use honey?
Nevermind… true vegans do not use honey. Again – their loss.
But I’m still a bit confuzzed about the bee mortality. A USDA report out yesterday (May 29, 2019) has an update from TN suggesting a 40% overwinter loss. Granted – your stat is for the whole year which could explain the additional 35%, but is an in-season loss of 35% realistic?
The USDA piece is here:
https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/fvmhoney.pdf
Clem,
Thanks for the comments and the usual puns. The stat on the colony collapse comes from the office of the TN state apiarist. It has been over 50% for some years.
hmm, if vegans do not eat honey…do they eat veggies pollinated by domestic honey bees? curious.
That IS a great question. Hmm, know a couple vegetarians, but no vegans. Almonds, apples, etc, etc… they could quickly find themselves limited to grasses and soybean. Gulp.
Back to the TN honeybee – ran across a powerpoint from a serious keeper, retired from ORNL, who is a super advocate for domestic bees in TN. Apparently UT has just hired a couple of bee specialists so TN may soon be a land flowing with milk and honey. Or is that too biblical? The powerpoint is here:
http://www.tnbeekeepers.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/State-of-TN-Pollinators-Final-Version.pdf
So here’s a sample from the net concerning whether domestic bee culture violates vegan principles:
http://theconversation.com/should-vegans-avoid-avocados-and-almonds-104800
So to be truly vegan one needs to pack a botanical species key, the Birkenstocks (leather free naturally), and head off into the wild – far far away from them other pesky hominids with their bunny killing pickups, domestic bees, and flyswatters.
Why isn’t there a Tennessee Front-Mounted Rabbit Scooper – surely scooping up live rabbits whilst driving, then pushing a button on the dashboard to briefly electrify the little sociali…social animals and get them home in time for some front porch skinning would yield copious amounts of net positive animal and human welfare, non?
Crazy podcast duly noted; will test-listen today whilst attempting to sow sugar beets. Jeez.
And a propos – I recently heard a very competent political/environmentally interested podcaster groan about someone obsessing about holiday flights to the Maledives, telling him and the listeners to simply buy some carbon offset credits for a few bucks (the website apparently providing the Clear Conscience Calculator telling you how much to pay each time, too).
Hmm, thanks for the belly laugh this morning on the CCC. Jeez, indeed. Sounds like they are getting full benefits from those early morning classes of mental gymnastics.
I never do well with beets, perhaps where we are located. Then again, a neighbor puts up a ton of pickled every year. So, it must be the gardener.
I’ll start welding my rabbit scooper, genius idea.
It could be the gardener. Could also just be a simple boron deficiency. I’d definitely try adding some borax; good for animals and humans, too.
Thanks, I’ll do that this fall.