Ethical eating — UUA Study/Action Issue for 2008-2012
January 27, 2009
STUDY: Family-owned, sustainable, small-scale farms survive despite great odds: competition from huge, profit–driven factory farms; lack of government support, which goes instead to industrial agriculture; pressure to sell their property to developers; and the need for a second income to make ends meet. They survive despite these formidable obstacles because of the values of most small farmers – respect for the environment and for their animals; concern for the welfare of their employees, whom they know personally, and for the health of those who consume the food they produce; a deep appreciation for the cycle of life and the cycle of the seasons and a desire to witness those cycles. They make an investment in the future of the land they cultivate by using sustainable farming methods. They make personal sacrifices in order to live out their principles. These values are consistent with our own Unitarian Universalist principles.
There are about 600 farms in Rhode Island, most of them family-owned and operated and smaller than 100 acres. They produce eggs, meat, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables. Most are farmed sustainably, many organically and without antibiotics, growth hormones, or genetically modified seeds. Local farmers deserve our support!
ACTION: Visit the Wintertime Farmers’ Market at the beautiful, renovated mill, Hope Artiste Village (1005 Main St., Pawtucket). It runs every Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.. You can get locally grown winter vegetables (onions, garlic, turnips, potatoes, winter squash, etc.); apples, cider, and other orchard products; locally roasted fair-trade coffee; eggs from free-range chickens; meat, poultry, and seafood; cheese; maple syrup; bakery goods – all produced right here in Little Rhody. There is always live music and a happy, festive atmosphere. Learn more at www.farmfreshri.org.
~Carol Crowley (ccrowley8@cox.net)
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