Keith Addison wrote:
You'll find societies that ate mostly vegetables and not much meat, and others that ate mostly meat and very little vegetables or grain, but none that only ate vegetables and grains and no meat.
Again, I don't think that I suggested that anyone else should eat only vegetables and grains and no meat. I recommended reduction of the dependence of meat and dairy in the American culture from current levels that I perceive as excessive.
The point is that if you don't produce the gallon of milk you'll be less likely to able to produce the grain sustainably.
What principles make this statement a true one?
Not at all - less dairy means less grazing livestock, less grazing livestock means less manure and less fertile soil. Without a dairy market as well as a meat market, ley farming becomes much more difficult.
But WHY is dairy a necessity for grazing?
True, but she's not the only cow on the block, and even depleted, her manure contains a hell of a lot more fertility potential than a bit of wheat straw does. Or a fertiliser bag. Anyway the calf is also producing manure.
However, if the milk is going to humans instead of the calf, there is no calf to produce manure. Also, even with the calf in the equation, the calf is growing and using more of those nutrients so ITS manure is of a lesser quality than that of a cow that was not lactating. And we're not using human manure for fertilization.
I understand the concept that you propose - that animals are essential to a farms overall soil health but, I really don't understand how dairy products increase the sustainability of agriculture. Maybe the answer is provided in one of the links you've provided but, I'm still reading (and probably will be for quite a while). Doesn't a lactating cow consume more water and food? Isn't that an increase in the competition for resources that you mentioned previous? Frankly, though, if the cow or sheep beneifits my soil which produces more nutritious fruits and vegetables, I can't see how that is really to be considered competition. It sounds more symbiotic to me especially if I am getting wool from a sheep, for instance.
For what its worth, I have read a bunch of information from the links that you have provided. They seem to be very valuable. Thanks! I must admit, though, that it is often very difficult to decide who to believe.
Take care, Ken _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
