Previous   Next

Do you become attached to the animals you raise?

Asked at The Douglas County Fair on August 2, 2007

Browse the archives

Photo of Quinton Keen

“Sometimes. Some of them are more playful than others, and you give them names and everything.”

Photo of Tricia Robbins

“Yeah. Usually I name them and have to spend a lot of my free time with them. They sort of become like pets.”

Photo of Tessa Lieber

“Yeah, because I’m always feeding them and spend every day with them. I think they’re really cute.”

Photo of Nicolas Aguilar

“Sometimes. Not to any particular one, but sometimes when they’re sleeping or when we feed them.”


jonas 7 years, 4 months ago

Well, there WAS that sewing machine accident. . . . . . but I can't say I enjoy thinking about that.

juscin3 7 years, 4 months ago

lol blue...sounds like my youngins when I come home from work. They are so excited they jump up and as I'm walking in the house they gotta tug on my clothes... I am an animal lover but to the extent that I don't get too carried away with them. They are spoiled but not as bad as my kidlets. Thank goodness, I would be broke!

sunflower_sue 7 years, 4 months ago

We once had a baby goat. My kiddies got to witness the birth. As soon as I finally got the behemoth pulled from it's mother's womb, I flipped it over and said; "Great! A boy. Guess we'll be eating this one." My girls ran screaming and crying all the way home. Oops!

We named him "Dinner." My girls eventually got used to the fact that he was livestock and not a pet. He was delicious!

Ceallach 7 years, 4 months ago

WOW the Fab Four opened today's OTS in style!

Yes I do, but I've never raised an animal to eat. Don't think I could (that's where that city-fied thing comes into play). I'm still trying to resolve the internal conflict caused by my having a 30 gallon aquarium, pampering those lovely darlings, and then stepping out on the patio to grill "store bought" fish.

acg 7 years, 4 months ago

sunny sue, you ate a goat? Why would you ever eat a goat? Did you eat him when he was still a baby, or was it a full grown goat when you chowed down?

person184 7 years, 4 months ago

My mother wanted to relive her 4-H experience with me, a city kid who'd just moved to the country (sort of). She encouraged me to name the animal and spend time with it so it would be tame and obedient. I was 10 and devastated after my dad lead it to the truck headed to the slaughter house. What a strange past-time.

mom_of_three 7 years, 4 months ago

My dad had horses when I was a kid. We only saw him every other weekend, but we would come for a visit and our favorite horse would be gone. If someone offered him a good price, he would sell it. Of course, we were attached, because we would ride every chance we got. If we were lucky, we would have them for a year.
He also couldn't resist a good deal, so sometimes he would have too many and have to sell one when the price was right.
But we never raised anything we would have to eat. He admitted he couldn't do it. He did it as a kid, and it was too hard.

Linda Aikins 7 years, 4 months ago

Oh gosh, I could never eat something I raised. When I'm at my brother's house, I make sure the meat we eat came from the store. Too creepy for me.

sgtwolverine 7 years, 4 months ago

Sue, if you hadn't mentioned Dinner, I would have referenced it. I still get a laugh out of that.

Grundoon Luna 7 years, 4 months ago

Goat! It's what's for dinner!

My folks brought a bunch of lobsters back with them from MA and my 4 year old nephew decided to name one even after being told they were going to be eaten and how. He still had to name Larry but couldn't eat him once presented . . . until they made Newburgh the next day with the left overs.

Linda Aikins 7 years, 4 months ago

TOB - NO! And it's getting harder for me to eat meat at all, thinking about its origin. Am I about to turn a corner here?

sunflower_sue 7 years, 4 months ago

acg, he was about 6 months old, if I remember correctly. I made him "Greekified" and he was (honestly) some of the best tasting meat (and most tender) I've ever had. Quite contrary to popular belief, goats are some of the pickiest eaters! Our blasted beasts would not eat grass (so we had to mow the goat pen) and they would only drink filtered water...I kid you not! (No pun intended.) They were also picky about their hay...alphafa, not brome. I'm surprised they didn't require us to paint their hooves pink!

Frederic Gutknecht IV 7 years, 4 months ago

sunflower sue, I've eaten a kid and it was OK but it sounds like yours was really pampered...or huggied...or...depends? Excuse me. My sense of humor has gone baaad.

AnglNSpurs 7 years, 4 months ago

Gootsie~~ Unfortuantly the meat that is in the grocery store was more than likely at one time someone's pet. It is the facts of life in the farming and agriculture industry. I would much rather eat a home grown animal, as I know exactly what went into it..... besides it tastes better! I showed livestock my entire life, and yea it is hard to not get attached to your show parnter. I have since aged out of the show ring, but last year when my brother sold his animal "Big Poppa" at the Wichita show, I got a little teary eyed because I know how sweet that guy was and how hard he worked in the dozen of show rings he was in. When I started showing I vowed to never eat a certain type of animal because I show them and do get attached....however over the years, we have raised them all and now I dont mind at all. It is just the facts of life for someone envolved in agriculture.

It makes me a little angry when I hear people say that their food comes from the store only! Thank your local farmer.... they feed you! Okay that is enough... I' m off my soap box.

Grundoon Luna 7 years, 4 months ago

I don't think I've seen that one, but I bet my nephew has. He in his 20's now and a big Simpsons fan.

Grundoon Luna 7 years, 4 months ago

So, RI, no more crabby patties for the populace of Bikini Bottom since you ate Mr. Krabs? WWSBD (What Would Spinge Bob Do?)

That quote . . . I recognize that . . . but cannot place . . . Hmmmm . . . .

mom_of_three 7 years, 4 months ago

My grandparents used to raise chickens, and since I knew they were going to be eaten, we didn't get attached. And yes, farm raised chicken, fresh chicken, tastes different than what you have in the store. My grandparents, relatives, and neighbors would butcher the chickens, and then freeze them. Grandma made the best fried chicken ever!!

acg 7 years, 4 months ago

roflmao, Hannibal. That was great. I went to Baltimore for a week to visit friends once, brought back a 20 lb lobster in a box (still alive) for a girlfriend here in KS to eat as she was always complaining that you couldn't get good seafood in the midwest. So anyway, she put the thing in a the tub for a few days because she had planned on cooking him that weekend. She named it Lobby and couldn't bring herself to cook it. Her boyfriend cooked it for her, and it was her first experience with a lobster's "scream" when you throw it into the pot and she refused to eat it. She still won't eat lobster. Rob and I chowed down on Lobby and she cussed us the whole night. It was too funny.

I have a hard time with eating animals. I know where meat comes from and I know it's good, I just don't want to know anything about it. I need it to come wrapped nicely in plastic wrap or I'll just get sick trying to eat it. I've never been able to bring myself to clean a chicken, deer, fish or any of that. My hat is off to those of you with strong enough stomachs to do it.

aquakej 7 years, 4 months ago

the animals I raise are like my children. I would never hurt them in any way. In fact, they are probably a little bit too spoiled...

dminear60 7 years, 4 months ago

I was raised on a farm and we were always taught livestock are not pets, they are farm products. It sounds harsh but it is reality.

Linda Aikins 7 years, 4 months ago

Spurs, don't get angry! I'm quite aware that the meat in the store was once a real animal. I think even Marion knows that! I wasn't a country girl, but I grew up in small towns and knew what happened on those places. And I have cleaned chickens, but I don't believe I could clean one and then eat it.

I'm with acg though - if it's wrapped in plastic, it seems easier.

I think seeing the word "egad" just makes the day a little brighter! Thanks Hannibal!

sunflower_sue 7 years, 4 months ago

Wow! Did I gross out Hannibal?

I got my servitude at the fair over with today. Funny, that in the cattle barn, you can look at the moos and chow down on your hamburger at the same time!

Commenting has been disabled for this item.