Hello from a cattle farm in Brazil

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Dsalles
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Re: Hello from a cattle farm in Brazil

Post by Dsalles »

Sure I welcome visitors. The closest airport is Sao Jose do Rio Preto in Sao Paulo, which is quite a hike from where you are.
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brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
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Re: Hello from a cattle farm in Brazil

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Dsalles wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2017 5:29 am I inherited this farm, with my two brothers, from my mother who died September 2016. They do not want to change it from cattle, also they are staying in the US where we grew up.
If they are not moving there to manage their part of the farm, they have no right to demand that you continue farming cattle for them.
Dsalles wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2017 5:29 amI am having to battle to even separate a piece where I can farm.
I'm sorry to hear that, that's not right.
Have you contacted a lawyer?
Dsalles wrote: Sun Dec 24, 2017 5:29 amI considered making a cattle sanctuary, but they have very long lifespans, into their 20s, and it really seems like this land could be used for better things with the time I personally have left. I mean in 20 years I may not be as fit physically to run around doing things like I am now and dont want to spend my remaining ideal health years taking care of my mothers mistake of raising cattle.
Yes, I can understand that. It's a difficult choice to have to make.

It might be possible to retire them into the forest which you can't cut down, but I'm sure they'd still need some looking after and supplemental feed.
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Dsalles
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Re: Hello from a cattle farm in Brazil

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I do have a lawyer and we are engaging in an action to divide the farm.

There are strict laws here concerning the use of forest, which is by default protected land. Cows are not supposed to enter them although they often do. I really feel bad for them, they are so docile and sweet. But also very taxing to their environment, needing a lot of land to graze and water to drink. They also require quite a lot of pesticides as the particular breed my mother chose has low resistance to ticks and flies, and a propensity to injure their hooves and need antibiotics. I decided to sell them to my stepfather so they could stay on the farm longer than if I sold them directly to the slaughterhouse.
It is really sad when they get shipped away. They are in a truck for hours and then they hold them with no food for 24 hours before slaughtering them. I feel horrible for participating. When they are in the truck they look at me with wide eyes, you can see the whites in their eyes, they are very distressed. And they defecate and pee a lot inside the truck. I think that I am not even getting the full psychological impact right now because I am still in the middle of it but it will hit me long after the fact.
I was more involved when I thought my brothers and stepfather would be more helpful with my own projects. But now we are against each other and it gives me more freedom to refuse.
I dont feel strong enough to stick to my principles, vague though they may be, as I dont have any community here. There are vegetarians who are isolated. I met one last night at a Christmas party, who became a vegetarian in 1955 when he was 13. His late wife, who recently died of a heart attack was a meat-eater as were his three daughters, one of whom also died of a heart attack. He looks very young and in great health for 75, even though he is obese. Anyway, my point is, he never connected with other vegetarians or vegans, etc. So many of us make it a personal choice, when really it is more than that, I think. And so we end up participating in things we dont want to. I am searching for allies here because I am already embattled, and also learning the ropes of many complicated systems; legal, cultural, technological, natural, etc. I was raised in the US like I said and moved here a year ago.
Last edited by Dsalles on Mon Dec 25, 2017 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dsalles
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Re: Hello from a cattle farm in Brazil

Post by Dsalles »

More observations... I think there have always been these single vegetarians, people who decide on their own to do stop eating meat. And they eat dairy and eggs because, in a traditional setting, you are close to the animals, They are always there, and you see taking an egg from a chicken or milking a cow, as pretty non-destructive acts. I think vegans are a more modern, urban phenomenon because from a distance you understand the whole picture, That you dont need to breed these animals in the first place and how dairy and eggs lead to cruel practices even though from close up they dont seem that way. Also now we have the science of exactly which nutrients you need and it is easier to manage. With little knowledge, people eat dairy and eggs to make sure they dont risk their health to avoid violence to animals. At the Christmas party I kept mostly vegan but then broke weak at dessert.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Hello from a cattle farm in Brazil

Post by brimstoneSalad »

It's a very difficult situation, I'm glad you're being strong and standing your ground.

I hope we'll be able to provide some of that community support, I think you're right on with your assessment of people going it alone, it's definitely harder when you're being attacked from all sides.
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