Being Vegetarian

Before Nicholas was conceived in 2002, I was a Vegetarian for one year. When I got pregnant, the taste of all the "veggie" burgers, bacon, and other non-meat products tasted horrendous. (My husband, Donald, would say they tasted horrendous from the beginning!) All my body craved was real meat: roast beef, hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, bacon, etc. etc. I told myself that, since my body (or was it my baby) was craving those things, I'd eat them. I also told myself that once I had the baby, I'd see if I wanted to go back to my Vegetarian ways or stay an Omnivore. Well, I stayed an Omnivore. Now I am ready to be a Vegetarian again. My sister is a Vegetarian. My friend, Anne, is a Vegetarian. And many others are Vegetarians. I'm not talking Vegan here, people: I love ice cream and cheese too much and I'm not ready to give up my dairy products! I know there are hundreds of reasons to become Vegan as well, but let's deal with one issue at a time.

There are many reasons for being a Vegetarian and it doesn't just involve not eating red meat; however, ever since last summer, during the Dan Patch Days here in Savage, I haven't been able to enjoy eating red meat. I've eaten it, sure, but I haven't been able to enjoy it and I'll tell you why. Actually, I'll show you why:

This isn't the exact cow I met at the petting zoo at Dan Patch Days (I wish I'd taken a picture of her!) but she looks darn close. And once I looked into those big, brown eyes and patted her head, how could I enjoy eating red meat again? I grew up in central New York state, going into cow barns and visiting with cows throughout my life, but there was something about that cow last summer that stuck with me. I think her name was Molly, or it could have been Daisy, I really don't remember....what I do remember is her face. And it stares back at me whenever I eat red meat. More than likely, she was a Jersey dairy cow but that doesn't matter to my mind. In my mind, whenever I try to enjoy a steak or some pot roast, I see her face and that's all that matters.

Below is another sweet little calf I found on the internet. Don't you just want to keep her as a pet?

Anyone out there a Vegetarian? Anyone considering being a Vegetarian? Anyone tried it and decided they liked beef and chicken and bacon too much to be a Vegetarian? I'd like to know what you think! And remember, we're not here to bash omnivores, so keep your comments considerate of others. Thanks!