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Re: permaculture and vegan diet



Interesting observations on insect eating, Rick.

I started out a diversity program with a recipe for fried tomato hornworms
and asked the audience why our culture, unlike so many others, do not eat
insects or worms.  It is a great recipe (not unlike fried okra).  It got
their attention and opened the discussion to consider other cultural
practices we might find objectionable.  Although there are some cultural
practices I would be unwilling to adopt (subject for another post perhaps).

Nevertheless, I am not a vegetarian or a vegan.  However, one of my very
best friends in a strict vegan and I participate in their email list and
meetings when I have time.  She was alone at Thanksgiving a few years ago
and I invited her to our house.  It was an interesting challenge to prepare
a dinner that she could enjoy as well.  We did have a very nice free range
turkey and a variety of other dishes without all the other additions.  The
nice thing about that dinner, I think, was that we had a great time with a
truly tasty alternative to all the butter and cream that is normally
involved in a traditional Thanksgiving meal.  The important thing, though,
was that my friend felt welcome and took home plenty of leftover vegan
dressing, sweet potatoes and baked apples.

With a daughter who is allergic to eggs and soy, I am sensitive to food
issues.  How enormously disappointing and embarassing it would be to invite
a friend to a meal and have nothing for them to eat!  This has happened to
my daughter numerous times with people telling her that her allergies are
all in her mind.  (People who knew about her allergy and prepared food she
cannot eat.)  Easy for them to say.  Anaphylactic shock is not any prettier
to see than to experience yourself.

My thinking on these issues is that understanding should come first.  As
humans we are predisposed to evaluate before we even understand.  While I am
not overwhelmed about killing and eating an animal, I understand that there
are people who have a very good set of rational reasons for doing otherwise.
So I continue to listen and try to understand.

Del Williams