Installing Indoor Cat Tree

[Lesley H]

Did anyone watch the F Word last night - with the geese? It horrified me.

[Louise]

I don't watch it what did he do to them

 

Was it a fois gras farm

[bronze]

Didn't watch it I sat in here swearing about that man while ~DH watched. Nothing surprises me about that mans need for sensTIALISM THOUGH (whoops)

[Lesley H]

If was - force feeding geese for 10 weeks until thier liver is 10 times its normal size. They just shove a tube in and pour food in - it was horrible. Also - to see the size of the liver after just 10 weeks - made me horrified at what our diet may be doing inside. No more chocolate for me!!!

He serves it in all his restaurants.

I have been a veggie for many years and thought nothing could shock me - but those poor little souls. I have never seen a creature try and escape at 'feeding' time.

[bronze]

I hate fois gras

I hate the principle I hate the taste

Its on every menu in france sadly

[Chocobo]

thats horrific, I can't belive anyone would do that to any animal... I didn't watch F word yesterday cause I thought i wouldn't like it... I'm glad i didn't.

[theherd123]

It does make me wonder about these people willing to do cruel acts to animals in the name of food it is very sick indeed!

[Lesley H]

I wonder how on earth it ever came to this...who would even think of doing such a thing in the first place?

 

Anyway - it really upset me - and I don't work with the most sympathetic crowd at work - so I've had "Ooops, word censored!"ody to vent to about it ALL DAY!

 

So...thank you!

[Paola]

Hopefully seeing it will wake people up to how animals are treated

[Jools]

I nearly spat my wine out at a restaurant a couple of years ago when my MIL contemplated ordering foie gras to start followed by duck. Hubby is used to me questioning him with "are you sure that's ethically raised" when we're out, but I think even he was a bit shocked when I described to MIL how foie gras is produced!

 

She changed her mind btw!

[chelsea]

Gordon Ramsay is beginning to annoy me. The horse thing a couple of weeks ago got me and I havent watched since.

 

Seems to me he/the program makers are sensationalising "alternative" meats/horrible entrails/parts of animals etc. Im a vegetarian so im particularly sensitive about this. Is this just a ploy to get viewers?

 

I much prefer Hugh fearnley whittingstall's approach/methods etc. He seems to love/care for the animals genuinely but Gordon Ramsay doesnt seem to give a stuff and his approach is much harsher.

 

I know they eat horse meat in France, but to me horses are bred for riding/transport/enjoyment/pets etc. As far as im concerned there is enough other meat in this world we already eat before having to eat horses !! And when I saw that lovely brown horse being carted off to the knackers yard I was heartbroken (and im not even a horsey person !! )

 

Rant over, sorry !

 

(I do like Ramsay's kitchen nightmares though - he should stick to that)

[harveypup]

I do agree but Janet Street Porter also visited a place in Spain where the geese free ranged over huge pastures and were only culled after they "naturally" gorged themselves in preparation for migration.

 

Still wouldn't eat it though

[Rhapsody]

It was horrible to watch but good that it was shown I think. I have a huge list of things I wont eat on ethical grounds- foie gras is pretty much top of the list despite a mediterranean upbringing, (lobster comes a close second) those birds being kept in a shed having barley poured into their crops have as much potential for a full happy life as our chooks, its just horrible.

I was sickened when GR defended the force-fed liver 'because it tastes better, and that's why I serve it' - what a well-thought out argument!

[Tom and Barbara]

it really was horrific to watch, how on earth that French farmer could say his geese were 'happy' is beyond me, from where I was sat they looked terrified. I would consider eating the Spanish alternative as the geese looked genuinely healthy and happy......but unless someone could guarantee me it came from a place like that shown I don't think I could eat it

 

 

I much prefer Hugh fearnley whittingstall's approach/methods etc. He seems to love/care for the animals genuinely but Gordon Ramsay doesnt seem to give a stuff and his approach is much harsher.

 

I've actually been pleasantly surprised by Gordon's 'softer' side when it comes to animals (clearly his ridiculous attitude to the fois gras aside) but two incidences have stuck out for me - the last series where he actually cried watching his pigs be slaughtered after really battling with his conscience to even cull them then in this episode where he couldn't bring himself to kill the deer. Hugh seems to be rubbing off on him.

[Louise]

So it was Fois Gras

 

I have had issue with european produced meats generally for years but people will insist on shopping with their pockets

 

I wouldn't watch GR if you paid me Prima Donna Chefs really get on my nerves

 

It is the same with white Veal what do you bet that is the next thing he shows on the programme

[buffie]

I just want to ask why, taste over welfare Not right as far as I am concerned. Again 'birds' being treated with little consideration for their life before slaughter.

 

It's force feeding to engorde the liver, how repulsive

 

BBx

[snowcloud]

It has to be said, at least he is raising the issues and showing how these things are really produced. The French eat horse meat and force feed geese. It's good to know these things and it gets rid of the myths - I didn't really think they did these things and yet they do.

 

I thought the amazing thing to watch was the geese cowering in the French farm and huddling together, it was obvious they were really frightened. The geese in Spain were completely different - when the farmer went out to the field and crouched down, they all came running to him - it was great. They are not force fed (they claim) and actually gorge themselves when they are ready to do so, to the point they want to - this is how Foie Gras was discovered - the geese do this naturally. Having said that - I still don't actually like the stuff. At least Gordon does allow himself to be challenged on his own show and you always get an honest reaction from him. I think he is ok. And he is ready to accept help and advice and learn about looking after livestock himself, any exposure of this type I think must be good for animal welfare.

[beach chick]

I have difficulty with this whole issue.

 

I do think people need to know and understand that if you eat meat/poultry/fish - it was a life to start with, and therefore its raising and method of killing matters. and people should totally understand that the cute little lamb tastes great - and wouldnt be there, gambolling in the fields in spring, unless we ate the end result in enough quantities to justify their production in the first place (farming a business and all that).

 

how you raise and kill the animal makes a difference to the end product, both ethically and in terms of taste and quality (both of which matter terribly in the top end restaurant trade, and should matter more to all of us who eat meat/fish).

 

So, by buying battery eggs, cheap chicken nuggets, or cr*ppy burgers or sausages, you are contributing to the intensive farming trade. to me, if you are prepared to do this, you should expect that what you are eating has not had the nicest life - but I also know that a lot (most?) people have to take financial constraints into consideration, and if all your fussy kids will eat is chicken nuggets, that's what you'll give them.

 

personally, I would prefer not to eat horse for sentimental reasons. but I love charcuterie, a lot of which contains donkey. and, sorry, but from time to time (once a year?) I do like foie gras, although I dont like the way its raised, and I generally don't eat veal.

 

maybe my thoughts are based on hypocrisy and double standards , but I suppose I try to balance it in my mind by saying that you start with the areas you can work with, do as best you can with those, and then look beyond.

[snowcloud]

Absolutely - it's about balance and that is going to be different for everyone based on where they live, their financial position and their knowledge/experience. I have to admit that, since owning chickens, I find it really hard not to walk around shopping for food without thinking 'I wonder where that has come from, I wonder if this chicken breast came from a chicken that at least felt a little sunshine and ran about a bit before getting here'. It is even more difficult when you eat out - it is still, I think, tricky to ask about where a restaurant gets its meat - they don't like being asked and the waiters rarely know or want to find out for you - especially in London.

 

I think it is impossible to avoid all the time, but if you do what you can, and try to appreciate the origin of what is on your plate, it is a good start to changing the attitudes of commercial producers and suppliers - the organic revolution has been recognised even by Tescos, so we can't be far off restaurants being a little more open about their supplies too, I hope.

[AnnieP]

Good post Beach chick!

What is the difference betwen eating pork, or chicken or donkey? It is all down, too often, to preconceived ideas. I personally, would never eat donkey , or duck (far too sweet looking), but will happily tuck into lamb .

It is all about quality of life of the animal in question, and you are right: Most of these animals would have never existed in the first place if it wasn't for demand.

 

Probably an eternal debate here. One I would definitely wimp out of joining.....

[beach chick]

snowcloud - I agree with what you are saying, esp. in terms of what's on the plate in the restaurant.

but we've experimented with organic chickens from the finest home hand-reared and butchered suppliers at £12 plus, compared to Tescos's large family chicken at £4 plus, and if you cook them the same way (on a rack, wine underneath, lemons/butter/garlic inside, seasoned on top and tinfoiled so they stay moist), we cant tell the difference here (and OH and I are both foodies).

I do draw the line at the 'value' meat, but praps that's just s"Ooops, word censored!"bery?

When a £4 chicken makes 2 main meals and 2 packed lunches, while a £10 chicken does the same, its a very difficult decision to make. Hearts and heads and all that...

tis all so very difficult!

[Lesley]

Good post Beach chick!

What is the difference betwen eating pork, or chicken or donkey? It is all down, too often, to preconceived ideas. I personally, would never eat donkey , or duck (far too sweet looking), but will happily tuck into lamb .

It is all about quality of life of the animal in question, and you are right: Most of these animals would have never existed in the first place if it wasn't for demand.

 

Probably an eternal debate here. One I would definitely wimp out of joining.....

 

My sentiments exactly!

 

Meat is meat - rat, cat, hedehog, dog - and I don't have an issue with that as long as the animal has been allowed to have a happy life and is dealt with in a humane way at the end. People either eat meat or they don't - and they may choose to not eat certain meats - but it should be the life and treatment of that animal which is paramount. Our little ducklings tasted lovely and I would only eat a herbivore - and that is only if we have raised it ourselves. After being vegetarien for 25 years, I have found a way which suits me - and i'm still passionate about animal welfare.

[Tom and Barbara]

Beach Chick, AnnieP, Lesley and Snowcloud - just wanted to say here,here. My feelings exactly.

[Guest]

So, by buying battery eggs, cheap chicken nuggets, or cr*ppy burgers or sausages, you are contributing to the intensive farming trade. to me, if you are prepared to do this, you should expect that what you are eating has not had the nicest life - but I also know that a lot (most?) people have to take financial constraints into consideration, and if all your fussy kids will eat is chicken nuggets, that's what you'll give them.

 

I think the problem is that, most people expect a whopping big slice of meat on their plate nowadays, accompianed by a couple of sprouts and a wee stalk of cauliflower, rather than seeing the whole plate as a meal. As a mother, with 3 children (all with hollow legs, and fussy tastes), having made the choice to give up work to look after them, therefore cutting our income in half, I am still pretty determined to feed the children and myself well-reared meat. This has meant re-training our habits into eating a meal that has larger portions of vegetables and potatoes, with smaller portions of meat.

 

I would genuinely feed my children any meat that was healthy for them and well-reared before slaughter.