cows

I am on a quest. Before kids, Paul and I were vegetarian and then vegan (no eggs, milk, leather etc). We went back to eggs and milk (and eventually fish too-we are such cheaters!) while I was pregnant with Sam, because I couldn't keep anything down but Lucky Charms and skim milk (seriously!!). Now that the boys are older we are ready to recommit to the ethical treatment of animals-dairy farms are notoriously terrible. I've found 2 local companies that sound good on paper, but I want to visit to be sure. It's hard to visit Horizons, since they receive milk from different farmers. Everyone is so gung ho on organic, and it's great and all, but I'm more interested in the cows' living conditions than I am their feed; i.e. have these animals EVER seen the light of day, or are they in their stalls hooked up to milking machines all day long? That's what matters to me. Anyway, here are the 2 statements from these 2 dairies. I'm leaning towards Organic Valley, although Horizons is easier to find. We'll see.

Horizons Organic
And, of course, our organic farmer partners are also committed to the humane treatment of animals. Horizon Organic farmer partners do not give their cows antibiotics or added growth hormones; rather they allow the cows to make milk according to their natural cycles. And they keep them in good health by giving them certified organic feed, fresh air and access to pasture. In return, the cows give us delicious organic milk, which is the foundation for our great-tasting organic dairy products.

Organic Valley
Meg and Arden adjust and manage their seasonal rotational grazing system, which will ensure that by Spring 2005, their cows, which graze primarily in the summer months, will have access to pasture year-round and will only be confined to buildings in extreme weather. In the summer, the herd will graze on sorghum and alfalfa and then move to native perennial grass in fall and spring, and to fields of wheat, rye or triticale in winter.
"If we take care of cows and feed them correctly, they are healthier and so are the consumers of their dairy products," Meg explained.

And in non-cow news, I DID chat with the folks at my credit card company. Wouldn't you know that they don't allow you to redeem miles for an upgrade? Of course not. So, we are now hoping that someone we know has frequent flyer miles they might be generous enough to donate. We can hope, right?