General Chat

Doesn't vegetation feel? To make a reluctant fruit tree bear fruit, sometimes ½ a ring of bark is removed. The tree thinks it is dying and says 'I've got to reproduce and have babies.' so it bears fruit. Likewise if we want a lettuce to produce seed we either cut the heart with a knife, or restrict its water intake, and it says 'I've got to reproduce and have babies.', so it goes to seed. The same with onions, to make them go to seed, we restict their water intake and so it, it says 'I've got to reproduce and have babies.' and produces seed. Vegetables are not as daft as you may think. D

i used to work on farms and believe me our animals always came first any farmer who mistreats his animals should give it up, we are lucky we have a choice think of the poor children in africa i bet they would like a big steak every day.

The main problem we have is that we want cheap food and cheap food means factory reared animals....once we realise we have to pay - then the treatment to animals improves.

Im a meat eater, like most people I eat more white meat than red although a love a good steak. My friend is a veggie and Ive had some of her meals and they have been very filling and tasty. I once asked her if she was ever tempted to eat meat again and she said only on Christmas day when she can smell the turkey cooking at her mums house. Yvonne

The first meat I gave up was Lamb, for the very reason someone hit on earlier - I couldn't bear the thought of a cute little lamb bouncing round the fields landing up on my dinner plate. I do agree that we don't need meat, but I do feel better eating some white meat then when I was veggie. I think what is needed is more compassion in farming and less government subsidies. If more farmers were organic then surely that would bring down the cost of organic food eventually? I lived in a farming community for a number of years and hated the way most of the animals were treated - as if they do not have thoughts and feelings, they just become pound signs. Oh God, I'm gonna turn myself back to veggie at this rate! lol Kaye x

I hate red meat, I can't stand the smell of it the look of it and I am glad I don't have to wash or cook it. I love veggies, pulses, seafood and fish. Humans DO NOT need to eat meat, that is a fallacy. The way animals are treated by most farming methods I am glad I don't eat them. I don't agree with the bad treatment of animals, I wish when I was told to eat chicken that I didn't have to, I don't have to now and I am glad about that, even though I made sure the Chicken was free range I didn't believe the chicken had a good life, before its death. If I didn't need that small amount of milk in my tea I would feel happier not using cows milk, at least in coffee I never use it. If I could use soya I would. Pat x

you cant beat a nice fillet steak with a glass of red and a side sallad the best of both worlds i say.

I am a meat eater but find that I eat less of it as I get older - possibly a sign of the teeth giving way? - lol At the time of eating meat I never consider the beast from whence the meat cometh (so to speak) otherwise I find myself drifting off and imaging great big calf eyes, frollicking lambs, big porkies with curly tails - and then my appetite is gone! I did read some years ago that the protein levels found in meat had been linked to shows of aggression - I think the experiments were conducted on dogs actually, rather than humans. Could this compare with the E numbers controversy and bad behaviour in children, and the monosodium glutamate intolerance experienced by certain individuals which causes really weird reactions? Jacqui

Of couse we can agree to disagree! i do think you have made a good point about the organic farmers aswell, here's to a future where no animal suffers! xx

sounds a load of old cobblers to me lol

No offence taken Tooth Fairy, we'll have to agree to differ on this one. I know some animals are not treated right but we should work to correct this. There are many organic & humane farmers in this country & if you drive down to Plymouth on the A38 you will see a few pig farms where they roam free. Vivienne

We had contact with several young Americans and occasionally would invite a couple of them to Sunday Dinner. One of then commented on the British Cuisine in three simple words. Meat, 'taters and Leaves! He's not far off.

i am a meat eater on one side and a veggie on the other. beef, potatoes, peas, carrots, onion gravy, oh!!!!!! yummy LOL lynnxx

no offence ment linin lady but animals do not really have a good 'life' when they are over farmed, fed on offle (spelling), kept indoors (believe it or not but a lot are!),hit with sticks while being squashed into a truck, driven for miles with no water, hit with sticks and sometimes punched, led into an area and the killed! not a good life at all! I'm not having a go at you, i just feel that sometimes people can be a bit nieve as to what really goes on. meat is bad for you anyway, it takes years for it to break down in your stomach and some of it never does. There are enough alternatives these days for us all to get by without meat. x

Yes I'm a meat eater but I'm not a carnivore. I'm an omnivore as humans are designed to be. Our teeth & stomachs are made for both meat & veggies. I'm sorry for the animals but as long as they have had a good life that is nature. Vivienne

I am a meat eater by choice. One and a half of my daughters are veggie. Moderation is the answer in my opinion. When I go to a Restaurant they usually give me twice as much food as I need. I wish they would offer half portions at half the price, then I wouldn't feel guilty about leaving food when others are without.

I'm a really fussy eater and I'm not very keen on red meat. I only eat it if it's minced or in a burger or sausage. Lucia :-)

for some reason i thought this said are you a man eater, sorry louise i wondered why you would ask such a funny question, as for meat,i dont eat a great deal anymore, never tastes nice, and does seem so cruel

Hitler was a vegetarian - you don't get much more violent and evil than that. Gwynne (carnivore)

I was vegetarian for about 10 years, then suddenly I started getting really bad cravings for Chicken! Eventually I gave in and now I only eat white meat and occasionally fish. I do believe that if your body is craving something then you shouldn't ignore it. K x