Here is my first 700 word essay!!

Louise McGuire

Eng 101.0772

Dr. Elizabeth H. McCormick

It amazes me how different it was in 1911 to have and get meat, poultry and eggs than how it is now in 2011.  Back in 1911, everybody had their own livestock in their yards.  Farms were either down the block or in the next town over.  We will be looking at how my grandparents back in 1911 got their poultry, eggs and meat compared to how I get them now in 2011. Then, we will look at how we can change the way we get our food today.

In 1911, my grandparents raised their own chickens for food and eggs.  The chicken coop was in the yard and they had a healthy diet of bugs, worms, and grass.  When they wanted to have chicken for dinner, all you had to do was go out in the yard and get one, kill it, pluck it, and cook it.  For eggs, you just got them out from under a hen in her nest.  Now, in 2011, I have to go to the supermarket and get my eggs and chicken.  The chicken meat and eggs arrive on a refrigerated truck from an industrialized farm out of state.  The eggs have been gathered days ago and the poultry has been killed days ago.  They have been pumped with hormones, antibiotics, and some have been sitting in chicken broth to keep them fresh looking.

In 1911, my grandparents had their own goats for milk.  Like the chickens, they were free to run about their yard to eat the grass, they were not kept in a cage or stall.  If I want goat milk, I have several choices at the supermarket.  I can get it in a box, a can, or in a powered form from a company that processes it out of state.

When my grandparents wanted beef, pork, or lamb in 1911, they got it at the local butcher.  The local butcher received the meat the same day or the day after the animal was slaughtered and it came from a farm just out of town.  They too, roamed freely and ate a natural diet.   Now, in 2011, I purchase lamb imported from Australia, beef from California, and pork chops from Kansas.  These farms are also industrialized and the animals are fed corn and soy and are not allowed to run freely.

I would love to raise my own farm animals like they did in 1911, but now in 2011, laws prohibit us from doing so.  According to the New York City Health Code, listed on the Animal Care & Control web site, you cannot have certain animals in your house or roaming around your property.  You can have chickens, but if a neighbor complains, the authorities can take them away.  In 1911, practically everybody had his or her own chicken and nobody complained about it.  It was the only way to eat back then. 

Remembering the stories my grandparents told me and reviewing the book “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser, I am looking at how I can go back to the way my grandparents ate in 1911.  Instead of going to the supermarket, I will go to the greenmarkets they have in the city.  These places have farmers from the tri-state area that sell meat, poultry, and eggs that are organic and pasture raised.  They still may not be as “fresh” as they had it in 1911, but I believe it will be just as good and healthy. 

In conclusion, this comparison was a real eye opener to what is going on with the meat and poultry industry.  We need to go back and raise farm animals for food like they use to in 1911.    

Louise’s Chicken Soup

This is my version of a recipe that has been in my family for years.  It’s perfect for when you feel a cold coming on or if you have one.  There’s no added salt, spices, herbs, or oil.  If you choose to add some, you can do so when it’s done.

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Thighs

4 Chicken Drumsticks

3 – 4 Medium Onions sliced

1 – 2 Heads of Garlic, all the cloves crushed

1 – 2 Peppers sliced (red, orange, or yellow)

Put all the ingredients in a large pot with enough water to just cover everything. When the water starts to boil, put a lid on the pot and lower heat to simmer.

Simmer for an hour and a half

Then take lid off and turn the heat on high and cook uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with crackers or hot crusty bread for dunking!