A Mother’s Love. Why I am Transitioning to Veganism.

A Mother’s Love.  Why I am Transitioning to Veganism.

by Jennifer Locker

I came to vegetarianism not through a love of animals (though I do), or a desire to be healthier (again, I do), but rather a bad experience with a chicken nugget.  Yes, that is right.  I was grabbing a snack on the road to see Elmo Live with my daughter when I was grossed out by a nugget.  Without going into gory, disgusting details, I believe that you can get the idea.  We all know on a fundamental level that chicken nuggets are gross to begin with, and this one took the proverbial cake.  After that, every time I thought about eating meat, I would become disgusted and remember that moment in the car where I felt physically ill; and almost caused a pile up on the interstate.

So, vegetarianism has been fine.  No major changes other than not eating flesh.  I can do that.  I just couldn’t fathom giving up cheese.  My mother has been a vegetarian since the late 1980’s, and my sister for most of her life.  My sister has been vegan for a while, an animal rights activist forever, and will soon join PETA in an internship over the summer. (YAY! Emily)  My brother and I were still meat eaters, though both of us were extremely picky about our meat and  would not eat meat off of the bone (because that’s better right?).  Funny thing is that my daughter seems destined to be a vegetarian by herself.  At almost 2 years old she still doesn’t like meat.  She will eat vegetable soup for days but stick a piece of meat in front of her and she won’t even attempt to eat it.  She also dislikes eggs and cheese, which I never quite appreciated until now.

My sister and I decided to make this blog about meatless recipes because I am a long time lover of food and cooking.  I even toyed with the idea of attending culinary school, and was accepted into the Culinary Institute of America.  I didn’t move because I felt that I couldn’t stand that much distance between myself and my family.  So, instead of becoming a chef, I simply cook.  I read recipes and blogs about recipes and could spend hours in the grocery just looking at what is new and exotic.  When I stopped eating meat, I took it as an adventure to try new things.

I have a long commute to work, over an hour, and adding to my monotonous boredom is the fact that I also have a radio that doesn’t work; and a boyfriend that likes to sleep the entire trip.  I decided to look for some podcasts about vegetarian cooking.  I came across a wonderful podcast called Vegetarian Food for Thought by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. http://feeds.feedburner.com/VegetarianFoodForThought  I downloaded a few episodes to try it out and was overwhelmed.  Her compassion for all living things, her honesty, and ability to look at the real truth about animal consumption was eye opening to say the least.  I have always felt guilty when hearing that someone was a vegetarian or vegan because in my heart I knew that was a better way of life that I too wanted to be a part of my identity.  I was not following my truth.  I was doing nothing instead of doing something.  If I couldn’t be perfect then I just wouldn’t do anything.  After all I could never give up dairy.  (Listeners of Colleen’s podcast should find those sentiments familiar.)

So after listening to many of her podcasts, which were rarely about recipes, and aimed at vegans, I came across one that actually made me want to stop eating dairy.  Cheesy, buttery, creamy, dairy.  This podcast was about cows.  I disliked thinking about cows being killed for food, but who would like thinking about killing living things.  That is why butchers are now in the back of the stores away from sensitive eyes.  But what could be wrong about using their milk for food.  They weren’t killed, they spent a life being cared for, and we all must have jobs to earn our keep.  Right?  Well, I learned a little more than I was expecting too. 

Cows are big, gentle creatures that have a 9 month gestation period, just like humans.  On dairy farms they are impregnated about once a year.  When they give birth, they are allowed to nurse their babies for just a day or two, to allow them to get the colostrum that they need.  The babies are often fitted with devices that actually hurt the mother when they try to nurse so that the mother will kick the calf away from her. Male calves are then taken to be turned into veal, and female calves will follow in their mothers’ footsteps producing milk for humans.  What broke my heart was thinking about the mothers who had just given birth.  Here they just wanted to love on their babies they had carried for 9 months and just given birth to.  Their babies were ripped from their teats and they mourned.  As a mother I cannot comprehend this sadness that they felt.  This overwhelming feeling of being helpless, powerless, and devastated.  There is no bond like that of a mother and child.  They truly are born in your heart. 

As a mother I cannot condone this being done to any animal for the sake of producing milk, which we do not need.  Human babies and animal babies all wean themselves away from their mother’s milk.  Why should we, as adults, feel that milk is something to be desired and used for our gluttony?  You may not agree with me, and that is fine for now, I still love you.  But as for myself, I choose to follow in my own daughters footsteps.  I will choose not to support an institution that is cruel to mothers and their babies.  I choose veganism, and though I am still learning, and so far from perfect, at least I am doing something.

Please go check out Colleen’s podcast and her website http://www.compassionatecooks.com/.  This weekend I will be experimenting with vegan cupcakes and will have new recipes Monday!