12/27/2023
Education is key!
While we were out riding pastures,
Checking over our steers and pairs.
My daughter pointed “Hey Dad!”
“I think there’s a sick one over there”
A big steer had a pretty bad cut
He was swollen, bloody and bruised.
Struggling to walk around on a leg
That really couldn’t be used.
His front leg looked like a stove pipe
And there was swelling into his chest.
I needed to make a decision
On what treatment would be best.
We rode up beside him
And threw a rope around his heel.
He didn’t really put up a fight,
Just laid right down there in the field.
As I walked up to get a better look
My kid said “Dad, whatcha gonna do?”
“Well” I said, “We’ll have to treat him
Or else he ain’t gonna make it through.”
The infection would most likely kill him
But antibiotics will do the trick.
We’re gonna save a life today,
He’ll be healed up good n’ quick.
We only use them when we need them.
We don’t give them everyday.
Under careful consideration
when there’s isnt another way.
But as I drew the needle,
My kid kinda looked a little sad.
I turned and looked her way,
“What’s got you bothered up so bad?”
Arms crossed and looking angry,
She sat down and exhaled.
“We raised this steer for nothing,
He can never go to sale”
I finished up treating the steer,
I sat down and took off my hat.
I looked over at my kid
“Now where in heavens did you hear that?”
“It’s everywhere Dad” she said,
“Just look around the grocery store,
Little stickers on all the meat
And there’s even more!”
“Talk of gmo’s, gluten and hormones
On every package that you buy,
Even burger joint says it’s antibiotic free!”
She let out with a sigh.
I put my hand out on her shoulder,
“It’s just the way they market things to you,
They want you to believe theirs is better
By changing your point of view”
“All meat is antibiotic free
And that’s how it’s always been.
Chickens haven’t gotten hormones
Since your grandfather was a teen”
“The labels that your seeing
Are just telling you what isn’t there;
But in doing that you question
If there’s a reason to be scared.“
“The meat we send to market
Gets tested for all that stuff
And if we haven’t done right by it
They will deny it sure enough”
“That steer can’t go to sale now,
We have to wait a certain amount of time
And after a monitored withdrawal period
The meat will be just fine.”
We’re under so much scrutiny
From our beef, milk, chicken and crops.
And we only make a small percentage
Of what they sell it for in the shops.
We need to educate the people
To learn the truth about their food.
Learning where it really comes from
And what is does and doesn’t include.
Some things don’t make any sense
And you wonder how it even came to be.
Like the labeling on the bottle of water
Saying that it’s “gluten free.”
Table salt that has no genes,
Yet Its label says it’s free of GMO.
Sometimes you have to wonder
Where did common sense ever go?
Big companies get richer
And we’re at the bottom of it all.
Working endlessly to feed your family
While are backs are up against the wall
My kid just stared for a moment
And then kinda turned away.
Looking out over our little farm
In a soft voice I could hear her say.
“How will they feed the earth
Once us farmers are all gone?”
“Well, I’m not really sure
But they won’t be lasting long”
~Chanda Hope Burke~
photo credit: Zella Duda Unsplash
