Bringing Home the Bacon

A Special Report

As part of a field mom study I was taken to some pig farms so I could see where our bacon is coming from, literally.
The funny part is I'm a vegetarian.  Blasphemy on a pig farm.
So, as an undercover agent I visited these farms a little skeptical about what I would see.  Little did I know I would get hands on, elbow deep, experience.  
In the birthing center (Middle Creek Sow Farm), pigs are cared for much as humans are in a hospital.  Maybe not clean to hospital standards but there is a 'shower in, shower out' policy that forged friendships that may last a lifetime.  There's no going back after seeing someone in chest high underwear.  The pigs escape the showering process.  The ones that are birthing are 'confined' in to cells while in labor and to protect them from one another and to stop them rolling over on their young.  There is a bar so that the young can get to the mom and feed and cuddle but the mom cant roll on them.  Ingenious I thought.  Most of the pigs seemed quite comfortable and the people there seemed very attentive while checking on each pigs progress.  Like I said, not unlike humans in a hospital. 
We had a veterinarian with us, who I called Clark Kent (because I didn't recognize him when he took off his glasses), and when he asked if I'd like a shot at delivering, strangely enough, I was excited and willing.  I can honestly say I have a new perspective on things.  At one point I may have burst into song welcoming piglets to this new big world.  The farm hands were in awe, I think by my singing abilities and henceforth referred to myself as 'Pig-doula'.  I believe one hog owes her life to me but I won't hold that over her head.
Our second stop was Randrose Farms where they raise adolescent pigs to adulthood.  I actually climbed in a pin with the young sows and sensing that I was a 'Pig-doula' they accepted me as one of their own. The touching part here was a caring farmer that didn't want to put a sick pig down.  He told the vet, he would give it a few more days and see if the pig in question made any progress.  He even put off giving it the antibiotics it needed until absolutely necessary.  I showed my concern for the use of antibiotics but was informed that these antibiotics, the ones we are so afraid of, are actually out of their system long before the pigs are 'harvested' and that not treating them for being sick would be the real cruelty.  I also asked why they couldn't euthanize, or find a 'nicer' way to kill the sick ones, as they do in fact shoot them.  The vet says they have to do it that way because if they put drugs in their system, other animals might get a hold of them and become sick or die.   It's actually more natural that way and won't harm the environment with chemicals. 
So here's my conclusion:  These farmers work damn hard and they care about their livestock.  Do they slaughter animals? Yes.  But they also raise them from birth and care for them.  I believe it teaches them a respect for life that most people cannot grasp.  It's so easy to criticize and spout off tidbits from gossip about hormones and chemicals in which we have very little actual knowledge.  Our organic living, alternative, health conscious society says 'NO' to everything.  The bottom line is until everyone decides they don't want bacon, fat chance, farmers need to do what they are doing.  Even a vegetarian must concede this.
I have to admit I am much more comfortable about animal treatment and what is in my family's food after this study.
This is the circle of life and what is on my table.  I will keep eating salad but my four bacon loving children will continue to be happy.  The only unanswered question I have:  How much bacon is too much bacon?  The world may never know.