Customer Reviews

The Compassionate Carnivore: Or, How to Keep Animals Happy, Save Old MacDonald's Farm, Reduce Your Hoofprint, and Still Eat Meat

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

While Catherine Friend is an aspiring "Super-Compassionate Carnivore, able to leap over inhumanely raised meat in a single bound," she is better known as the award-winning author of the memoir, Hit by a Farm, epic adventure stories, and numerous children's books.

A perfect addition to any savvy consumer's library, The Compassionate Carnivore offers insight on methods of feeding, raising, and finishing animals. Since the mid-1990s, Friend and her partner, Melissa, have owned and operated a small sustainable farm in Minnesota and have learned first-hand "the impact modern agriculture has on animals, the environment, and [all of us]." In a comprehensive reader-friendly format, the author discusses timely topics, including nutrition, production, how animals live, reproduce and die, buying factory vs. non-factory meat, as well as how each person can make a difference. The book is filled with thought-provoking information, and all references are cited at the end. Friend explores what the meat industry, specifically super-sized "farms," cost consumers with respect to their health and their wallets.

The author fulfills her promise that "This will not be one of those cheerful self-help books that makes change sound so ridiculously easy...[and] at the other extreme, it's not intended to be one of those books about factory farming that's so depressing that you can't get out of bed for a week," in a practical way. She recommends taking one step at a time and not getting discouraged by minor setbacks, like eating pork from an inhumanely raised sow. Being a farmer greatly impacts the way she thinks about the meat she eats. She freely admits, "My path to becoming a compassionate carnivore has been paved with good intentions, but littered with the bones of pork-chop-on-a-stick." However, she and Melissa do all they can to raise happy sheep, and they take pride in providing nourishment. It's possible to show appreciation, kindness, and respect for animals and still eat them. She supports those who choose to be vegetarian and even recommends more vegetable sources of protein over factory-farmed meat, but she makes a great case for people who enjoy meat and want to eat it without an extra helping of guilt.

The Compassionate Carnivore is filled with insightful and often humorous anecdotes. When not horrifying me with various practices of making meat ready for market (E. coli from slaughtered animals who have soiled themselves, butchering animals while they're still alive, or not halting factory production even if a worker loses an arm), Friend had me roaring with laughter as she recounted about their flock not receiving the memo that sheep are supposed to follow, not lead, or how long it took two healthy women to catch a gimpy baby lamb. Backed by research, practical experience, and the desire to improve standards, Friend offers many sound suggestions. If more carnivores demand humanely raised meat, the supply will hopefully follow. Each of us can have a positive influence on the market, she believes. We can start by reducing waste--taking only portions of food we can finish--and working our way up from there.

by Cheri Rosenberg
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I am a 37yo barely-above-ignorant carnivore, engaged to a 27yo understanding vegetarian... a never-eaten-meat lifer whose vegetarian roots go back two generations. I read this book because I was looking for a non-scientific text to help me develop an approach that would make us both happy (not that we weren't already, but clearly I could be more sympathetic to her preferences as she has been with mine). Catherine Friend's book has helped bridge the gap in my understanding and equipped me to be compassionate not only to animals, but to my fiance as well. I recommend this book to anyone interested in developing a sense of responsibility where the consumption of meat is concerned. My life, my fiance's life, and the lives of the animals I choose to eat are better for it.

What a great book! Refreshing, enlightening, entertaining! If only we could get the megafarmers to convert to this line of thinking, what a different world this would be. My hope is that as more people read this book, a movement will be created (and in fact it has already started!) and this change will take deep root in our agricultural practices.

My wife and I, along w/ our 5 kids, moved out of the city a couple years ago and bought a small hobby farm and decided to live a life like that described in this book - and it has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE! We know where our food comes from since we've raised it, we know the animals have been well cared for and treated with great dignity, we know they've been allowed to roam through our pastures and eat grass the way God intended. We've loved them and cared for them from birth through death.

And when their earthly life is over, they provide nurturing sustanance for our large family for many, many months.

In my community, surrounded by large megafarms, I'm only one of a couple such farmers who are living a life that is described by this great book. Perhaps I'll buy a few more copies and do some "evangelizing" to some of the feedlot farmers around here and see if we can't win some converts to this far better way of living! It'll be a Compassionate Carnivore Crusade!!

Thanks, Catherine, for having the courage to write such a book in the face of the current "meat-on-the-cheap" megafarm, feedlot mentality on the one hand AND in the face of the "humans should be herbivores" mentality on the other. I'm recommending your book to all my farming friends and I've bought your other book too, Hit By A Farm!

-Michael Dudek

I bought this book after reading randomly selected reviews from five star to one star, and that grudgingly bestowed only because there is no option for negative stars. The controversy and the passion of these reviews indicated that the book would be well worth reading - and it is is. It is not a manifesto but a movingly written, shockingly and disturbingly honest account of Friend's own journey toward taking responsibility for whatever she puts into her mouth.

"The Compassionate Carnivore" has no place where anybody, whether vegan or omnivore, can rest in complacence or comfort. For the meat-eater who has never thought about the lives of farmed animals, distanced by the nice clean packaging of the meat, eggs, and dairy, revelation of the truth behind the way in which these animals live and die is bound to be deeply upsetting, and many will react with anger against the messenger. For the vegan, it may be too hard to accept that some people who eat animal products are not monsters, but real humans who struggle mightily with their consciences, and who are genuinely committed to eradicating cruelty to livestock both in life and in death. Again, the message will be rejected and the messenger vilified. Death is, of course, the sticking point. For people to whom death is the ultimate evil, there is no way to accept the premise that a person can truly care for her animals, cry all the way home from the slaughter facility because they're dead, and still not only deliver them up for slaughter but enjoy the meat afterwards. At this point it becomes a matter of religion, and Friend deserves both respect and compassion for her exposure of her own vulnerability, and her own discomfort over the facts that other animals (humans being animals too) are sentient to various degrees. Friend acknowledges that she is the one who makes the decision for death, and that she in no way sees the deaths of her lambs as a willing sacrifice on their parts. This is courageous, as it immediately sets her up as a target for extremists at both poles.

Friend openly admits that she gets lost occasionally on her quest, often because of convenience. It is quicker and easier to buy prepared burritos made with CAFO beef and agribusiness corn or wheat, and unfortunately cheaper in upfront money outlay, than to hunt down humane-certified beef and non-GMO grains and make the burritos from scratch in one's own kitchen.

My own experience as a smallholder resonates very powerfully with Friend's; those of us who have raised and eaten our own animal products experience not numbing, but a heightened sense of gratitude that can only be described as religious awe, and a sense of the sacred about the entire food cycle. I never lost a deep reluctance and regret when scheduling a death, and I focused very tightly on ensuring that the animal experienced no fear and no pain. I agree with Friend that it is a most effective tactic in the war against cruelty to, and commodification of, farmed animals to seek out and pay for products from animals raised humanely and sustainably. Each dollar spent in this way makes a very strong statement to the industry; as sales of humane-and-sustainable products rise, each dollar comes directly out of the profits of the agribusiness group. Provided we the people do not permit the hi-jacking and dilution to the point of ridiculousness of the "Humane" and "Sustainable" labels by the agribusiness lobby, as has already happened with "Organic," "Free Range," and "Grass-fed," these losses may catalyze a move toward humane-and-sustainable. One has only to look at the very rapid change to "Trans Fat Free" and "HFCS Free" products now lining supermarket shelves to see the potential; the food industry fought fang-and-claw against regulation of their practices at Federal level, but ceded defeat painlessly when we the people stopped buying.

Few people will choose veganism as a result of reading Friend's book. However, the great majority who choose to continue eating animal products are likely to choose more compassionately and vote with their dollars toward the common goal of vegans and omnivores alike - reduction of suffering, reduction of consumption, and reduction of damage to our one and only biosphere.

It is convenient for people who want to prevent the eating of meat to pretend that there is no middle ground between living off of vegetables and biting the heads off of live chickens. Naturally, this isn't true. In any field of human action there are ethical issues to be considered. Even a vegan might choose to eat meat if stranded in an area where no seaweed supplements were available to prevent painful B12 deficiency.

Catherine Friend's book examines the ethical gradations of meat eating. There are obviously some modern farming techniques that are startling and disturbing. The reason that caged chickens or crowded cattle yards excite our sympathy is that chickens and cows are utterly helpless in the face of human ingenuity. But it wasn't always this way. At some point in our history (weak arguments about vegetarian cavemen aside) humans were eating meat without the benefit of superior strength, speed, thick-skin, or claws. At that point, the question was not whether it was ethical to eat meat, but whether it was possible to go without eating meat for more than a few weeks.

Vegans say there is no way to compassionately eat meat. Up until the 19th century, there was no way to successfully refrain from eating meat. Veganism was nutritionally impossible. Modern availability of a wide variety of crops has made it almost possible to create a vegan diet that is not dangerous to an adult's health, although vegan parents have killed their children through malnutrition. So if it is impossible to compassionately be a meat eater, then up until 1900 no compassionate human beings had ever existed on the face of the earth who were not suffering terrible health defects. This is obviously absurd.

Centuries from now, it may be that none of us have the option of eating meat. But in the mean time, Catherine Friend's book is a way for people who are concerned about animal ethics to reduce the amount of suffering that is caused on their nutritional behalf.

The existence of a book like this is an important step in our species adjusting to omnipotence. The book itself is not necessarily going to open a whole new world, but it's certainly not inappropriate ground to cover.

I was a meat-eater, then went to a ranch where I helped with the birthing of baby lambs (which were so sweet and innocent) and immediately gave up meat... for a year. After 12 long months of meat-free meals, I caved in -my body really craved the protein you can really only find in animal meat, so now I'm trying to find a happy balance between being a vegetarian and being a "compassionate carnivore". This book really gives great insight into finding that balance - a great read for anyone who struggles with the decision to eat, or not to eat meat.

After reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma," and watching "Food Matters," "The Compassionate Carnivore" by Catherine Friend was a refreshing dose of moderation. This book presented a balanced and real-world approach to positively changing our meat eating society. I would not call this book "anti-vegetarian" as some reviews have. Friend shares her views and points, and presents readers with "real world" ideas and "normal people" mechanisms to move the industry in the direction that she feels is optimistic and important. Friend is well educated on all sides of the issues she presents, not only with facts and figures, but with a deep understanding and experience. Check out her farm blog for a more in depth look into her experiences! Friend shares her own struggles and successes and passions, and moves readers to find their own zeal for change while offering options, ideas, and sources to do so. She suggests starting with a personal goal list. I've started moving toward my goals, and hope you will check out this book and make goals of your own!

Great information. Gave a copy to one of my best grass-fed beef customers by way of thanks for her repeat business and appreciative testimonials.

BB

This is a difficult book to review and, in a way, a difficult one to read. Catherine Friend is an extremely good writer and all of her previous books I rated with a top score and sometimes wished there was some way to add to that. This one falls short of the books that preceded it.

It is almost like there are two books; perhaps written by different authors, or at least, one author in two frames of mind. This author has always shown special abilities to express emotion and project her sense of humor. The first half of this book has an angry tone, so angry that any other emotions find it hard to show through. The tone softens in the second half and we again see the great writing strengths of Catherine Friend. It reminds one about the old story of how to speak to a mule: Strike him hard with a two-by-four to get his attention and then speak in his ear. Obviously, I am that mule and Friend got my attention with the first part of this book. After that, reading it became comfortable.

The fundamental message of the book is that while there are good reasons why a person might choose not to be a vegetarian; those who eat meat should respect the animals that provided that food and insist that the growers treat the animals with compassion. Further, carnivore humans should make sure the food with which they nourish themselves is of the best possible quality.

For several decades, big corporations have taken an increasingly greater share of growing food animals and processing the meat. They have applied factory methods that often mistreat the animals; or, if not mistreating them by illegal means, placing a low priority on the animal's well-being. In further maximizing their bottom line, they load up the animals with growth hormones that are not beneficial to the humans eating the meat. The food the animals get is selected to maximize growth and does little to enhance the flavor when the food reaches the plate. The big meat processors also apply factory methods to maximize throughput and profit.

Friend believes that animals need room to roam and they should get food that is good for their health - food that they would eat naturally. Processors of meat animals need to maximize sanitary conditions and place a highest priority on serving the needs of the people who eat the meat. This applies equally to the middlemen who are often in the chain between the pasture and the plate.

The greatest burden is on me and thee, the people who buy the meat with the intent of eating it or feeding it to our family and guests. The corporations will respond to the short-term profit greed of their stockholders. It is up to us, the purchasers of food to see to the quality of the food on our tables. That requires us to think, to learn, to exert a little more effort. We need to inform ourselves. This book starts that process and provides lots of references. We need to learn about the farmer growing our meat products. We need to know about the people who stand between the pasture and the plate. That requires new habits, but it is possible. Many people do it today. The more that do, the more influence they will have on the people providing the food we eat.

It means getting food from farmers we know or whom we have good reason to believe treat their animals right. It means knowing who kills the animal, cuts the carcass, wraps the meat, and cares for it until we buy it. That usually means getting meat that comes from smaller farm operations that send their meat direct to a processor that we know takes the utmost care in their work. If we buy the meat directly from the farmer or the processor, so much the better. If not, we need to know what happens between the processor and the vendor from whom we buy. In general, it means foregoing much of the fast food available in stores and restaurants. It even means that we will probably prepare more of our food ourselves. People who eat out in restaurants need to be good consumers; asking questions and taking care to make the best choices possible. And, yes, we may have to pay a little more for raw ingredients, but certainly not what the same nutrition costs from a fast-food source. Read "The Compassionate Carnivore" to understand what all this means and the way to do it without it being too hard on the pocketbook or the time budget.

The writer is herself a meat grower. She knows that the animals grown on her farm are treated right. She and her partner are good stewards of their land. They deliver their animals direct to a processor they know personally. The person who is going to put the meat on the table has often bought it directly from Friend and her partner, either before it went to the processor or shortly afterward. Friend knows that what goes on the plate is good nutrition and excellent quality. She takes pride in that.

The writer faces one problem to which there is no solution and which leaves her book slightly open-ended. That is the question of standards by which to judge the farmer and the processor. Most grocery stores in cities of any size will have an "organic foods" section. Governments and organizations have set standards which give that label some meaning. Unfortunately, there is so much red tape involved in raising organic foods and delivering it to the grocery shelf that many small farm operations can't afford to participate. Friend herself is not able to label the meat they sell as "organic." The truth is that her meat, and a lot of the meat available, is produced to criterion that exceeds "organic" in many respects, but for which there are no enforced standards. It isn't really a problem for us if we inform themselves ("The Compassionate Carnivore" provides a good start), find out where the food we serve comes from, and buy only meat that is up to OUR standards.

If you can get through the first half of this book without crying or becoming more angry than the author herself, you will enjoy the second half. I bet that you will end up eating healthier and feeling better about yourself as a result.

This book is an amazing take on some of the biggest issues our food chain is currently facing. Friend is smart, funny, insightful, and most importantly thoughtful. I went in to this book feeling confused, and conflicted about not only my eating habits but also my options for changing them. I finished armed with real practical solutions for making meaningful changes in how I eat without having to completely change what I eat. I especially enjoyed the fact that Friend, while using her trademark Midwestern humor, gives real practical suggestions for how to find and evaluate alternatives to major chain stores and slaughter houses. Since reading this book I've visited several small farms and I always take a list of questions provided in the book.

I've noticed that a lot of the negative reviews are coming from vegetarians and that's fine everyone had the right to their opinions, but after reading this book I can honestly say I am better situated to improve the quality of life for domestic animals than people who simply walk away from the table all together and that is, after all, what being a compassionate carnivore is all about.