Letters

ZERO-GRAZING CONCERNS
Marian and I have been observers of the Heifer project since the end of World War II when our brother-in-law, Charles Webb of Goshen, Ind., a friend of Dan West, recounted to us his adventures in chaperoning a shipload of pregnant heifers to Europe to initiate the program. We have observed and in a small way participated in your innovative methods of reducing hunger, here and abroad.

On Page 7 of the spring edition of World Ark, there is a definition of zero-grazing which could perhaps be interpreted as an endorsement of "feedlots." There are other activists in the field of world nutrition who do not agree that this is a good idea.

We endorse the entire concept of self-help to prevent malnutrition. Keep up the good work.

JOHN E. AND MARIAN C. HAMPTON
Washington, N.J.

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You'd better try to explain "zero-grazing" to those of us who oppose crowded quarters for animals.

Yes, it's convenient. Yes, it's easier on the ecosystem. No, it's not good for the animals! That's like saying that high-density city populations can be as healthy as their "free-grazing" rural cousins. People in cities can go to gyms to exercise. Zero-grazing cattle … how do they exercise?

JEANNE MATTALE
Honeydew, Calif.

Editor's Note:Zero-grazing is different in many ways from feedlots. In rural villages, simple sheds made out of local materials provide a place for animals to be fed and protected from predators and theft, and where manure can easily be collected for gardens and crops. Outdoor exercise and sunlight are part of the healthy management of these animals, while cut-and-carry feeding reduces the energy farmers spend managing them. Finding the right balance is part of the training Heifer provides. For an illustration further explaining the zero-grazing method, turn to Page 6 in this issue.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION
I just read a fascinating, though disturbing, book called Waste, by Tristram Stuart.

According to Stuart, some poor farmers inadvertently waste a lot of what they produce because they don't have proper harvesting techniques that minimize damage to the produce (bruised or cut produce goes bad faster). Even more significant, many don't have proper storage. Grain gets eaten by vermin, or develops mold. Milk spoils for lack of refrigeration; fruit rots. Finally, without proper bins for transporting delicate produce, much of it ends up mush before it reaches the market.

Stuart thinks farmers in developing countries could significantly increase their profits and/or better feed their families if they had resources to help them reduce waste. What is Heifer doing to help its participating families reduce food waste during harvesting, processing and marketing, etc.?

Thank you for your dedication to helping feed the people of the world.

ANNIE CAPESTANY
Walla Walla, Wash.

Editor's Note:Heifer seeks to build sustainable communities and addresses waste on many levels. We know that on average, more than 33 percent of harvested food is wasted. There is huge potential for improvement, and we are working on it, farmer by farmer. We teach low-tech techniques to protect crops from spoilage and rodent/insect infestation. Manure is used to create biogas for cleaner cookstoves and as organic fertilizer for crops and gardens.Chilling facilities have been built to reduce milk spoilage. Heifer also trains participants in more efficient methods and helps to bolster local markets so that excess produce can be sold locally.

Q & A SPRING: Is eating locally grown foods a priority for you? Why, or why not?
Eating local is a priority for my family. We have a garden and fruit trees in our backyard and hope to raise chickens next year. Our city allows up to four birds per family. Currently I buy grass-fed beef, free-range chickens and eggs and honey from local farmers. I like knowing the people who grow or raise our food and how they do it.

My kids and I "cow-sat" for my friend and about a year later got to purchase some of the beef. I told my kids that the meat was from an animal they helped take care of. At first they kind of freaked out, but then I asked them if they'd rather eat meat from an animal that they did not know how it was raised or meat from an animal that they helped take care of. We really don't know what we are getting from the store—not sure the USDA label means what it used to anymore. I much prefer paying more and knowing what I am getting and have that money go directly to the farmer.

MERRIE SCHAMBERGER
Neenah, Wis.

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Since 2008 our family has been committed to eating locally grown food. My Mother's Day gift to myself in May 2007 was a copy of Barbara Kingsolver's excellent book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. This book inspired me to visit more farmers markets, host an all-Missouri potluck in the summer of 2007, and join a new CSA in our area, Fair Shares, in early 2008.

We are fortunate to be subscribers of Fair Shares, a CSA that provides shares for its 300-plus member households 48 weeks a year. With more than 70 local producers contributing to the CSA, we receive a wide variety of meat, cheese, eggs, produce and other goodies like fresh pasta, bread, nut butters, dried beans, jam and honey each week. We love supporting our small, local family farms, as well as cooking and eating the delicious food together. It's been a wonderful adventure, and I encourage everyone to try it.

JOANNE McANDREWS
St. Louis, Mo.

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I started my attempt to eat locally after reading Barbara Kingsolver's book. It's difficult being a locavore in Michigan, where we have a very short growing season. I occasionally verge on tantrum-like behavior when I'm in the local grocery store and find that all the fresh produce is not only not local but imported. There's this huge emphasis on buying American products, but we continue to eat tomatoes from Mexico.

Michigan State University, formerly Michigan Agricultural College, has a CSA and I was able to join for one summer, although there is a year-round program. This area also has high unemployment so people are more likely to get groceries at Walmart. The local food movement makes so much sense considering fuel costs, nutrition-related health problems, unemployment and urban flight, not to mention that local food is fresher and therefore tastes better.

GRETCHEN KIRBY
Lansing, Mich.

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I have lived in small towns and rural areas for more than 35 years. I try and support local people in their business endeavors, whether they be merchants, farmers, bankers or grocers. It makes sense to me to spend my money locally to help keep my community healthy.

Having owned a 5-acre truck farm myself, I truly appreciate the work that goes into growing and producing food. However, in my current location, rural north-central Florida, there are no farmers markets or vegetable stands. I must make the choice between driving 35 to 40 miles to purchase fresh, "local" foods or buying trucked-in, commercially produced foods from my small town's grocery store. Do I reduce my carbon footprint by driving 80 miles round-trip to purchase a week's worth of groceries as opposed to a 20-mile round-trip to purchase groceries that are trucked in? For many, eating locally produced foods is a catch-22 situation.

DOTTI HYDUE
Morriston, Fla.

We want to hear from you! Please send your comments to worldark@list.heifer.org. Include your name, city and a telephone number or e-mail address. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published online as well as in print. Because of the volume of mail we receive, we cannot respond to all letters.