Entry #7: Feeble Farming

Uncomfortable Changes

    Welcome back, everyone! Unfortunately, this entry's topic is less amusing. As a class, we watched the documentary Fresh together. For me, it was extremely uncomfortable. I cannot stand suffering of any kind (I'm a Pisces), so enduring certain scenes was difficult for me. Especially the scene of the baby chicks being dumped on the ground. It genuinely made me tear up. I'm tearing up typing this now! Thinking of the atrocities the animals face in the food industry upsets me deeply. 

    To make viewers uncomfortable and upset is the point of the documentary. It does an excellent job at this, obviously. I think with this topic, "shock" media can be very effective. It definitely pulls at your heartstrings and brings awareness to things the general public otherwise doesn't think much about. It's more than just awareness, though. It's a kind of stark, in-your-face awareness that you cannot ignore. Like me, many people are aware of the horrors of the food industry. They just try not to think about it. This documentary is not only meant for those who are unaware, but also those who are aware and try to ignore it.

    As far as impact goes, unfortunately most people will continue to support the food industry after watching. Although I'm aware of the horrors of the food industry, I don't change my behavior. The truth is, I would like to be vegan; I don't want animals to suffer. But, I'm not wealthy enough nor am I disciplined enough. I also don't like changes to the lifestyle I've been experiencing all my life, as do many Americans. Many documentaries over the decades have attempted to change the minds and hearts of the American public. While their minds and hearts may be won over, most people's behaviors remain the same. Some, however, take this to heart and strive to make a change. With veganism on the rise, I think it's important for these kinds of documentaries to continue to be made despite the small number of people who decide to improve their habits.

The Birds and the Bees... And the Chickens and the Cows

    Other than exposing the cruelty in the industry, Fresh gives good insight into ethical farming. One part I greatly enjoyed was the focus on this man's farm that he transformed. If I remember correctly, he inherited the land from his father and made big changes. He sought advice from other farmers, who told him to get giant industrial buildings to keep his animals in. Rather than taking up that advice, he chose to buy a handful of cows and chickens (compared to industrial farms) and let nature run its course. 

    The cows graze first, mowing down the natural pasture and cleaning up the land. They do this for a few days, then the chickens come to pick out the harmful worms and larvae from the cow droppings. They also spread out the droppings, helping them to dry out faster. They continue this cycle from area to area. I really enjoyed learning about it because I never knew it was a thing. I also admire the fact that this farmer decided to keep the amount of cows and chickens to a natural amount. If ethical farming did exist, this would be an incredible start.

Final Thoughts

    Overall, I thought this was an excellent documentary about not only the dangers of the farming industry, but how ethical farming could be done and how people could improve their diets by eating organically and growing their own crops. The jarring imagery and descriptions are important to make this documentary what it is. They don't have an overly pessimistic effect though; much of the documentary is about ethical farming and eating. Though they may not have the greatest impact, something is better than nothing. Documentaries exposing the toxic farming industry and methods of improving it should continue to be made.