Making peace with my dinner

After spending what felt like a lifetime birthing Bcelebrated, Mark and I were ready for a break. Though we live only a few blocks from the ocean in Santa Monica, which can feel like a permanent holiday most of the time, we really needed to get away. We found an ideal spot -Willow Witt Ranch. The website described this unlikely vacation spot as an historic sustainable ranch; a labor of love that has been operated by partners Suzanne Willow and Lanita Witt for over two decades. This 450 acre ranch, just 12 miles above Ashland Oregon, was once the site of commercial logging which lead to soil erosion and disease. Twenty years of committed land stewardship has brought about re-growth as well as enhanced air, soil, and water quality for the entire watershed.

I was thrilled by the idea of spending time on an organic farm where poultry, goats, and pigs are raised in a humane and sustainable manner. Over 10 years ago my good friend David Van Seters and I started SPUD which delivers organic local produce, groceries and meats to people's homes. We started SPUD because we were both deeply committed to supporting organic farmers, reducing greenhouse gases, and providing consumers with healthy food, while educating them about its source. Though I've had a passion for local organic food for years I've never spent time on an organic farm, and definitely not one where animals are raised to be eaten.

I've always loved the taste of meat but I was horrified to learn of the suffering inflicted on animals that are "factory-farmed". It was then I became a vegetarian, and remained one for 15 years. In the late 90's I became ill and had to start eating some fish and meat for my health. It was a painful period of my life. My best friend was a huge support as I dealt with the emotional turmoil of returning to a meat-eating life. I discovered that small farms existed which weren't part of the factory nightmare. They claimed to raise the animals in humane conditions and treat them with dignity. While I'm no longer involved in running SPUD, I love the company and I order my steak, hamburger, pork and chicken from them. The buyers choose ethical local farmers and write profiles about them in the newsletters. I feel connected to my food choices and know where my money is going. Still, until this trip to Ashland I had yet to see a humane farm in action.

We arrived Friday evening. We made ourselves comfortable in the enchanted guesthouse with windows looking out over the fields and mountains. Jake, the farm-hand immediately introduced himself and welcomed us to join him as he milked the goats. He was on a strict schedule to ensure the goats were milked every twelve hours otherwise they'd become uncomfortable. We followed Jake into the milking room, a sanitized room with cement floors, and two huge goats hooked up to electric milking machines. The goats paid no attention to us as they ate their alfalfa and deposited their milk. When they were done Jake hand-milked the final drops to ensure they were complete. Then the goats left the room and joined their pals out in the field. Every day since then we've watched the goats head up to the mountain pasture to graze to their heart's content.

Next we met the pigs. Now, I have to admit that I love bacon and I knew that by meeting these pigs I might risk losing my appetite forever. But that's not been the case. There are currently three sows with babies - about 30 piglets in total - at Willow Witt Ranch. Watching these pigs over the past few days I can tell you they have very good lives. Jake said "they get the chance to live out their genetic purpose; digging holes, rooting in mud, having babies, sleeping in deep beds of straw". All of the pigs seem happy and stress free.

The chickens, which are soft and beautiful and seem to enjoy being petted, have clean coops, constant access to outdoors and are moved to new pasture every few days.

What's most impressive to me is that Suzanne and Lanita are deeply committed to the care and well being of their animals, their land and the planet at large. Suzanne said it is a privilege to spend her life working with animals. They give their livestock organic feed and are working with other farmers and mills to get it locally. They run their farm, their entire business, completely off the grid. They use solar panels, micro hydro and a back up generator for all of the electricity.

Ms. Willow and Ms. Witt, pictured above, are two of the most genuine, caring, grounded women you'll ever meet. They are happy to take time to answer all of our questions and educate us about the land and the animals, always encouraging us to enjoy ourselves. These woman are working from before sunrise to long after sunset, even in July when the daylight hours are long. And since it's difficult to make farming a profitable venture Lanita still works full-time as a gynecologist in town to help support their habit of making our world, and our dinner, healthier.

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