Also, has anyone noticed all the "independent" farmers and rancher advertising on TV on selling what I call "concierge" meat? Goes far beyond the Omaha Steaks outfit. Never seen anything like this before... ranchers cutting out the middle man and selling straight to the public? Or are they actually individual ranchers, and not corporate ranchers and farmers trying to expand their business by hook and by crook?

and you're right, it's not cheap. A few years ago, another couple and I had talked about pooling our money and doing it together. Only problem was we didn't then (nor do we have now) a freezer... other than the frozen area on the frig.

These ads aren't like that, tho. And I've not been able to trace them down. The cynic in me says its a come-on from big ag trying to cut out those like whom we're talking about. I could very well me wrong... but the cynic will always arise in me when I can't track things down.

And then I got covid, and something weird happened afterwards. I can't stand eating anything animal anymore.

And I do agree, if you can't track them down, something must be going on. If they're trying to make money, why are they making it so hard for any of us to find out who they really are? Trust your cynicism.

You haven't been bitten by any those ticks, have you? I have a best friend who was. She's totally had to change her diet because of it. Has played havoc with her lupus and fibro, to boot.

I'm more and more off meat, not only because I can really no longer afford much of it... but also because my love of animals is getting the better of me. I keep telling myself plants are alive, too; but I just don't have that same connection with them. So, when we use meat in a dish, I pay respects to the animal that sacrificed its life, and thank it for the nutrition it's provided me and mine. It's a bandaid, at best.

My sense of smell and taste never recovered after having covid. And every time I tried to eat any kind of animal, it was utterly disgusting. Once in a great while I can eat a piece of fish. I've had one hamburger in the last 4 years. No chicken. I will eat dairy.

And, I have a very good friend who is a member of PETA, and she educated me quite a bit. So it's also that, just like you. I remember during the pandemic, I watched a lot of animal videos. When I saw a cow playing ball, just like a dog, something switched in my brain and I couldn't go there anymore.

The one time I ate the hamburger? I actually sat there and said basically the same thing that you did.
I had that hamburger about 6 months ago, and I still feel guilty.

It has an impact. As do those "odd friends" pics and videos. To eat meat, you have to blank out the fact that the animals have feelings and relationships that go far beyond what we humans might have. I've been eating a lot more beans... especially black beans, to try to make up for the lack of protein. Still looking for a good, easy, spicy black bean soup recipe. Haven't found one yet that hits the mark, tho.

If it weren't for quesadillas and black beans, I would starve.

If you do find the perfect SPICY, (that's always the magic word,) black bean soup recipe, please pass it on to me.

By any chance, was it this cow video?
This is the one that really got to me.

I also like how that field is on the near outskirts of a city... you can see the apartment complex in the near background.

You're a spice fiend, too, eh? If I ever find the recipe (or manage to make it up on my own), I'll pass it on to you, count on it!!!

Last edited Mon Aug 11, 2025, 06:39 PM - Edit history (1)

You can partially blame the Orange Pantload.
"Tariffs on cocoa imports are causing powdered cocoa prices to rise. This is due to new duties on cocoa beans, butter, and powder from major producing countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana."

fascists they will demand we grow cocoa bean trees here. Along with coffee bean plants.

Isn't that what Besset implied when he said tariffs would bring production home?

I want to see all the coffee, chocolate, bananas that are grown in the US sold here. (There are a couple of places in Italy that are growing coffee now. But the supply is limited.)

Avocados also. I know those grow in CA but just think what they will cost if CA is the only supplier.

Just stupid of him. I'm waiting for him to go off again on the VAT that most European countries collect.

I have found it for as little as 16 Euro/kilo, about $8 per pound, plus shipping.
Most was in teh 25 Euro, $12.5 per pound, plus shipping.

So that is not too out of line .