Sunday, February 5, 2012

Helpless


2 limes
4 zucchini
5 tomatoes
2 cucumbers
2 large mangoes
4 yellow squash
6 sweet potatoes
1 large ginger root
5 shallots (used one)
1 bunch of broccoli
1 large pack of mushrooms
4 Haas avocados (ate one already)
1 bunch of asparagus (we already ate it)

In today's economy, this was a real bargain for us. We went to our local produce stand and got all of the above for twenty three dollars. We're lucky to live near a place with fresh vegetables and fruits which sell at reasonable prices. Oh and Gary sold some soaps today at a different venue, so maybe soaps do sell but only to certain markets. It being after the first of the month might help too.


While we were at the produce market I noticed some baby cows in an adjacent pasture. I went over to see them and take their photo. Two smaller baby cows looked like new borns and the other was a male perhaps a few months old. As I got closer I noticed the smallest two were so thin, their hips and rib bones were showing.


They were so friendly, the larger one put out his tonque to lick me and the smaller ones were so curious, reaching up for my hand to cuddle them, to give them a touch of companionship. In my mind they were begging for help. These babies shouldn't be taken away from their mother so young. Their mothers are probably dairy cows.


I want to take care of all these helpless animals. I had to leave before I got myself in trouble. Then as we drove by the grocery store there were people begging at the exits. Sometimes I feel so helpless. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

10 comments:

  1. You should probably call animal control and tell them what you saw. You must have some animal officer in your area. Sounds like a case for Animal Cops.


    Fresh produce from a stand in February! I'm turning the color of the avacados.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is grim, people at the exits begging, and those calves way too thin. It's heartbreaking, isn't it?

    I miss fresh produce from stands. I'm looking forward to summer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Suzi, thanks, well they had food and water so there probably isn't anything animal control will do. I think the babies probably missed their mother and have a bit of failure to thrive. Some of those vegetables probably come from South America as their season is different than ours.

    Hi Teresa, thanks, yes there are lots of grim pictures around. I think the news said Florida has the greatest homeless population probably because it is so warm here folks can survive. Then I hear about the net worth of all the politicians in office and those running, sad.

    ReplyDelete
  5. those calves do look way too thin.
    my former mother-in-law lived on a dairy farm 20 years ago, if my memory serves me correctly they bottle fed calves for awhile after they were taken away from their mother. i seem to remember that my daughter loved to help do that. maybe these calves aren't getting that.

    that's a nice looking bunch of produce for $24! avocados here are over $1 each, unless they are on special

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Michele, thanks, yeah they needed to be bottle fed for sure. They were so sweet and friendly, they need cuddling. The avocados are $1.29 in the grocery and they were 75 cents there and they come from the same supplier and country Chili I think. Florida has a big wholesale grocery outlet and that's where most of these produce stands get their produce and sell it much less than the grocery store, thank goodness for us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It really bothers me when I see animals neglected. I wonder if the calf needed to be seen by a vet. If a human is in desperate circumstances, they can walk away from it but a helpless, penned animal can't.

    Re Garrison Keillor, your public library probably has a lot of his CD's and books. There was also a movie made about his radio show but it wasn't that good in spite of stars like Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, you know that must be why I can't stand to see those animals suffering because it is humans who are responsible for their suffering and you are right they can't walk away, so someone has to speak for them. There were two of those tiny ones there both very skinny, perhaps their mother had twins which would be fairly rare for a cow I guess.

    It's been years since I've seen a movie unless I've gotten them for free from the library and they have the really old ones. I'm not much for religious music these days, but I'll check him out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. GRIPS HEART...... I can't bear to see animals suffering.

    I wish I had super powers to yield. It's very hard to see things like that. Yes they need the mothers milk! I wonder how the farmers can live with themselves.

    Your harvest is such a beautiful sight. Here in Amherst, Mass an area which is fairly well to do, there are also people at the stop signs to the super market begging.

    HUGS
    Lorraine

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Lorraine, thanks, yes tugs at my heart too I wish I had super powers, there are so many wrongs I'd like to right, the haves and the have nots. There are many folks out of work, out of homes, out of luck, and my Gary sees many at the flea markets right on the edge, many retirement age selling what they can to make ends meet.

    ReplyDelete

I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment