That reminds me of 4-H auctions I've seen. I don't know hardly anything about the program but the prospect of raising one animal for slaughter doesn't feel right to me. Meat farmers don't do that so I don't see how that particular aspect of 4-H is teaching the future farmers without the pain of losing 'one' animal that gets a name. I don't attend the auction anymore as one time this young boy had a lamb up for auction and he was silently crying, but the tears were streaming down his face, while the auctioneer was talking about all the wonderful chops this spring lamb would make. I wanted to buy it to give it back to him, but it would have had the same fate anyway no doubt, as farm animals have to serve a purpose if it is how one makes their living. You can't keep feeding them and paying vet bills as if they were pets because they are not pets.

It is a struggle I deal with sometimes - wanting to be a vegetarian and loving meat too much. I spent 6 months as a vegetarian but I eventually had to have meat. That fake meat is not good except two types: Smart bacon is good on a BLT and the Morninstar soy crumbles are good in spagetthi sauce. I didn't eat any other 'fake' meat or cheese items after about a month and made all meals from fruit, beans, and mixtures of vegetables only. I drank chocolate soy milk as I can't stand the regular type (yuk).

Bacon is a huge weakness - what's not to love - fat and salt served extra crispy. I don't cook it often but when I do I can't stay out of it. I cook a pound, lean center cut, for two people and I keep coming back until it is gone, and only occasionally succeed in putting some in the fridge for later. 3 pieces of lean, drained bacon is 70 calories.

Did you know that pigs are smarter than dogs? They also can bite like heck and they are not dirty but like mud on their skin to keep off flies and sunburn.

What is up with National this and that days anyway? Is National Pig Day celebrated by not eating pork and paying homage to the pig, or by eating it? I'll tell ya, watch a slaughterhouse tape and you won't eat it for a while. I used to get crap from some people when I used to hunt deer. People, mostly women, calling me 'Bambi Killer' and I always had one question for them. Do you eat meat? If the answer was yes I would tell them at least I hunt my own food and don't feel good about myself by buying it in those neat little styrofoam packages. Where do these ninnys think it comes from? Picked off trees? Only a solid vegetarian can give me crap in that respect - the rest are bleeding heart hypocrits IMO.

CT

Please be aware that July 14th (Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm x 13 ! at that date :-) ..... ) Is the Mid-Atlantic Hermit Crab Challenge!

FTM, I dunno, you and a program like that could (no, would!) be dangerous!

I really do love bacon. But I'd rather not cuddle it before eating it. :)

Bernice is totally crablicious! Hermitiful to the maximum!

Brenda

Poor crabs - out there in the sun and wind being mistreated. There are many 'pets' that ought to be banned from sale and the hermit crab is one of them! Sorry, I am anti exotic pets period. Very few people qualify to properly care for other than your basic dog or cat IMO. There is nothing worse than some kid with a tiny hermit crab prison and he forgets to mist and water it daily and in a few days the rotten stench of dead crab. Not pretty. Same goes for Turtle races or any of that ilk. Cruelty as it's best.

They do not get misted but have free access to three shallow pools where they can bathe, cleanse and refill their shells with fresh or salt water.

C3D ... not being cruel to the Camp Nappy Crabs

I did not include you in my opinion as I know you take proper care of all in your charge. Unfortunately, not everyone does and hermit crabs are marketed to children as easy and cheap pets which in all reality we know how most of them end up.

I saw many marine hermit crabs when out in California walking through the tidal pools at Vandenburg AFB. They had Fiddler crabs and sea urchins too, among other critters when the tide recedes, leaving the pools. What a naturalist snoopers paradise!

Now here is the kind of crabs I love. Who said they were blue? Caught these myself. CT

Nice crabs!

Brenda

(From pigs to crabs...only in the world of off-topic forums....)

cute story,ct. there is a great photo for captioning!
oh, and the mention of blue crabs makes me miss my chesapeake bay blue crab tshirt! oh well, i couldn't fit into it now anyway.