For decades environmental activists have insisted that cattle and other livestock are destructive to the health of the planet. In Defending Beef, environmental lawyer turned rancher, Nicolette Hahn Niman, argues that cattle are not inherently bad for the earth. The impact of grazing can be either negative or positive, depending on how livestock are managed. In fact, with proper oversight, livestock can play an essential role in maintaining grassland ecosystems by performing the same functions as the natural herbivores that once roamed and grazed there.
Join us for an open discussion on this important book, hosted by the Land & Table Book Club, on October 5th (6:30-8:00pm) at the Bedford Central Library. For those who have not read the book there will be a short related video presented before the discussion. Don’t miss it!
From the publisher, about the book:
“With more public discussions and media being paid to connections between health and diet, food and climate, and climate and farming—especially cattle farming, Defending Beef has never been more timely. And in this newly revised and updated edition, the author also addresses the explosion in popularity of “fake meat” (both highly processed “plant-based foods” and meat grown from cells in a lab, rather than on the hoof).
Defending Beef is simultaneously a book about big issues and the personal journey of the author, who continues to fight for animal welfare and good science. Hahn Niman shows how dispersed, grass-based, smaller-scale farms can and should become the basis of American food production.”
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The Land & Table book club is a way to engage with the core ideas and topics that are motivating a new generation to create a more resilient food system and vibrant local community life. We’ll be reading books about: eating local, self-reliant living, agrarian culture, growing food, culinary history, community resilience, going back-to-the-land, and more. This is not a book club that will be technical in nature. And if you don’t have a green thumb, you’ll still feel at home. You don’t have to grow your own food or be a homesteader or farmer to enjoy these books. But…you do have to be curious about reviving your connection with the land, with other people, and with the food you eat. And the reality is: tending to those connections is important for all of us.
We meet on the first Thursday of each month and welcome anyone to our meetings – even if you have not read the book we will be discussing
WHEN: Thursday, September 7 (6:30 – 8pm)
WHERE: Bedford Central Library, 321 N Bridge St Bedford, VA 24523
WHO: Anyone! All are welcome – even if you did not read the book.
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If you or your family members are under the weather, or not feeling well, we ask that you stay home and rest 🙂
VENUE DETAILS:
Bedford Central Library: 321 N Bridge St Bedford, VA 24523