I only stayed through the first part of the tour because I could not tolerate the idea of these poor cows produced as a meal. I am not a vegetarian, but for ethical reasons I very rarely eat meat. I do like cheese and milk on occasions, so the idea of visiting a cheese company did not seem that bad to me. Unfortunately, as I was driving past multiple milk farms on the way to Hilmar Cheese, I saw cows stuck in relatively small enclosures without any shade. These were not grazing cows on the side of the mountain lazily enjoying their grassy breakfast. These were sad creatures trying to hide away from the blazing sun and heat. It is sad that after being milked 2 to 3 times a day, as they age, they are slaughtered.
"What else would you do with them?" you might say. Well, we give horses a break after they complete their careers in racing, why can't we honor cows after they produced enormous amounts of milk, cream and cheese for us? How about treating them better as they produce milk? Yes, Hilmar Cheese Company has a shaded area for their cows, they even run fans and misters for them to relieve from heat exhaustion. But it makes me sad that humans are such consumers. And makes me even more aware of how food is made. I will do my best to reduce the amount of milk and dairy products I consume daily. I already use almond milk for my cereal, and will try to find alternatives to coffee cream.
I remember back in childhood my parents used to buy fresh milk from one of our neighbors who had a cow. It was unpasteurized, but truly delicious. Hilmar Cheese Company does not only process their own milk, but also milk brought in from other farmers. If you choose to buy dairy products, do yourself a favor and research where you are buying it from. Who is the supplier? Is there any way to buy it from the local farmers instead of big manufacturers?
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