For more information about the Good Meat Project go here.
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Michael Dunne: I'm Michael Dunne. Protests around the nation over ice aggression and tactics are downright scary. People have been beaten, bloodied, and in Minnesota, two people were killed. It's an occurrence and event with a total lack of whimsy. But then there's the brigade of inflatable frogs and pigs and other animals here in Eugene today. On the show, you'll hear from a registered guard reporter who spent time with the inflatable protesters of Eugene and learn why they do what they do, and how it helps defuse some tough situations. Then in the second part of the show, you'll hear about the largest growing segment of ranchers in Oregon, women and hear why they're attracted to that lifestyle and how they're incorporating more sustainable practices as they raise livestock. Samantha Pierotti who covers drinks and food and things to do around town with the Register Guard. Samantha, always great to see you. How are you?
Samantha Pierotti: Hey, thanks for having me on.
Dunne: You normally cover, you know, very fun things. You know, new bars or restaurants opening. But this was a kind of an unusual story for you. Talk about your story you did recently about the inflatable Eugene protests that mass around the federal building. Talk about this story.
Pierotti: Yeah. So, I was totally enamored with the whimsy of the inflatable protesters when I saw them driving by on a Sunday, I thought, that's so cool. It's kind of like the Portland frog has come to Eugene and grown its wings and taken a hippy dippy form, so I was, I was really into that. And then I reached out on Facebook when I saw that. It was an organized group, you know.
Dunne: It's interesting too, and we've all, I think most people have seen them, and they take all sorts of character forms, and it is a lot of fun. But obviously, you know, the protests, especially this year, have taken on a real serious tone. Can you talk to some of them? Give us a sense of why they're there, why they're dressed like they are. What's their goal? As best you can tell?
Pierotti: Yeah. So, I had the honor of speaking with Sara Zolbrod Fouché and another source who wished to remain anonymous, and both of them talked a lot about restorative protesting, which is what they're doing on Sunday afternoons. So basically, finding ways to keep yourself in the protesting circle while still also energizing yourself at the same time. So, people are out there doing massages, spreading the good will to each other. I don't tarot readings, things like that. Yeah, yeah. And having fun and protesting at the same time, which sometimes it seems like things can get a little heavy.
Dunne: Is part of their role? I mean, de-escalation, is it that okay these protests, and certainly, most recently, you know, some have been declared riots. There's been a certain level of violence, and certainly that's in the shadow of what's happening and what has happened in Minneapolis, where terrible tragedies have occurred. Do they feel like the costumes help? I don't know. Maybe the right word is deescalated, or just simply, does it? Does it counter balance the real, let's be honest, violence that we've seen.
Pierotti: Yeah, there was a really good quote from the person who I interviewed, who wished to remain anonymous, about counterbalancing, protesting, horrific absurdity with joyful absurdity, which I thought that that was a really cool way of putting it. Of a lot of these people that I've I talked to for the story, their brains can't quite process what's happening as fast as it's happening. And for some of us, it's it kind of just registers as, like, just this crazy blob of violence in your head. And so, to take tangible action and get out on the streets feels really good, and also to Dawn something that makes you feel happy while you're doing it.
Dunne: Yeah. And certainly, as you, as you mentioned, you know, the Portland frogs, really became kind of a national movement and I think that, you know, if you look at sometimes national coverage of that, some of it can be very much whimsy. Oh, look at those crazy Oregonians doing this thing. There's also been some people who are saying, oh, you know that that doesn't take that, that doesn't take the moment seriously. When you were talking to these folks, and like this idea of absurdity is that part of this, which is really the absurd ones, might be the ice officials. We're actually meeting that absurdity by wearing a clown costume or a Miss Piggy costume, or an Ewok or a frog, and, you know, run with that a little bit, or how they kind of expressed it to you.
Pierotti: Yeah, um, I'm trying to think of other words that were used during the story, like joyful clownery, um, things like that. I think it just feels good to acknowledge that um, times can be hard, and you can also be happy and experience community at the same time for these folks that are out there on Sunday afternoons.
Dunne: I kind of wanted to look at that from your perspective to being a reporter that covers, you know, fairly happy things like a new restaurant opening or something fun to do this weekend. Did you kind of go into this thinking, I wonder if you know, the idea of meeting something harsh with joy, you know, is, is, is? It elevates the importance of this story. I'm not saying the stuff that you cover isn't important. Of course it is, but, but, I mean, was there a certain level of, yeah, this, this is a departure from what I do, but it does fit because it is such an almost grounding community effort.
Pierotti: Yeah, I've been thinking a lot about how my reporting fits in when my coworkers are covering protests and I'm writing about restaurant openings or what's happening at the halt center, and I think that for a lot of community members, engaging with the arts is a really good way to recharge during times of political turmoil. And that's something that the inflatable protesters are doing as well, is that they're engaging with their community and bringing the arts down to the federal building with singing and painting, and sometimes people even bring their knitting projects. So that's kind of how I felt approaching the story and also approaching my beat right now.
Dunne: Yeah, well, and to that point about your beat, I mean, talk about that in terms of just, just again. It's been a tough year. There's been a lot that's happened. There's a lot that's still happening that has people feeling very out of sorts. Is probably the nicest way to put it. Some of them are feeling downright, you know, fearful and whatnot. How important are arts and culture, or just even a great place to go get something to eat or drink? How important is that from someone who covers it again? You use the word, you know, restorative a couple times. Talk about that and that importance, especially as a reporter covering it.
Pierotti: Yeah, I feel like staying grounded and engaging with the good and the bad in your community is one of the most important things that you can do right now. So, you know, like you can attend a protest and say things aren't going the way that I want them to be going right now in the world. But also, that doesn't cancel out the good things that are happening in Eugene. A lot of businesses are still opening up. You know, the world keeps spinning, even in times of turmoil. There's a new food truck, you know.
Dunne: Samantha, my last question for you is the term civil disobedience, which started in probably even before the 60s, but certainly the Civil Rights Act and whatnot, this idea of not just going lockstep with what your government is saying, or so and so forth. This is an interesting form of civil disobedience. It's kind of, again, we've used the words, you know, fun, jocularity, absurdity. But is this in some ways, I have to hand it to them. This is, to me, what a great form of civil disobedience, to show up at a protest wearing an inflatable clown costume or frog costume. I just want to get your last comments or thoughts about that, that that it does fit in with civil disobedience, just in a very whimsical way.
Pierotti: Yeah, definitely. It's great that these people are able to have fun and stand up for a cause that they believe in at the same time. And it's a really stark visual contrast to see federal agents versus an inflatable unicorn or someone riding a frog.
Dunne: She's Samantha Pierotti, she covers arts, culture food, drink, things happening in our community with the registered guard Samantha, always great to talk to you. Thanks so much.
Pierotti: Nice to see you.
Dunne: Now, let's chat with a guest about how women ranchers and an ethic towards sustainability is changing the industry. Michele Thorne, the executive director of the good meat project, Michelle, thanks so much for coming in and talking to us.
Michele Thorne: Thanks for having me, Michael.
Dunne: I know you have a background in meat production and ranching and that sort of thing. What attracted you to that industry?
Thorne: That's a great question. What attracted me to livestock farming originally was wanting to be closer to my food. I started farming later in life. I was not I didn't inherit a farm. I didn't learn how to do it from anyone other than the community members that were near me at the time, and really the impetus was transparency in my food. I was a hardcore vegetarian in my 20s, and like many people who go into ranching and ethical meat production, we have been vegetarians for one reason or another. But I really wanted to not just understand how to raise animals, but really understand this kind of historic relationship between humans, animals and land and produce products that I knew what was in them.
Dunne: Obviously, ranching is a centuries old profession and industry, but this idea of sustainability and humane practices, it's pretty new, isn't it? In the grand scheme of things?
Thorne: I don't know. I might challenge that a little bit, because there have been many, many people who've been historically, you know, culturally, raising livestock on land in very ethical, sustainable, and you know, regenerative ways for centuries. When you think about the bison of the Great Plains, the reason why the fur the soil was so fertile there is because the bison were roaming. They were able to graze, and they would graze, and then they would deposit their waste, and then they would move on to the next patch, and it would regenerate the soil. And there was so much fertility in the soil in the Great Plains when the bison were on that land. So, this isn't really new.
Dunne: Okay. something that sounds a bit new in sort of the research I saw was there's a lot more women getting into ranching these days than perhaps historically, talk a little bit about that.
Thorne: Well, according to the American Farmland Trust, 43% of women who either own farms or CO own farms are women, right? So, across the United States, so co-owners, or owners of farms, 43% that accounts for about 388 million acres in production under the leadership of women in the United States.
Dunne: Any conditions in the last 10 years that maybe have helped lead that trend.
Thorne: Conservation, okay, full stop. Yeah, based on the things that I've read, a lot of reports coming out of the USDA, you know, women are naturally nurturers. We care for our children. We care for our families. The land is just part of our it's part of our work. It's part of our nature. I feel like women, like men, really, we want to find something that speaks to our soul and farming in a lot of ways. I know for me, I can speak for myself and many of the people that I've spoken to recently, and women who are in agriculture. It is a way of life. It's not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of grit. It takes a lot of work. It's very physical, physically demanding, but the outcomes and the payoff. And it's not necessarily the financial payoff, right? It's the joy that you experience when you're raising animals or producing food in your community. It's the bond that you have with your animals and the land, and you see the fruits of your labor really producing an ecosystem that is beneficial for everybody. And so, you know, yes, more women are into livestock farming, not nearly enough, I would say. But yeah, I mean, that's what drew me to it. It spoke to my soul. I wanted to enrich my relationship, not just with the land, but with the food that I was eating.
Dunne: What is the Good Meat Project? What is your goal?
Thorne: So, the Good Meat Project is a national nonprofit. We are headquartered here in Oregon, which is very exciting, but we serve stakeholders across the United States, all 50 states, and we really want to connect across the meat value chain. So, we help farmers and ranchers, butchers, chefs and eaters connect across these, you know, invisible barriers, right, having them connect with each other and create ethical and responsible pathways to the production and consumption of meat. What are some of those invisible barriers, lack of communication for one, you know, connecting people who want to take responsibility for the food that they eat a lot of times, just talking to a producer can be eye opening. And vice versa, a producer talking to a customer, or a customer talking to a butcher, or a butcher talking to a farmer and or chef talking to a farmer, or chef talking to a butcher, and having those relational conversations, not just about the business, but about consumers, about a knowledge base that we all share, or that These stakeholders share, that's really important to the expansion and increase of like market share for independent producers. Because I think the goal that the good meat project has is to help people eat with eyes wide open. And sometimes that means it doesn't mean that we say, Oh, well, you should buy your meat from this producer, or you should buy it from the grocery store or whatever. I think people need to do what is fiscally responsible for themselves and their families. But one thing we do absolutely support, no questions asked, is that we support transparency in the meat supply chain, and a lot of times in the industrial production of meat, there is no transparency, and so we want people to have the agency to choose the meat that matches their values and support those producers locally and in their communities, because the economic benefit is that the money stays in the community when You buy meat locally or from a local producer, versus going offshore.
Dunne: Talk about this new initiative you're starting locally here in Lane County.
Thorne: Yeah, we're excited to partner with Lane County bounty and the Bohemia food hub in Cottage Grove. And the initiative is making ethical meat accessible to everyone. We were just talking about the affordability of meat. And so, this is, this is a way that we can match dollars and provide ethical meat in boxes for people who are in need, right? So, through Lane County bounty, we're working with other community organizations, and the good meat project is trying to raise money, matching dollars, to be able to facilitate direct purchases from local producers to get meat into these boxes. And so that is a donation-based initiative. And so, head on over to the good meat project and help us reach our goal.
Dunne: Obviously, some people listening might say, that's great, but is it? Is it economically sustainable? I think many people feel like, well, Factory Farming exists because that's the only way to farm at scale to feed a hungry nation. But do you see it differently?
Thorne: I do see it differently. Actually, I think that is that is also a misconception. When you are talking about affordability, sure, we could argue that food at the grocery store that's coming out of the big industrial meat production, sure, it's cheaper. But Why asking the question, why is it cheaper? Well, in some cases, it's cheaper because there's price fixing in the industry. There's bribery, there's, you know, cheating. People are cheating and making meat cheap so they're externalizing that cost to the next generation, right? We're destroying our waterways. We're destroying our air. We're externalizing that cost to a future generation without even knowing it. Right? So, to the people who you know want to make a difference and maybe can't afford it, I would say there's two pathways. To doing that. And one is buy, maybe once a month, buy, spend $20 or $40 with a producer at the farmers market where you live, and buy a nice cut of meat. Buy something special. Treat it like it's a special kind of indulgence, the way you might treat a special coffee once a week or a special dessert once a week, spend, you know a little bit more at the farmers market, buying directly from a producer and make it a special meal. Learn how to cook a new cut. Try something new, right? And that's one way to kind of support producers without spending your entire budget. I think another great solution is buying in bulk. When you buy meat in bulk, you can do it yourself. You can buy a whole half a quarter. You can share that with family members, friends, people that you know share your values, and a lot of producers, especially small family producers who do not have the benefit, or I should say, face bigger barriers to entering the retail distribution channels. The way that they survive is through direct-to-consumer sales of shares, and when you buy meat in bulk, you're getting all the meat at one price per pound. So oftentimes that's much more affordable than buying one offs. I would even say this, that purchasing say cuts that aren't say the steaks the prime cuts, right? Like you can do so much with ground meat. It's unbelievable, right? You could feed a family for four for two nights with one one pound of ground meat, if you're really creative. There's also roasts, wonderful things you can do with roasts and short ribs, and even finding cuts that aren't these $24 a pound cuts, like a ribeye or New York Strip, you name it. I could go on and on, Michael, but I I'm gonna stop there.
Dunne: Okay, well, that was a lot. She is Michele Thorne, the executive director of The Good Meat Project, really appreciate you coming in and talking to us.
Thorne: Thanks for having me.
Dunne: That's the show for today. All episodes of Oregon On The Record are available as a podcast at KLCC.org. Tomorrow on the show, a conversation with a reporter from ProPublica about an Oregon case where an immigrant with a minor family court case infraction was deported, and that has been elevated as a national program for the federal government and ICE. I'm Michael Dunne, host of Oregon On The Record, thanks for listening.
