Growing up, I thought that food came from the grocery store. You walk down the aisles, pluck what you need from the shelves and fry it up at home. End of story.

But then I married an apple farmer and got a first-hand look at where food actually comes from, the sacrifice and effort it takes to get it to those grocery store aisles.

Since then I have gradually become more and more aware of where my food comes from, especially when it comes to meat. I have written before about my ongoing battle with “should I eat meat or not?” after watching several disturbing documentaries about factory farming and animal cruelty. Most factory-farmed animals live in extremely cramped conditions. They are fed unnatural diets, antibiotics and suffer painful mutilations such as de-beaking and tooth breakings so they can be kept in huge numbers on factory farms.

I am about 75% vegetarian these days, and the meat we do eat is venison that my husband has hunted as humanely as possible. We purchase our eggs from good friends of ours who raise chickens. More and more we are doing our best to support farms where animals are not mistreated.

I know it’s cliche, but as consumers we do hold the power when it comes to the food we buy. If we pay the extra money to buy pasture-raised meat, cage-free eggs, and local, organic produce, that message has the strength to change conditions for animals and help to stamp out animal cruelty.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals are passionate about this cause and have this to say:

“We have worked to expose animal cruelty and prevent animal suffering for more than 30 years. Working with individuals, organizations and governments across the globe, our campaigns range from ending the mass suffering of industrially farmed animals to protecting animals in disasters. Consultative status with the United Nations means we have a unique international platform to prove that the lives of animals are inextricably linked to our own, and now more than ever is the time to stop their suffering.”

They are running a campaign to raise awareness about this and ask that you take their pledge and commit to making farm life better for animals. 

I know there is a barrage of information out there about food these days, and the conflicting information can be paralyzing. The way I look at it is this: am I making healthier, more informed choices about our food today than I was a year ago? If so, great! We can’t do it all, but the little changes we make can add up to something grand over time.