by Anthony Weston
After a lengthy process with
significant time and effort from many members, the General Circle consented to four Principles and Intentions that relate to farm animals, pets, and food choices at Hart’s Mill. These P&Is offer a point of departure for working out more detailed policies and practices when relevant. Our deepest appreciation goes to everyone in the community who participated in this complex and challenging discernment process.
These four P&Is replace 16, 17, and 19 in the current posted version. They do not address the question of hunting (placeholder #18 in current posted version; we will drop that placeholder for now and add a P&I on hunting later for a net addition of one).
- We affirm a variety of ecologically- and communally-sensitive food choices. We recognize that all food choices have costs (to other creatures, to the land, to others and ourselves) that legitimately can be balanced in different ways. Consequently, while remaining committed to keeping food choices open to a degree of discussion and even criticism, we also explicitly affirm the legitimacy of a variety of choices, and do not wish any contention over food choices to become endemic. As a matter of courtesy we expect a maximal degree of consideration to others’ sensibilities around food, and to institute maximally inclusive and sensitive policies for shared meals, kitchens, and eating-places.
- We embrace companion animals with appreciation and care. We affirm the value of companion animals such as dogs and cats and welcome them into the community, while recognizing that they can also create a variety of problems, such as noise (eg. barking) and predation (cats of small animals and birds) which imply the necessity of limits, perhaps serious limits in some cases.
- We embrace farm animals with appreciation and care. We affirm the value of farm animals such as chickens, bees, goats and sheep for a variety of purposes, including food, wool, pollination and soil improvement, as well as mutual enjoyment. In reciprocity, we commit to caring for farm animals with respect and consideration for the natural health and quality of life of each particular species. At the same time, farm animals must be raised with consideration for the health of the land as a whole, as well as for the everyday human livability of the village and our neighbors.
- Any meat production will take careful account of the sensibilities of members who do not eat meat. Members may undertake to raise animals for meat. As a matter of course, any such animals will be given the same appreciation and care afforded other farm animals. Additionally, such animals will be understood to be the primary responsibility of those raising and eating them, with other members able to stand aside both physically and financially as far as practical. We recognize that this can be a troubled issue, and remain open to learning through our experiences both as individuals and as a community.
