Hi, James!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

JB>  I think I mentioned escargot there, too. We only have
JB>  slugs here, so I don't think they make quite as tasty
JB>  eating. (READ: They might even be toxic.)


          I don't know whether or not slugs are edible.  People in this
area use the same poisons on both snails & slugs, though... (sigh).



JB>  But my wonder is true, in why we all aren't becoming
JB>  used to grasshopper stew. All this cafuffle over Methane
JB>  generating, ozone depleting, (whatever!) cattle industry;
JB>  maybe we should start eating reptiles. 


          Some folks already do!  I'm noticing changes here in the types of
fish available.  Years ago Dallas & I often ate turbot... it was very
cheap, and very good, but we couldn't get it after the major food
processors discovered it.  Now I understand it's been "fished
out".  A lot of other things I used to enjoy have also been
"fished out" and replaced with what was once regarded as junk....
 :-/



JB>  Nitrogen and carbs... Never looked at it that way. The
JB>  only association I have with that, regards composting.


          I'd never looked at it that way before either... and I'd never
seen it in any gardening books.  But if you want some of that nitrogen to
end up on your dinner table in the form of protein, you need to make sure
there's enough in the soil to begin with.  Conversely, if you know which
foods contain protein, you'll know how to make good use of that raw egg you
dropped on the floor... unless the dog gets to it first!  Hence the phrase
"faster than a speeding bulldog".  :-)))



JB>  (Here I am, looking at the South end of a cow again!)


          Hmm.  I presume that's what Albertans do for fun... [D&RFC].



JB>  If it's green, it has nitrogen, brown+dry - carbon.


          The City of Vancouver uses the "green/brown" system
too.  I understand cows get collywobbles (or something) from eating fresh
green grass in the spring after eating silage all winter... maybe because
the nitrogen content is higher?? In any case, I've heard that fresh grass
is higher in nitrogen at that time than later in the season regardless of
whether or not it remains green.  I guess what matters most is that it was
actively growing until the time it was used....  :-)



JB>  Now, they tell us never to compost meats, but that's
JB>  never stopped me.


          I interpret that as another rule of thumb.  If "they"
say we should or shouldn't do something, it's enough for an SJ and it may
be enough for those who have a limited grasp of English or a limited
knowledge of the subject.  But it's not enough for you or me.  You say to
heck with the rules... I ask why.  What we both do, essentially, is test
the rules.  There's the "P" (perception) aspect of our preferred
reasoning styles.  We'd like to collect more data before making up our
minds about the practical application of rules like "NO MEAT, FAT OR
BONES".

          It seems to me... on the basis of my own experience... that
"they" are trying to warn us to be cautious with items which
break down slowly and/or which might annoy the neighbours (e.g. because
they smell bad or attract animals).  If the way you're composting meat
doesn't cause problems with regard to the above & if you're not hiding
evidence of any illegal activity in the back forty, I don't see why you
shouldn't do it.  Mother Nature composts meat & whatnot too....  ;-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+