Farming and the Fast

[ttcmacro]

Perishable dairy and poultry products (milk and eggs) are often not eaten by Orthodox during fasting days, and are not eaten for weeks during the long Lenten fast. This brings up a couple of questions, that came to me today while in the grocery store:

1. How do people who have chickens and/or milk goats or cows deal with these restrictions? In the U.S. I see a simply solution, since most people are not Orthodox, you could simply give your eggs away to your friends and neighbors for example. That I think would very much be in the spirit of the fast. I think this could be more complicated in Orthodox countries. Or perhaps the fasting rules are relaxed for those in these situations?

2. On a more macro scale, production output of milk and eggs seems to be somewhat fixed at a given point in time, as there are number of chickens and cows being used to produce eggs and milk. It would seem that a substantial temporary drop in demand (which could happen in a largely Orthodox country during a major fast) would actually create waste, as the output of these products would remain the same. Now perhaps prices would decrease during the fast, and demand from non-Orthodox or not-fasting-Orthodox would keep demand stable? I'm not sure how this works.

I'm certainly not arguing against fasting here, I'm just curious if anyone has any thoughts on this.

 

[ArmyMatt]

ask your priest

 

[~Anastasia~]

If you mean small farms, those kinds of animals and management techniques actually aren't quite constant. Milk can also be used to feed those animals' own babies. Hens can be allowed to raise chicks which temporarily halts egg production. And so on.

I don't know if that's what they do or not. But it makes sense on a farm to manage your resources.

 

[archer75]

Also remember that in Orthodox countries, tons of people ignore the fasts totally.

 

[Ioannes]

Also remember that in Orthodox countries, tons of people ignore the fasts totally.

I heard that in Greece there are many restaurants which offer sort of vegan foods especially for the large fasting periods. This seems to suggest the practicing Orthodox aren't that few.
As for the slavic countries, I believe there's a problem there with nominal christianity as in the west, but I speak by experience with the slavic immigrants I met in my country (they don't give a damn of religion and when they do they tend to be JW's or similar types of evangelicals)

 

[prodromos]

MacDonalds in Greece had to introduce Lenten meals during the fasts in order to maintain business.

 

[FireDragon76]

On a macro scale, I don't see it being an issue, they could be turned into dried milk, cheese, dried egg, industrial products, etc.

Also remember that in Orthodox countries, tons of people ignore the fasts totally.

Most of those countries also have religious minorities that do not follow Orthodox fasting. For instance, in Russia, 30 percent of the population is not Orthodox. That's similar to the number of people in the US who are non-Christian.

 

[FenderTL5]

One element of the fast is to support those in need. This would be a great opportunity to feed those who are hungry.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I do especially like the idea of feeding the hungry in that case btw. That is even more important than worrying about avoiding certain foods yourself.

Maybe because it's because they are coming to Church after all, but for the most part our immigrants (whether from a Slavic nation, Ethiopia, Greece, or wherever) ... tend to be more serious about their faith than many typical Americans who also go to our Church.

 

[ttcmacro]

Thanks for the responses. I'm not a farmer or anything, but may get some chickens eventually. As I said, living in the U.S., the solution seems pretty simple, as the eggs can be given away during the long fast periods, since us Orthodox are probably only 1% of the U.S. population or so. I think that is very consistent with the ideas behind fasting. A know a lot of monasteries have chickens, so they are dealing with the eggs in some way.

I understand probably many Orthodox don't fast, or don't fast "perfectly" (myself include here) so that would certain lessen the decrease in demand. But even if 10% of the population fasted, that would have an impact. FireDragon76 makes a good point, ramping up production of powdered milk and the like during the fast may be how any decrease in demand for dairy products are dealt with. That would make sense to me. I'm going to see if I can find any economics research related to this question.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Eggs can be frozen and used for cooking. Depending on how many extra I had (not too many and I'd just feed them to dogs, cats, chickens) but if I had many dozens left over I'd just freeze them in baggies with several (unshelled) per bag.

But giving them away is good too. Local food banks or shelters might accept them, depending on health laws. I could always find individual people who would accept them though.

 

[archer75]

On a macro scale, I don't see it being an issue, they could be turned into dried milk, cheese, dried egg, industrial products, etc.



Most of those countries also have religious minorities that do not follow Orthodox fasting. For instance, in Russia, 30 percent of the population is not Orthodox. That's similar to the number of people in the US who are non-Christian.

I wonder where Russia gets their numbers. Some Russians I have know who consider themselves "Orthodox" are not even baptized. It just means "I'm not Muslim and I speak Russian."

I've seen estimates that despite Russia's claims of so many millions of Orthodox people, the number of baptized and communing (at least sometimes) is more like a million.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Unless the hungry people were Orthodox, too, and are fasting!

One element of the fast is to support those in need. This would be a great opportunity to feed those who are hungry.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Unless the hungry people were Orthodox, too, and are fasting!

Could you see a homeless beggar turning down food because it wasn't fasting-friendly? Anyone so ascetic and pious would probably be a living Saint already.

I'm not disagreeing with you. Just strikes me what that would take for a person. If I was homeless and very hungry, I'm sure I would justify a free egg for myself (and I actually don't think God would mind at all either). But I suppose better one who was far enough above earthly attachments to want to do that.