If one more person suggests I buy someone a present from Project Heifer, I'm gonna blow

[LisaM]

I'm so tired of it!

It's as bad as that trend a few years ago to buy people the deeds to stars. Snort.

[Blue-Jay]

1. Chickens and goats are appreciated by people who like eggs and milk.

[Chan790]

2. I had no idea what this was so I had to Google it.

How horrible and pointless. Spend $1500 to send them livestock. They eat the livestock, the next year they need more livestock.

Spend the same money to teach improved agricultural techniques and provide plants and equipment...you achieve better results which are sustainable from one year to the next.

[hedgehog]

3. The idea is to raise the livestock for eggs, milk, wool, etc. A hen will

eventually go into the stew pot, but only after hatching out some new birds. SAme with rabbits. Part of the deal a farmer makes when given the livestock is a promise to pass on some of the offspring to other farmers.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/pp-introduction.html

[KamaAina]

4. Say, why don't you buy someone a present from Project Heifer?

:evilgrin:

actually, they (its name is Heifer International, BTW) mailed me the catalog, too. It sounds like a Good Thing To Do.

edit: It is nothing like the deeds to stars. Those are completely bogus! Heifer actually buys real, live farm animals (cattle all the way down to honeybees) for rural people in need (some even in the U.S.)

[hedgehog]

5. If you are a vegetarian or object to the use of animals for milk, eggs

and wool, you're going to hate Project Heifer. As near as I can tell, the people working with third world farmers (even low income farmers in the US) think Project HEifer is a shining example of how we should be spending our charity dollars.

[pitohui]

7. there are areas in africa where a vegetarian diet is completely impossible

there are areas that are in just such bad shape that you've GOT to have a goat (because a goat changes thorn tree into usable meat and/or milk) or you've GOT to have a chicken (the chicken changes insects it scratches up into usable meat and/or eggs)

being a vegetarian often seems to be a "class" thing for a reason

when you're living at a subsistence level, you have to be more practical

that goat you have staked out chewing thorns growing in a ditch could be a real life saver in some parts of the world

IMHO people should not impose their religious beliefs in the vegetarian diet on hungry people

[LisaM]

6. Oh no!

Now do I have to blow? I'm not even really sure what it means!

I know it's very well meaning, but I like to shop for Christmas presents in stores and then wrap them very artistically.....

[hedgehog]

10. Hey , I'm all for getting nice presents and giving them. Sometimes, though,

a gift like Project Heifer is just right. My Mom gives Project Heifer to her adult children. She figures we can buy what we really want or need ourselves. It's a nice way to remember us at Christmas without loading us up with junk.

[IDemo]

8. Ordering a heifer or a flock of geese doesn't mean that is what your money will be used for

Although it may be. It is meant to denote a level of spending. Your gift money may be used to plant trees instead, for example. It's all dependent on what they determine is the greatest need.

[LostinVA]

9. .