Grazing the Net: Vegan? Don't bother
If you've switched to a vegan diet to save the planet‚...well, don't bother. Vegans often claim a plant-based diet is preferable for the environment, but new research says that ain't necessarily so.
In fact, as many of cowboys have claimed, the researchers found that a vegan diet wastes available land that could otherwise be used to feed more people.
The researchers compared 10 eating patterns and found that while eating fewer animals could increase the number of people that can be supported by existing farmland, eliminating animals altogether isn't the best way to maximize sustainable land use.
Ranches For Sale
These are not the type of ranches a good set of cows can pay for, but it's always fun to dream. In Texas, the historic Johnson Ranch in Snyder is on the market for $20.5 million. The ranch, listed on the Texas Historical Register, includes 3,718 acres, 12 oil wells and wind turbines.
Near Santa Fe, N.M., the ranch owned by fashion designer and film director Tom Ford is up for sale. Asking price: $75 million. Here's how GQ magazine describes the property: "Some rich guys have mansions. Other rich guys have architecturally important compounds in the middle of the picturesque New Mexico desert. Tom Ford falls pretty squarely into that second category." The house was designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando.
The property also includes an airstrip, and a replica western town used in the filming of Lonesome Dove.
Friday Funnies
Fun stories we've stumbled upon while composing this week's GTN.
- The Top 10 indications a farmer is an absolute genius
- New Orleans firefighter William Ziegler's kids hope you die laughing at his obituary
- Meet the Poop Dress: The Newest Use for Your Cows' Crap
- This Is Why You Shouldn't Try to Ride Your Cows
- Oregon Man Finds Portable Toilet Full of Marijuana Plants
- Farmer Olympics in Vermont
Court: Identical Brands OK on Different Location
The Arizona Court of Appeals has weighed in on a topic that's older than the state itself: cattle brands. The court said in a split decision that the state Department of Agriculture didn't break state law when it allowed a California ranching company to register a cattle brand that was already owned by Eloy rancher David Stambaugh. The department allowed the use of the Bar 7 brand by the Eureka Springs Cattle Co. if it branded its cattle on the left rib. Stambaugh uses his longtime brand on the left hip of his cows.
