Post by Vanessa on Oct 24, 2007 1:21:13 GMT -5
Mark McAfee was in Edmonton to talk tonite!! WOW!! It was awesome!!
Maryann was my Fairy Godmother!! I was pretty much thinking I couldn't go, b/c it was at the University campus, which is a busy place traffic wise, and I'm a nervous city driver. Plus, I had no one to watch my kids. Well, Maryann happened to phone just this am, and she arranged for me to meet her at her sister's house, and her sister kindly said she'd watch my kids (she's a such a rockstar too!!!-She not only had two of mine, but her own, plus her daughter's friends, and a couple of Maryann's boys too!!) Dinner was pizza, and then Maryann drove us to the talk!! It was soo awesome!! I actually have much, much, much more respect for Mark now-he's not totalitarian no grain, nor does he push that milk be "organic" although I'm sure he is proud of his organic status and deserves to be, immensely-his operation is bona fide, not one that is using loopholes. Rather, his suggestion was to look at things on a scale from worst to best, and to then try your best to lean as far to the "best" side as you possibly can. He also had a super little tidbit for those of us who've struggled with staph cows-he said that he would put those cows in a pasture with several cows and allow the calves to nurse it out. Another interesting thing-I had someone tell me that her holistic Dr. told her that dental caries could be caused by raw milk as well as pasteurized milk, spouting off that humans can't digest the proteins in either. Well, another gentleman asked just that question, if that statement was true. Mark brought up the point that no, b/c milk has it's own enzymes to digest itself, while pasteurized has it's enzymes disabled. Well, yeah, I had that hidden in the back of the ol brain somewhere, but hadn't thought to whip it out in response to this friend's challenge. So it was neat to hear (though I feel almost certain it's the same Dr in this area that's spouting off the drivel about milk to everyone-grr!)
His respect and support for nursing mothers and respectful birth practices was also evident (and his wife is a labour and delivery nurse!!). Wyatt and I got to meet and talk to him and give him a hug or two after the talk and I am now never washing my right cheek again, LOL!!
I had Wyatt with me (I don't often leave him) and he happily babbled away for the first part of the talk, though I tried to shush him-I truly did not wish to disrupt the talk, but I was happy that at least it was babble and not crying, other than the brief sniffle when he smoked himself with the board book I'd given him to try and quiet him down! I then went to go to the back of the lecture hall, to rock him in the sling (he LOVES his sling I made him of hand woven guatamalan cotton! So much, I think I'll keep it as a lovey for him!) anyways, as I walked down the aisle, a woman at the end of the next aisle was looking at him with an expression on her face that I initially mistook as a smile. (not to sound arrogant, but we're rather used to people smiling and talking to him). I smiled at her, wondering if I knew her (she had kind of familiar features), when suddenly the funny look turned to a grimace and she hissed "at last! Good riddance!" I guess she mistook my walking towards the back, as me leaving. At first I felt upset and hurt, but reasoned that we live in times where children aren't valued so much, and I did feel bad about the noise (though I wasn't sitting all that close to her, and I hadn't thought we were being that loud). But that was the only negative reaction-everyone else complimented and flirted with him (even and especially Mark! who commented on Wyatt's fine, wide facial structure and easygoing temperament-Wyatt liked him too! ;D ) and one sweet lady confided to me that she was expecting their second very badly wanted and loved child!! She was there hoping to find help for being able to nourish, and possibly even nurse this upcoming lil one, as her first experience nursing was really tough, even though she had consultyed several lactation consultants. I do pray she will be granted the chance to nurse her new lil miracle!
Also, it seems as if some members from the Alberta dairy board were there, but left before Mark had a chance to personally greet them. There was also a petition there-there is an MLA who is sympathetic to the raw milk cause and wanted to know how much support there was for it.
Anyways, it was a SUPER night, I met soo many awesome, likeminded people and just enjoyed myself soo thoroughly!! I urge anyone in the vicinity of Calgary to find a way, any way!! to go and see him tomorrow night!! (Tamara-I'm thinking of YOU!! LOL!!)
I'd better go crash now!! Nite!!
Vanessa
Maryann was my Fairy Godmother!! I was pretty much thinking I couldn't go, b/c it was at the University campus, which is a busy place traffic wise, and I'm a nervous city driver. Plus, I had no one to watch my kids. Well, Maryann happened to phone just this am, and she arranged for me to meet her at her sister's house, and her sister kindly said she'd watch my kids (she's a such a rockstar too!!!-She not only had two of mine, but her own, plus her daughter's friends, and a couple of Maryann's boys too!!) Dinner was pizza, and then Maryann drove us to the talk!! It was soo awesome!! I actually have much, much, much more respect for Mark now-he's not totalitarian no grain, nor does he push that milk be "organic" although I'm sure he is proud of his organic status and deserves to be, immensely-his operation is bona fide, not one that is using loopholes. Rather, his suggestion was to look at things on a scale from worst to best, and to then try your best to lean as far to the "best" side as you possibly can. He also had a super little tidbit for those of us who've struggled with staph cows-he said that he would put those cows in a pasture with several cows and allow the calves to nurse it out. Another interesting thing-I had someone tell me that her holistic Dr. told her that dental caries could be caused by raw milk as well as pasteurized milk, spouting off that humans can't digest the proteins in either. Well, another gentleman asked just that question, if that statement was true. Mark brought up the point that no, b/c milk has it's own enzymes to digest itself, while pasteurized has it's enzymes disabled. Well, yeah, I had that hidden in the back of the ol brain somewhere, but hadn't thought to whip it out in response to this friend's challenge. So it was neat to hear (though I feel almost certain it's the same Dr in this area that's spouting off the drivel about milk to everyone-grr!)
His respect and support for nursing mothers and respectful birth practices was also evident (and his wife is a labour and delivery nurse!!). Wyatt and I got to meet and talk to him and give him a hug or two after the talk and I am now never washing my right cheek again, LOL!!
I had Wyatt with me (I don't often leave him) and he happily babbled away for the first part of the talk, though I tried to shush him-I truly did not wish to disrupt the talk, but I was happy that at least it was babble and not crying, other than the brief sniffle when he smoked himself with the board book I'd given him to try and quiet him down! I then went to go to the back of the lecture hall, to rock him in the sling (he LOVES his sling I made him of hand woven guatamalan cotton! So much, I think I'll keep it as a lovey for him!) anyways, as I walked down the aisle, a woman at the end of the next aisle was looking at him with an expression on her face that I initially mistook as a smile. (not to sound arrogant, but we're rather used to people smiling and talking to him). I smiled at her, wondering if I knew her (she had kind of familiar features), when suddenly the funny look turned to a grimace and she hissed "at last! Good riddance!" I guess she mistook my walking towards the back, as me leaving. At first I felt upset and hurt, but reasoned that we live in times where children aren't valued so much, and I did feel bad about the noise (though I wasn't sitting all that close to her, and I hadn't thought we were being that loud). But that was the only negative reaction-everyone else complimented and flirted with him (even and especially Mark! who commented on Wyatt's fine, wide facial structure and easygoing temperament-Wyatt liked him too! ;D ) and one sweet lady confided to me that she was expecting their second very badly wanted and loved child!! She was there hoping to find help for being able to nourish, and possibly even nurse this upcoming lil one, as her first experience nursing was really tough, even though she had consultyed several lactation consultants. I do pray she will be granted the chance to nurse her new lil miracle!
Also, it seems as if some members from the Alberta dairy board were there, but left before Mark had a chance to personally greet them. There was also a petition there-there is an MLA who is sympathetic to the raw milk cause and wanted to know how much support there was for it.
Anyways, it was a SUPER night, I met soo many awesome, likeminded people and just enjoyed myself soo thoroughly!! I urge anyone in the vicinity of Calgary to find a way, any way!! to go and see him tomorrow night!! (Tamara-I'm thinking of YOU!! LOL!!)
I'd better go crash now!! Nite!!
Vanessa