4 ms·

I thought about it many times, and my conclusion has been that at least up here in the north were people barely survived year after year, - if giving up the far

I thought about it many times, and my conclusion has been that at least up here in the north were people barely survived year after year, - if giving up the farm animals and living from potatoes fruits and berries alone had been healthier, someone would hqve accidentally discovered it and everyone would have saved an awful lot of hard work. So, clearly it has been useful. For me it is today too: I often replace my lunch with 1/2L of whole milk, and if I have to a few hours extra after dinner, 1/2L of milk is often my solution then too. But I admit this might not be for everyone.

mertd 4y ago
Is that a fair comparison? Did everyone or anyone have unlimited options for substitute calories and nutrients without milk? How does modern factory farmed dollar per liter milk compare to the milk back then?
- eitland 4y ago
  > and my conclusion has been that at least up here in the north That is partially why I am trying to hedge my bets here.
burnished 4y ago
Cows convert material that is inedible to humans (grasses) to materials that are edible to humans (cows). Modern farming has made things much easier - crops are highly modified and farming techniques have advanced to produce huge yields. Consider also that redundant food supplies protect against famine - if your potato crop all dies then ol’ Bessy means you still have options.
- fmajid 4y ago
  Cows also represent an astounding fraction of Earth’s biomass, livestock is 5% of all animal biomass, twice as much as humans and 10x more than all wild mammals combined: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-make-110000th-earths-biomass-180969141/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-make-110000...
fmajid 4y ago
The gene that allows adults to digest milk is a mutation that occurred in Scandinavia and had such survival value it spread like wildfire throughout the human race.

mertd 4y ago

Is that a fair comparison? Did everyone or anyone have unlimited options for substitute calories and nutrients without milk? How does modern factory farmed dollar per liter milk compare to the milk back then?

eitland 4y ago
> and my conclusion has been that at least up here in the north That is partially why I am trying to hedge my bets here.

burnished 4y ago

Cows convert material that is inedible to humans (grasses) to materials that are edible to humans (cows). Modern farming has made things much easier - crops are highly modified and farming techniques have advanced to produce huge yields. Consider also that redundant food supplies protect against famine - if your potato crop all dies then ol’ Bessy means you still have options.

fmajid 4y ago
Cows also represent an astounding fraction of Earth’s biomass, livestock is 5% of all animal biomass, twice as much as humans and 10x more than all wild mammals combined: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-make-110000th-earths-biomass-180969141/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-make-110000...

fmajid 4y ago

The gene that allows adults to digest milk is a mutation that occurred in Scandinavia and had such survival value it spread like wildfire throughout the human race.