How raw milk moms helped end Michael Schmidt’s hunger strike

From David E. Gumpert, on The Complete Patient blog:

Michael Schmidt at Weston A. Price Conference. Photo via The Complete Patient blog.

“Ontario dairy farmer Michael Schmidt ended his hunger strike more than a week ago, but he just ate his first solid food yesterday, at the banquet dinner of the Weston A. Price Foundation’s Wise Traditions Conference in Dallas.

He didn’t partake in the sable, pot roast, vegetables and poached pears with carob sauce gobbled up by the 1,300 conference participants. After a week of just sipping on vegetable broth because he had no appetite, Schmidt finally felt well enough to have some raw steak and butter—suggested fare from several medical practitioners who have been consulting with Schmidt on getting back into a regular eating routine.

“I didn’t feel like eating food,” he told me this morning. “Last night at the banquet was the first time I began to feel like eating.”

Hunger striker (Michael Schmidt) eases back slowly into eating again

From Susan Mann, in Better Farming:

“Durham-area farmer Michael Schmidt says he hasn’t eaten solid food yet despite ending his hunger strike after meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty at Queen’s Park Friday morning.

That’s because he has to ease his body back gradually. “I’m just on broth, just liquids to get my body back into motion,” he says, noting it’ll be another five to seven days before he can start eating solid foods.

Schmidt lost 50 pounds since beginning his hunger strike Sept. 29 to protest his recent conviction on charges related to selling and distributing unpasteurized milk. Ontario Court of Justice Peter Tetley handed down his verdict Sept. 28 convicting Schmidt of charges that Justice of the Peace Paul Kowarsky acquitted him of in 2010.

Readers write their politicians, part 17

Michael Schmidt speaks to the crowd at last week's "Milk and Cookies" rally at FDA headquarters in Maryland. Thanks to Kimberly Harke for the photo.

Now that Premier McGuinty HAS responded to the many emails, calls and letters urging him to meet with Michael Schmidt, it’s only courteous to take a few more minutes to pen a message of appreciation to Premier McGuinty and to our members of provincial parliament who’ve helped facilitate this long-sought meeting of minds. Today’s post includes letters and emails of exactly this type, in case you need ideas. Once again, please copy your correspondence to thebovine AT gmx DOT com. Thanks!

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November 7th,2011

Premier McGuinty ,MPP

Over the last weeks and days I am aware you have received many calls  and letters from around the world, including mine. People were not only asking but in some cases pleading with you to meet  with Michael Schmidt. I am disappointed it took so long. In-fact, it was the 37th day of his hunger strike when you finally met with him.

Michael Schmidt’s 37 day hunger strike came to an end today after a meeting with Premier McGuinty at Queen’s Park

A news release from Michael Schmidt’s news officer:

Michael Schmidt at a Queen's Park news conference last month with native supporter Danny Beaton.

“This hunger strike was about starting a dialogue with the leader of this province,” states farmer and raw milk advocate Michael Schmidt. “I have been on this human journey for 17 years looking for constructive dialogue, and I have been dragged through the courts for a crime that has no victims.

My aim was simple: to take this to the top and to begin a conversation with our leader, one-on-one. To meet, as equal human beings, not as Premiere and Farmer. It was because of this that I undertook my hunger strike. And this morning, I met with Premiere McGuinty, in his office, and we have begun our dialogue, and because of this, I am ending my hunger strike today.

Michael Schmidt meets with Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty and ends his hunger strike which was in its 37th day

The Canadian Press reports that Michael Schmidt met with McGuinty and is ending his hunger strike. See story below. Image is from a screen grab from CTV site. Click image to go there.

From the Canadian Press, via CTV Toronto:

“The Canadian Press

Date: Friday Nov. 4, 2011 12:14 PM ET

TORONTO — Raw milk crusader Michael Schmidt has abandoned his hunger strike after meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty today.

Schmidt began his hunger strike in late September after he was found guilty on 15 of 19 charges related to the sale and distribution of raw milk.

The Durham farmer, who has been fighting for years for the right to sell unpasteurized milk, had a meeting today with the premier’s chief of staff when McGuinty decided to join in.

Pam Killeen tells the Michael Schmidt story on Liberation Wellness channel

Watch the video on the Liberation Wellness website:

Click image to go to Liberation Wellness website.

Readers write their politicians, part 12

Raw milk friends at Michael Schmidt's blue bus in Thornhill earlier this month.

This is now day 33 of Michael Schmidt’s hunger strike for responsible food freedom. He started his fast on the 29th of September. We’re calling that day one. We hear that many people ARE calling McGuinty’s office with their concerns about his apparent unwillingness to meet with Michael on what may before too long become a life and death issue. Let’s hope the newly formed committee of MPPs from all three parties will help to turn things around. Thanks to the many readers who continue to send copies of their letters to The Bovine. We’ll keep publishing them. So send them in to us at TheBovine AT gmx DOT com.

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Esteemed elected officials of Ontario,

Greetings from a family-farm dairy in SE South Dakota (USA)! Please do not take this as another American attempt to meddle / dictate in Canadian affairs. We have the highest regard for the sovereignty of Canada and the province of Ontario and admire your government systems for their progressive nature on the whole.

Farmer Michael Schmidt is now 28 days into his hunger strike for food freedom

Farmer Michael Schmidt’s message to supporters for day 25 of the hunger strike for responsible food freedom

Raw milk rally today, Tuesday October 25, 1 p.m. at Queen’s Park, Toronto, to encourage Premier McGuinty to talk to Michael Schmidt.  For full details, see this post on The Bovine.

Will Michael Schmidt have to die so that the rest of us can live? — K. Hartke

From Kimberly’s “Hartke is Online” blog:

“Michael Schmidt is now on the 23rd day of his hunger strike for responsible food freedom. He is a farmer who has been relentlessly pursued by Health Canada for tending cows the old fashioned way. He refuses to put his animals on a conveyor belt and won’t allow them to be a cog in a wheel in some God forsaken factory. He won’t even cut their horns off, because it violates their nature to do so.

His farm is a heritage museum, a tribute to traditional, pre-modern foodways. It should be a national treasure. Instead, it is the scene of Canada’s national disgrace. Health bureaucrats, urged on by Canada’s conventional farmers are trying to destroy the farmer and take his farm away. They are bent on denying the people who depend on Michael’s farm. Their goal is to cut off their milk supply.