I've had a cow, bought the farm, and gone whole hog on occasion. Yet until today, I've never bought anyone chicks.
Yep, that's right. I bought my niece Becky chicks for Hanukah. The fuzzy pecking kind. The kind that grow up to be McNuggets.
If you are struggling to think of a cool gift idea for that person who has everything and says they need nothing, here's an idea:
Heifer International - http://www.heifer.org/
If you have seen poverty first hand in the United States and in Asia, Africa, South America or many other 'Third World' countries around the world, then you will learn a shocking truth: what we call 'poor' here is comfortable middle-class elsewhere. Do you have a car? And an apartment with indoor plumbing? And a TV? And free medical care? Do you get enough food through work, food stamps, and other government assistance? And shoes? And clean water? I don't feel sorry for you any more. A few billion people on this planet would love your life. Step aside.
Heifer's model for economic growth is based on the old chestnut that if you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day - but if you teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime.
In this case, the man (or woman) and his family will learn farming skills from Heifer International. The family will learn how to care for the baby chicks. As chicks become chickens, the family will have eggs to eat. And when the family pimps out the chickens to other families with roosters, the flock will grow. Dare I say some of the egg layers might become... food? Mmm, chicken.
