I am all for vegetarianism. I am not a vegetarian myself, but do try to reduce my meat intake as I believe our excessive consumption of meat in North America is contributing to the drain on our already dwindling global resources. But, on the other hand, small scale meat production may actually contribute to better use of our resource base. Take the chickens below. Free-ranging, eating insects, worms, etc, and therefore capitalizing on a resource that might otherwise not be exploited. At the same time they are reducing pest pressure on crops and vegetables in the garden, and contributing valuable nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil, increasing garden production. Not to mention the eggs taste way better. Such as system may not be seen as efficient if measured on a output/unit of purchased inputs type evaluation, but in terms of overall best use of all available resources, creating a system which best mimics nature, and is stable over the long term it wins in every category.