You know Mac. I’m talking Old MacDonald and his crew of cows, pigs, chickens, and other critters we imagine live on family farms. Sadly, Mac’s farm hasn’t been the reality since the 1950s.
If you buy your meat from a grocery store, even if it’s labeled organic, most likely that animal was raised indoors in crowded dirty conditions, eating the animal equivalent of junk food. Most American meat is raised factory style amped up with poor diet, crowding, and antibiotics to keep the animals alive just long enough to fatten them up. It’s unhealthy for the animals and ultimately us too.
Thankfully, all over the country small farmers are returning to selling quality pasture-raised meat. My current beef farmer is Johnny. He raises cattle on grass, their natural food. His herd is small, clean, and moves from pasture to pasture getting sunshine and fresh air. In addition to his standing policy that customers are welcome to visit the farm any time, he also hosts family events including music, fishing, tractor pull rides, and of course bbq.
Once a year, my family reserves a quarter or full side of beef. Paying per pound, we get it all: steaks, roasts, ground meat, ribs, etc. It goes in the deep freezer, and we use it until it’s gone. Because we buy it all at once, we get a phenomenal price. This past year we paid about $3/lb for about 100lbs of beef.
Using search engines like Eat Wild and Local Harvest, I found my first farmer. Local county Extension Service offices can also direct customers to specialty farms like Johnny’s. I found Johnny at a La Leche League meeting. Actually he wasn’t there, but I overheard another mom talking about local beef and I asked her for the hook up.
I love buying local grassfed, pasture-raised meat. I’m never worried about what meat is on sale. I’m never worried about recalls. I skip that entire section of the grocery store. When everyone was grossed out by pink slime, I shrugged, wasn’t in my meat, nor are any other additives that they don’t have to tell you about in store-bought meat.
I love the taste of healthy, lean, flavorful pasture-raised meat which research confirms is higher in nutrients such as Omega 3’s, vitamins, and antioxidants.
I buy local because I love supporting small businesses who care about the animals, the environment, and the health of my family. I love that when I’m singing E-I-E-I-O with Ennis, we actually have real life farms and people to sing about.
Ladies, have you tried buying meat or produce direct from a farm? Is it something you would consider? Share your experience!
Alicia has been known to add chia and flax seed meal to brownies, so she can eat them guilt free. Besides teaching her one-year-old son to use gentle hands with their two dogs, two rabbits, flock of chickens, and one foster cat for a friend serving in the Peace Corps, she mostly spends too much time on the internet.