My sister-in-law and her husband have been raising serveral cows to split with family and friends so we can have some natural beef. Well, I got an email from her that said the beef would be ready November 13th. Whoo! In about two weeks, I'll have half a cow in my deep freeze. I need to get busy and make sure there is room! I'm not sure how much our cow weighs so I don't know how much meat to expect but I'll take anything. It's been too long since we've had beef!
Steak, brisket, ground beef.....makes my mouth water. I think we'll have meat every night for a week!
There is so much to learn about the beef you buy in supermarkets. If you get started researching, you might not eat your supper tonight....but that's ok.
According to Food Inc., "Approximately 10 billion animals (chickens, cattle, hogs, ducks, turkeys, lambs and sheep) are raised and killed in the US annually. Nearly all of them are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions. These industrial farms are also dangerous for their workers, pollute surrounding communities, are unsafe to our food system and contribute significantly to global warming."
Here is some information I found on MotherEarthNews:
"The [supermarket] beef contains traces of hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals that were never produced by any cow. That hamburger looks fresh, but it may be two weeks old and injected with gases to keep it cherry red. Take a closer look at that “guaranteed tender and juicy” filet of beef. The juiciness may have been “enhanced” with a concoction of water, salt, preservatives and other additives.
More ominous, the beef also may be infected with food-borne bacteria, including E. coli 0157:H7. Some experts believe this toxic E. coli evolved in cattle that were fed high-grain diets. Every year, hundreds of thousands of pounds of beef products are recalled. One of the largest recalls to date took place in October 2007 when Topps Meat company recalled 21.7 million pounds of hamburger because of potential E. coli contamination. The massive recall actually put the company out of business."
Just remember, that's not beef you're eating if you bought it at the supermarket. It's manufactured meat and the process it took to get it to you is astounding.
Do yourself a favor and watch Food, Inc. Here's the link:
http://www.foodincmovie.com/. It's a very researched and thoughtfully put together film. This is the push that really got us going on our real meat journey.
Keep in mind that you don't have to know someone who owns a farm to have good beef. There are local markets that offer grass-fed beef. Look beyond the supermarket. Here is one in the Little Rock area http://www.argentamarket.com/. It may cost a little more but it's worth it for your health. It may just mean that you don't eat beef as many times a week as you'd like. There is more to life than beef for dinner!
If you don't have a family member who will raise a cow for you (and most people don't), shop wisely. Here is a short "decoder" to better help you understand what is on your beef's food label:
- USDA Certified Organic — 100% organic grass, corn, grain; “access” to pasture required, but not defined; antibiotics only given to sick animals, which are then removed from the program; growth-hormones prohibited; animal welfare criteria vague.
- American Grassfed Association – Grass only; access to pasture required, animals spend the majority of their lives on pasture; antibiotics only given to sick animals, which are then removed from the program; growth-hormones prohibited; animal welfare criteria vague.
- USDA Certified Grassfed – Grass, if an animal consumes something other than grass it must be documented, but it can still bear the label; “access” to pasture required, but not defined; antibiotics allowed; growth hormones allowed; animal welfare not addressed.
- Certified Humane Raised & Handled – Grass, corn, grain allowed; access to pasture not required; antibiotics only given to sick animals; growth hormones prohibited; animal welfare requirements quite specific addressing health, shelter, and handling.
- Food Alliance Certified – Grass, corn, grain allowed; access to pasture required, animals spend the majority of their lives on pasture; antibiotics only given to sick animals; growth hormones prohibited; animal welfare requirements quite specific addressing health, shelter, and handling.
- Animal Welfare Approved — Grass, corn, grain allowed; access to pasture required, animals spend the majority of their lives on pasture; antibiotics only given to sick animals; growth hormones prohibited; animal welfare requirements quite specific addressing health, shelter, and handling. foodrenegade.com
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