We've been living in our current area for the past seven and a half months. Part of the time, my parents brought some meat from their cow share for us to use. The other part of the time, my husband's parents brought us venison to use. Now, we are out of beef and red meat in general (except for a pound and a half of liver that I should consume with jest), and I have started looking for a farm to purchase a quarter of a cow from.
We love buying in bulk! Especially meat! Meat is expensive in general, even the factory farmed crap that they sell at the grocery store. So we look for the best option for our money's worth. And it is not being the three pound ground beef from Walmart and dividing it into pounders to use.
Buying a quarter of a cow is.
But why grass fed?
Cows originally ate what they found in the field/prairie/forest. Then when penned in, they obliged to the humans holding them captive and ate what was in front of them, which is now GMO soybeans, GMO corn, and a vitamin and mineral mix). When cows eat outside and eat what's growing outside, they live healthier--no need to use antibiotics to keep them healthy. In addition, the milk they produce and the meat that comes from them is healthier. The ratios of Omega 3s to 6s and 9s is much more ideal. The Coagulated Lineic Acid is more abundant. And the fat-soluble vitamins are exponentially higher than the factory farmed versions.: Vitamin D, A, and K2.
And the price does not lie: We are looking at a range from $3.30/lb to $6.25/lb. A quarter of a cow usually levels out to abut a hundred pounds, give or take ten.
That's stretching it, you say? That's quite an investment, you say?
Get this! This is for ground beef, and patties, and stew meat, and chuck roast, but it's also for steaks, filet mignon, organs, bones, and roasts galore! all for the same flat rate.
We love it! And all the money goes straight to the farmer and the butcher. No middle man, no grocery giant in between.
Now here's how to get the best deal:
1. Use eatwild.org to find farmers local to your area. Then call, email, and visit. Ask questions about pricing. You are the buyer. Get your best deal!
2. Ask your friends in the area where they get their meat. There will be some! They might know a local farmer who uses their cow quarters as a side business rather than their main business.
3. Find a dairy farmer who raises their steers born into their herd. It will (most likely) be a side profit for them, and the pricing will be much more affordable.
4. Watch your timing. Most of the farmers I was in contact with butcher their steers (or naughty heifers) in the fall, after they have grown enough. If you want the meat now, and it's July (it is), you may have to pay much more for it (due to the farmer meeting your demand, they can raise the price), rather than waiting until the fall.
We will be making a decision soon about who we will be purchasing from. I will be getting the organs and bones for extra vitamins and for making nourishing bone broth. I can't wait!
Happy cooking!
Grace
No comments:
Post a Comment