You probably already know all about the many benefits of eating grass fed beef and organic meat if you're searching for the best source. It is truly amazing that the nutritional make up of organic grass fed meat can be so different (and healthier) than the factory farmed and grain fed beef. So, now that you know you want it in your diet, where can you buy it?
1. Organic grocers like "Whole Foods" carry some organic meat. Our customers, from cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and even Phoenix, tell us they didn't like having to drive out of their way to their nearest organic grocer only to be disappointed by the lack of selection or quality. Sometimes the stores would only have grass fed ground beef or organic ground beef but not often would they have a good selection of organic and grass fed meats with a variety of steak cuts. Often the meats in stores can come from as far away as New Zealand or Australia, which is quite a good size carbon foot print!
2. Farmer's markets can be a good choice for meat from a local farmer if you have access and the time to drive and shop each week. Often, those from large urban areas like Los Angeles and San Diego and those from desert areas like Phoenix and Las Vegas just don't have that access. Some people have access to this source of grass fed meat and don't mind that these smaller producers are not usually certified organic because of the cost and time requirements to become certified. You can speak with the representative at the market to see if they raise their animals to organic standards and decide if you want to trust that their animals never receive antibiotics and live their lives on land that hasn't been exposed to checmicals like pesticides and herbicides for at least 3 years. One issue our customers have talked to us about with meat from a farmer's market is that, again, the selection can be disppointing. If you don't get there early, they can be sold out of the cuts you prefer. Additionally, the packaging of the meat is typically inferior - just in butcher paper or some other type of packaging that will allow freezer burn to happen.
3. If you have direct access to a local farmer, they may sell you a cattle share or you can share with friends and neighbors. This typically requires that you take all the meat from the portion of the animal you purchase. Some people do not prefer this as they end up with a large quantity of beef either in the form of ground meat or cuts they do not know how to cook or they don't like those cuts. You will also need a large amount of freezer space to store all that meat. For example, one cattle has only two tenderloins averaging about 5-8 pounds each. If you buy 1/2 an animal you would get one of those tenderloins, that will yield an average 14 filet mignon steaks (8 oz. approx. each). From this same animal you will receive approximagely 90 pounds of ground meat. For a family of four that is roughly 3-4 meals of filet mignon vs. 90 meals of ground beef. That proportion is not ideal for many families.
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