Eat Wild

[foxfeather]

I think just about everyone knows that factory farms are atrocious places. That mass-produced meat is everywhere, though, and it is really easy to just grab a package of chicken or beef at the grocery store, a burger at a restaurant and not think about where it comes from. The 'organic' meat on the shelf is often twice as much and usually doesn't taste any better - most if it being for the most part (very unfortunately) a scam (misleading names/descriptions/etc.). So... you love animals, but you enjoy eating meat. It's easy to just kind of push out of your mind where the meat comes from because life is busy and money can be tight.

I would like to offer an alternative - take a peek at http://eatwild.com/ :) It is a great listing of 'beyond organic' type of farms - places where animals are raised in a more sustainable, environment friendly fashion. Chickens are actually out roaming, eating insects. Cows eat grass and not corn and sludge. Often times the meat is the same price (or close to it!) as that of the grocery store and requires very little extra effort to acquire (most of the farmers may not live too close to you but many deliver into various cities all month so you can meet up and pick up products). I promise the food tastes much better, and you make a stand to support local businesses and people farming the 'right' way - instead of giant animal factories.

I also highly recommend the book 'The Omnivore's Dilemma' - it's a great look into the overall structure of the current American food ag industry. http://www.amazon.com/Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History-Meals/dp/0143038583/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283185737&sr=8-1
It's got a lot of eye-opening information in it if you haven't read about factory farms, organic, and 'big organic' before. I found it to be not preachy or in your face, but a more objective look at the way things are here, how they got here, and what your choices are for supporting one industry or another.

I visited factory farms when I was younger - they really are as bad as described and more. It turned me vegetarian (and vegan for a shorter span) for years. I admit I do like eating meat, and though I try to eat less of it now (and many more veggies!) I enjoy it and take responsibility for that. I hope to someday raise my own meat animals in the best possible conditions - but until then I've moved over to buying my meat from sustainable family farms. I'm getting a heritage, free-range turkey for Thanksgiving this year. :) If ethics don't sway you, try it for the taste... these birds are so incredibly full of flavor you'll never want to touch a Butterball again. :)

Comments

[white9-fox.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link, it's something I'm trying to get my family into for holiday and regular meat.