Comments on: Meet A Grass-fed Beef And Pastured Pork Farmer http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:36:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Walter Jeffries http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2113 Walter Jeffries Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:09:51 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2113 I'm not so concerned with the "Try" statement. Just sounds like loose wording. If you buy from them ask and I suspect you'll find they do more than "try not to use pesticides and herbicides" but they actually do not use these chemicals. A good example of why communications and local is important - you can easily ask for clarification. Their issues about the processing are very valid. On the one hand we need food safety. Nothing is every 100% safe but we need to do a very good job, especially with retail sales through stores and restaurants where the chain of control becomes less direct. On the flip side, when dealing directly people should have the right to make choices. This issue is getting recognized. There was a time when very bad things were happening in the food industry about 100 years ago. Recently we had some new scary recalls although they were blown way out of proportion - sensationalism. The USDA is improving things for small and very small plants but it still has a long ways to go as do states. The pendulum swings. I’m not so concerned with the “Try” statement. Just sounds like loose wording. If you buy from them ask and I suspect you’ll find they do more than “try not to use pesticides and herbicides” but they actually do not use these chemicals. A good example of why communications and local is important – you can easily ask for clarification.

Their issues about the processing are very valid. On the one hand we need food safety. Nothing is every 100% safe but we need to do a very good job, especially with retail sales through stores and restaurants where the chain of control becomes less direct. On the flip side, when dealing directly people should have the right to make choices. This issue is getting recognized. There was a time when very bad things were happening in the food industry about 100 years ago. Recently we had some new scary recalls although they were blown way out of proportion – sensationalism. The USDA is improving things for small and very small plants but it still has a long ways to go as do states. The pendulum swings.

]]> By: Amanda http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2112 Amanda Sat, 30 May 2009 18:28:44 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2112 I take the approach Bill is referring to in purchasing my meat and wrote about it here: http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/blog/2009/05/stocking_up_on_grass_fed_beef_1.html It's really pretty easy, but you're obviously buying in bulk. For further entertainment, follow the link, scroll down and look at the picture of the truck, what's hanging on it, and the license plate. LOL I take the approach Bill is referring to in purchasing my meat and wrote about it here:
http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/blog/2009/05/stocking_up_on_grass_fed_beef_1.html

It’s really pretty easy, but you’re obviously buying in bulk.

For further entertainment, follow the link, scroll down and look at the picture of the truck, what’s hanging on it, and the license plate. LOL

]]> By: Matt (No Meat Athlete) http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2111 Matt (No Meat Athlete) Thu, 28 May 2009 11:15:53 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2111 Neat! I have noticed that listening to farmers talk about their work makes people really have a different appreciation for the way food is meant to be raised, whereas otherwise it's often the bigger, cheaper, enhanced fruit, produce, and animals that we often buy. <abbr><em>Matt (No Meat Athlete) Neat! I have noticed that listening to farmers talk about their work makes people really have a different appreciation for the way food is meant to be raised, whereas otherwise it’s often the bigger, cheaper, enhanced fruit, produce, and animals that we often buy.

Matt (No Meat Athlete)

]]> By: Kelly the Kitchen Kop http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2110 Kelly the Kitchen Kop Thu, 28 May 2009 02:53:27 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2110 You always find the best videos, Kristen! <abbr><em>Kelly the Kitchen Kop You always find the best videos, Kristen!

Kelly the Kitchen Kop

]]> By: AJ http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2109 AJ Wed, 27 May 2009 20:17:12 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2109 My family and I hit the farmer's market every Saturday. However we've never actually taken the time to speak to them. I try it out this weekend. Thanks for this awesome post! <abbr><em>AJ My family and I hit the farmer’s market every Saturday. However we’ve never actually taken the time to speak to them. I try it out this weekend. Thanks for this awesome post!

AJ

]]> By: Raine Saunders http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2108 Raine Saunders Wed, 27 May 2009 19:29:48 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2108 Great post! I definitely see a lot of the farmers and food growers that I talk to and deal with whom are fair, kind, concerned about the well-being of others, and their number one priority seems to be producing a product that is healthy for everyone - the consumer, the farmer, the animals, and the environment. It's so sad that people cannot see this obvious sentiment through the actions of the people who work so hard to procure healthy food and land for anyone who wants to partake of it. It's clear that these people are not engaged in their efforts soley for profit (which is more than you could ever say about the denizens of Agribusiness); they are individuals who care about ethical choices for the good of humankind. The fact that they make a living is important, though, because it proves that these types of businesses can be and are successful - both in the economic and environmental sectors. <abbr><em>Raine Saunders Great post! I definitely see a lot of the farmers and food growers that I talk to and deal with whom are fair, kind, concerned about the well-being of others, and their number one priority seems to be producing a product that is healthy for everyone – the consumer, the farmer, the animals, and the environment. It’s so sad that people cannot see this obvious sentiment through the actions of the people who work so hard to procure healthy food and land for anyone who wants to partake of it. It’s clear that these people are not engaged in their efforts soley for profit (which is more than you could ever say about the denizens of Agribusiness); they are individuals who care about ethical choices for the good of humankind. The fact that they make a living is important, though, because it proves that these types of businesses can be and are successful – both in the economic and environmental sectors.

Raine Saunders

]]> By: KristenM http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2107 KristenM Wed, 27 May 2009 18:35:45 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2107 Bill -- I'm all for protecting the end user, but surely there are solutions that scale down to a smaller farmers needs? For example, I've heard that Vermont has mobile slaughterhouses that can come directly to your farm to humanely kill & process smaller quantities of meat. Or, why not create some sort of USDA approval process for smaller artisanal butchering facilities so that it's more affordable for a one or two man team to set up shop and humanely slaughter animals? As it stands now, someone inspired to do that has to jump through all the same legal hoops as the large-scale facilities slaughtering hundreds of cows/hogs per hour, when many of those hoops simply don't apply given the small scale of the work. Plus, I've heard different things from different farmers in different states, which leads me to believe that a lot has to do with your own state and what's available/legal in your area. So, the Williamses may be dealing with some sort of regulations you don't have to deal with. Laryssa -- I thought the same thing! Hearing her explanation of that is what swayed me from being just a viewer of the video to wanting to share it with all of you. Vin -- I agree. I think the more we can connect with our farmers, the better. For everyone involved -- farmers & consumers. Bill — I’m all for protecting the end user, but surely there are solutions that scale down to a smaller farmers needs? For example, I’ve heard that Vermont has mobile slaughterhouses that can come directly to your farm to humanely kill & process smaller quantities of meat.

Or, why not create some sort of USDA approval process for smaller artisanal butchering facilities so that it’s more affordable for a one or two man team to set up shop and humanely slaughter animals? As it stands now, someone inspired to do that has to jump through all the same legal hoops as the large-scale facilities slaughtering hundreds of cows/hogs per hour, when many of those hoops simply don’t apply given the small scale of the work.

Plus, I’ve heard different things from different farmers in different states, which leads me to believe that a lot has to do with your own state and what’s available/legal in your area. So, the Williamses may be dealing with some sort of regulations you don’t have to deal with.

Laryssa — I thought the same thing! Hearing her explanation of that is what swayed me from being just a viewer of the video to wanting to share it with all of you.

Vin — I agree. I think the more we can connect with our farmers, the better. For everyone involved — farmers & consumers.

]]> By: Bill Sullivan http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2106 Bill Sullivan Wed, 27 May 2009 17:34:45 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2106 As a farmer I can sell you any animal that you wish to purchase and you can send that animal to any butcher you choose to have it processed. Where the regulations come in is when I sell meat after it is processed, I then am required to have the animal slaughtered at a USDA certified processing facility . There are many of them both large and small as many of them have the USDA inspector in once a week to be there while the animals are killed. The importance of this is sometimes the inspector might find a tumor for instance in pigs liver and they will isolate that carcass until the lab tests for safety. This seldom takes more then a few days. I personally feel that the current rules don't restrict the farmer from marketing product and provide a safety net for the consumer. As an organic farmer I would be concerned with the statement " we generally TRY not to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides " this to me means that they are using chemicals and pesticides including worming poison which is a huge health risk. I understand not wanting government intervention but if you were in the Industry you may have seen abuses that warrant protecting the end user. As a farmer I can sell you any animal that you wish to purchase and you can send that animal to any butcher you choose to have it processed. Where the regulations come in is when I sell meat after it is processed, I then am required to have the animal slaughtered at a USDA certified processing facility . There are many of them both large and small as many of them have the USDA inspector in once a week to be there while the animals are killed. The importance of this is sometimes the inspector might find a tumor for instance in pigs liver and they will isolate that carcass until the lab tests for safety. This seldom takes more then a few days. I personally feel that the current rules don’t restrict the farmer from marketing product and provide a safety net for the consumer. As an organic farmer I would be concerned with the statement ” we generally TRY not to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides ” this to me means that they are using chemicals and pesticides including worming poison which is a huge health risk. I understand not wanting government intervention but if you were in the Industry you may have seen abuses that warrant protecting the end user.

]]> By: Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2105 Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home Wed, 27 May 2009 16:53:32 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2105 Great video thanks! She explains the e-coli problem very well, in terms anyone can understand. <abbr><em>Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home Great video thanks! She explains the e-coli problem very well, in terms anyone can understand.

Laryssa @ Heaven In The Home

]]> By: Vin | NaturalBias.com http://www.foodrenegade.com/meet-a-grass-fed-beef-and-pastured-pork-farmer/#comment-2104 Vin | NaturalBias.com Wed, 27 May 2009 16:10:47 +0000 http://www.foodrenegade.com/?p=884#comment-2104 Thanks for sharing that video Kristen. I think it's refreshing to see more farmers with such a healthy perspective. I completely agree with them that there should be less (if any) regulation on direct farmer to consumer sales. We should have the right to make our own choices! I also found it interesting about E Coli developing resistance to acidity because of cows being fed grain. I also published an article today about grass fed beef discussing some of it's health benefits (in the latest post link below). I think we all need to support these farmers as much as we can, especially since the government is making life difficult for them. <abbr><em>Vin | NaturalBias.com Thanks for sharing that video Kristen. I think it’s refreshing to see more farmers with such a healthy perspective. I completely agree with them that there should be less (if any) regulation on direct farmer to consumer sales. We should have the right to make our own choices! I also found it interesting about E Coli developing resistance to acidity because of cows being fed grain.

I also published an article today about grass fed beef discussing some of it’s health benefits (in the latest post link below). I think we all need to support these farmers as much as we can, especially since the government is making life difficult for them.

Vin | NaturalBias.com

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