Buying local beef....

[4kiddies]

I have been thinking about buying a 1/4 cow, maybe a 1/2 cow locally but am concerned about the quality of cuts. I am VERY picky, only buy 90 or 92 % fat ground beef, the leanest cuts, etc. Will I be disappointed? Or is it actually better? Anyone BTDT that would like to chime in?

[East Coast Sue]

Its been a tremendous improvement in quality & value for us.

 

The first time we bought from a local man who raises his cows to be certified organic/free range with no hormones. It was unbelievably delicious!

 

Recently, we found a local meat market that sells packages, 1/4 and 1/2 cows and also cuts of pork & chicken. There is a nice blend of ground beef, steaks, roasts... We have found that it is cheaper and much better quality. If you are doing business with an individual it is good to ask for references.

 

Sue

[OhM]

We also buy from a local farmer. He has it set up to even split a side between two buyers, so we get all the "pieces". When we run out in the spring, the beef we get from the grocery tastes like dog food in comparison! It's better just to go without until we get our "real" beef back.

[elise1mds]

I never had storebought beef until I got married - my rancher uncle passed away that winter before my husband and I were financially stable enough to get a side from him. I still can't quite get used to the difference in flavor, and that was nine years ago. If you're worried, just talk to the butcher. They should be able to accommodate you.

[kokotg]

Grassfed beef is very lean. I would say the ground beef is as lean as anything you can buy at the store (if you're talking about getting grassfed). I think it's better tasting, but it has a different flavor--once I got used to it, other beef tasted very bland to me.

[Jackie in NE]

I have been thinking about buying a 1/4 cow, maybe a 1/2 cow locally but am concerned about the quality of cuts. I am VERY picky, only buy 90 or 92 % fat ground beef, the leanest cuts, etc. Will I be disappointed? Or is it actually better? Anyone BTDT that would like to chime in?

 

It's easy to get the leaness you want in ground beef, because the butcher actually just mixes in more fat to get the % desired. More fat = cheaper blend. So you just need to tell the butcher what you want. But if you're wanting lean cuts of meat in general (i.e. lean roasts and steaks), then you need to know how the steer has been fed. Conventional feeders push the "hot" feeds in the last 60-90 days before slaughter in order to boost the marbling of the animal. This is what most traditional steak houses want. But as a direct buyer, you can find an animal that is lightly grained, or even just grass-fed. If you choose to go the grass-fed route, make sure that the animal comes off of feed while the grass is at it's peak (usually in the spring). We are about to butcher an open cow next week. She is fat and sassy, and 100% grass fed. She will be delicious!

 

You won't believe how much better a custom butchered animal is than the stuff you get at safeway. Normally, most grocery store cuts are "Select" grade, which is pretty marginal. A custom-butchered animal should come closer to "choice" grade, which is what you get in a good steakhouse. An animal reaches choice grade based on many different factors such as age, breed, and feed quality. If there is a good butcher in your town (that you trust) he should be able to tell you who the reputable growers are...

 

Good luck, and enjoy. There's nothing like a good cut of beef!

[OrganicAnn]

You can find farms near you that have grass fed cattle at eatwild.com

 

You can also google recipes for grass fed beef, because some say that it cooks differently.

[katemary63]

Grass fed beef DOES taste different. We raise our own beef and have experimented with the way we feed our steers the last 4 months before butchering. The less corn, the more different the taste. If you buy a whole or 1/2 grass fed animal, be sure you like the taste of it before you put that much money into it.

 

I didn't like our last steer in flavor or texture. He was primarily grass fed. I will definately increase the grain this year to try to reach a happy medium between grass fed and corn fed. Regardless of how ours are fed, grass only or mostly corn, they are raised hormone free.

 

I don't see how a grass fed animal can reach "choice" grading since there is much less marbeling on grass fed animals and grading is dependant on marbeling - but I could be wrong. Grass fed are not as tender either and should be butchered younger to compensate. This is our experience.

[Spy Car]

A huge plus to "grass-fed" is the omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid balance will be shifted positively in the "right direction". Cattle don't naturally consume grain. Its bad for them and bad for us.

 

If I could get a 1/4 cow I'd make it grass-fed for sure. You won't get the heavy-fatty marbling, but you will get a much healthier food to feed your family.

 

Bill

[katemary63]

A huge plus to "grass-fed" is the omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid balance will be shifted positively in the "right direction". Cattle don't naturally consume grain. Its bad for them and bad for us.

 

If I could get a 1/4 cow I'd make it grass-fed for sure. You won't get the heavy-fatty marbling, but you will get a much healthier food to feed your family.

 

Bill

 

This is true. But the flavor and texture do take getting used to. Maybe by Dec. when I butcher the next steer, I will be so used to this one, I'll regret feeding grain - but I doubt it. I'm really just hoping for a happy medium. A little more grain, a little better texture and flavor.

 

BTW: I'm not sure what "bad for the cow" means. Our grain feed steers have been healthy as horses! LOL. Never sick, never lame, eating machines. When we butcher them, they have led a happy and comfortable life - so, what's bad about that? Now if I wanted that cow to live 15 years, that might change things. But all I need is a healthy 14 months and that is easy to achieve.

Edited June 2, 2009 by katemary63

[E_Edgerton]

I agree with Spycar....we get our beef from our farmer's market. The beef is grass fed and as other posters said it does taste different...it tastes better! Cows eat grass....that is what they should eat! It is healthier and local, which makes it taste better and makes me feel better about eating it.

[Spy Car]

This is true. But the flavor and texture do take getting used to. Maybe by Dec. when I butcher the next steer, I will be so used to this one, I'll regret feeding grain - but I doubt it. I'm really just hoping for a happy medium. A little more grain, a little better texture and flavor.

 

It's important with grass-fed not to overcook. This really helps with the texture. It does "toughen up" easier than grain-fed.

 

And its true grass-fed doesn't have the same "grainy" taste that a great grain-fed steak has. It just doesn't. But properly cooked, the flavor of grass-fed does grow on you (and least did on me). Not that we get much. We had a vendor at or farmers market that had both grass-fed beef and bison, but they went away.

 

And the prices at Whole Foods? :blink:

 

After a while eating grass-fed, grain-fed tastes kind of "fatty". Its interesting the way palates adjust, but they do.

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

BTW: I'm not sure what "bad for the cow" means. Our grain feed steers have been healthy as horses! LOL. Never sick, never lame, eating machines. When we butcher them, they have led a happy and comfortable life - so, what's bad about that? Now if I wanted that cow to live 15 years, that might change things. But all I need is a healthy 14 months and that is easy to achieve.

 

I'm not critiquing "your" methods. Any cattle reared humanely by small time rancher are fortunate indeed. But grain is not good for cattle. This is well established. Here is one link:

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010511074623.htm

[Kelli in TN]

We just started purchasing beef from a farmer whose stock is 100% grass fed and I am not really tasting a big difference. There is a lot less fat, a lot less marbling. But the taste is just similar to the higher quality, lower fat meats from the supermarket. The meat is reliably excellent.

 

 

Next payday I am buying chickens from him. I buy pork from another local farmer and when we want sausage gravy we have to actually add veg oil to the pan drippings to have enough for gravy.

[SonshineLearner]

So what do most of you pay for...say...a chicken? Our local family that I purchase eggs from ($5 at the Farmer's Market...$4 if I pick up) ....sells chickens at about $15 a piece. I don't think I can afford this...

We spend $16-$20 a month on milk(raw....$4 a gallon..I know...cheap!) $20-$30 on eggs....and if I have to spend $60 on chicken...(that's only one a week for a family of 6)....And, I really want to buy beef...still remember from getting it when I was younger.....(Not to mention that this way I get all of the organs for puppy....)

Carrie

[katemary63]

We just started purchasing beef from a farmer whose stock is 100% grass fed and I am not really tasting a big difference. There is a lot less fat, a lot less marbling. But the taste is just similar to the higher quality, lower fat meats from the supermarket. The meat is reliably excellent.

 

This is funny. I do believe you. But if there grass fed beef cooking on the stove and I walk into the house, I can even SMELL the difference! No kidding. It is funny how tastes are different. And it could just be this particular steer who doesn't float my boat - who knows!

[katemary63]

Next payday I am buying chickens from him. I buy pork from another local farmer and when we want sausage gravy we have to actually add veg oil to the pan drippings to have enough for gravy.

 

Is this grass fed pork? We also raise our own hog for butcher. I was told by the local farmer and have since read that the fat content of commercial hogs has been bred to be quite a bit lower then we were used to a few years ago. We also have to add oil to our pan when cooking pork sausage. I wonder if "grass fed" has the same effect on pigs as cattle. I do know that some people pasture graze their hogs, but we don't. Grain all the way. I wonder if the pork would taste different too?

[katemary63]

I'm not critiquing "your" methods. Any cattle reared humanely by small time rancher are fortunate indeed. But grain is not good for cattle. This is well established. Here is one link:

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010511074623.htm

 

Yes, I understand. I fully agree that grain is not the natural diet for cattle ( they sure love it thought! Like I love chocolate!) and that in a commercial feed lot situation, it can cause health problems.

 

At our farm, we raise a steer on free choice hay or grass as well as offering grain twice daily. No drugs, no steroids. We do not push grains and exclude roughage. But during the last 90 days, the steer probably chooses to eat a lot more grain then hay. We've never had a health problem or an uncomfortable steer. They also love their belly rubs, neck scratches and soaks with a hose when it's hot. Spoiled rotten they are! :001_smile:

 

With this last steer, we decided to cut back on the grain. He still got some, but much less. He's the guy who don't taste so good! :D

[Spy Car]

Yes, I understand. I fully agree that grain is not the natural diet for cattle ( they sure love it thought! Like I love chocolate!) and that in a commercial feed lot situation, it can cause health problems.

 

At our farm, we raise a steer on free choice hay or grass as well as offering grain twice daily. No drugs, no steroids. We do not push grains and exclude roughage. But during the last 90 days, the steer probably chooses to eat a lot more grain then hay. We've never had a health problem or an uncomfortable steer. They also love their belly rubs, neck scratches and soaks with a hose when it's hot. Spoiled rotten they are! :001_smile:

 

With this last steer, we decided to cut back on the grain. He still got some, but much less. He's the guy who don't taste so good! :D

 

Out of curiosity. How would it effect the economics of raising a steer for slaughter if you didn't feed it grain? Rough guess.

 

We pay though the nose for grass-fed beef. And I'm sure humanely raised beef (from cattle that get their bellies rubbed) is already higher than industrially raised beef. But I've always wondered why grass-fed beef was so much more expensive than grain-fed. I would think it should be the other way around. That feeding "grain" would be expensive, and pasturing on grass would be cheap. But I'm no agriculturalist.

 

Bill

[Mamagistra]

I wonder if the pork would taste different too?

 

What we purchase is land-fed pork supplemented with some grain, and the taste is incredible...intense and succulent. It makes the baconiest bacon ever. Mmm. We sometimes eat more pork than beef since we found this "right-raised" pork. :tongue_smilie: (But the grass-fed beef is most excellent, as well.)

 

I find this meat to have enough fat, but I'd prefer even more. If we ever decide to raise our own swine, I'd like to choose a heritage breed that is fattier to provide for making lard. Naturally-raised, healthy animals produce healthy fat, and I'll take that over GMO canola or the next fad oil any day. :glare:

[Mamagistra]

I would think it should be the other way around. That feeding "grain" would be expensive, and pasturing on grass would be cheap. But I'm no agriculturalist.

 

I'm no aggie either, but I was betting that most of the grain grown for feed is subsidized (and modifed)...whereas no one is getting a kickback to grow lush, clean genetically-pure pasture. However, Mr. Mamagistra informs me that grain-feeding is more expensive, but it yields fatter cattle at a faster rate than pasture-feeding.

 

A farmer who's raising fully-pastured beef has to keep them on pasture longer in order to get them to market weight, thus he does not turn his cattle as fast. The farmer who starts his beefers on grass then sends them to the feedlot to fatten gets faster turnover, which keeps the cost of grain-fed beef down. At least that's my feeble understanding. :D

[TravelingChris]

IN the house we rented, we now have a freezer and dh has asked for us to get a large amount of beef or maybe pork to put in there. HOw do I find this and does it come as a quarter or half a side and I have to cut it? IN some other areas we lived in, it was common for people to buy and sell large quantities of meat but I am in the DC area and the butchers are selling to different clientele. I also don't live near ranches. How do I start the search?

[4kiddies]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I will let you know how it works out. I think I'm going to try a 1/4 cow and split it with a friend to make sure we like it.

[amy g.]

I don't know if this makes much of a price difference, but when I bought my Jersey cow, I wanted one that was on grass only. I've read that it is really difficult to transition a cow who is used to grain off of it.

 

She cost almost double what a cull cow from a traditional dairy would cost. Also some breeds do much better on just grass. The people I bought her from are going to all American Milking Devons because they do so well on pasture alone.

 

I imagine that Devons are more expensive than more common breeds because they are more rare. The other big expense is that you need so much land. If my Jersey has a heifer, this summer, I want to keep it. I'll need to buy the lot next door to pasture her, or lease some land from another neighbor. I would not have that added expense if I was feeding primarily grain.

[mom4him]

A huge plus to "grass-fed" is the omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acid balance will be shifted positively in the "right direction". Cattle don't naturally consume grain. Its bad for them and bad for us.

 

If I could get a 1/4 cow I'd make it grass-fed for sure. You won't get the heavy-fatty marbling, but you will get a much healthier food to feed your family.

 

Bill

:iagree:TOTALLY! I like the flavor of the grass fed better than the corn/grain fed animals also. I was also told to beware of grass fed because of the flavor/tenderness of the meat but I have found them to be better in both areas.

[kokotg]

Out of curiosity. How would it effect the economics of raising a steer for slaughter if you didn't feed it grain? Rough guess.

 

We pay though the nose for grass-fed beef. And I'm sure humanely raised beef (from cattle that get their bellies rubbed) is already higher than industrially raised beef. But I've always wondered why grass-fed beef was so much more expensive than grain-fed. I would think it should be the other way around. That feeding "grain" would be expensive, and pasturing on grass would be cheap. But I'm no agriculturalist.

 

Bill

 

We pay a little over $2/pound for our grassfed beef. Ours is not certified organic, and it's a guy we found out about through word of mouth. The certified organic farm that sells to lots of trendy restaurants charges $5/pound. I wonder how much of the price of grassfed has to do with its typical target market and the fact that the people buying it have seen what Whole Foods charges ;) On the other hand, I don't see many organic farmers getting rich selling beef, so I certainly don't begrudge them the price. I just can't afford to pay it, so we buy from the $2 guy.

[Kelli in TN]

So what do most of you pay for...say...a chicken? Our local family that I purchase eggs from ($5 at the Farmer's Market...$4 if I pick up) ....sells chickens at about $15 a piece. I don't think I can afford this...

We spend $16-$20 a month on milk(raw....$4 a gallon..I know...cheap!) $20-$30 on eggs....and if I have to spend $60 on chicken...(that's only one a week for a family of 6)....And, I really want to buy beef...still remember from getting it when I was younger.....(Not to mention that this way I get all of the organs for puppy....)

Carrie

 

$1.60 a pound, I think. I have not bought one yet. They just started butchering recently. This will be about twice what I pay at the grocery store.

[katemary63]

Out of curiosity. How would it effect the economics of raising a steer for slaughter if you didn't feed it grain? Rough guess.

 

We pay though the nose for grass-fed beef. And I'm sure humanely raised beef (from cattle that get their bellies rubbed) is already higher than industrially raised beef. But I've always wondered why grass-fed beef was so much more expensive than grain-fed. I would think it should be the other way around. That feeding "grain" would be expensive, and pasturing on grass would be cheap. But I'm no agriculturalist.

 

Bill

 

Well, I can sure tell you that FOR US, grass fed beef is MUCH cheeper to raise. I mean, like you said, it is only commnon sense. But I am talking about the cost to raise 1 steer on grain finishing as compared to the cost of finishing 1 steer on grass.

 

If you are trying to earn a living on grass fed beef, you have to factor in the fact that it takes much longer to finish a steer on grass - and in the end, you don't get as much beef. The cattle simply don't grow as fast or as big. You also have to have more land then in a feedlot situation, a lot more land. So, I don't know all the figures, but those are some thoughts.

[Kelli in TN]

Is this grass fed pork? We also raise our own hog for butcher. I was told by the local farmer and have since read that the fat content of commercial hogs has been bred to be quite a bit lower then we were used to a few years ago. We also have to add oil to our pan when cooking pork sausage. I wonder if "grass fed" has the same effect on pigs as cattle. I do know that some people pasture graze their hogs, but we don't. Grain all the way. I wonder if the pork would taste different too?

 

I am not sure. It is not advertised as such, but I know that the animal never visits the feedlot. The farmer says that he does not feed his hogs anything that he would not want to end up going to his children.

 

I don't worry about certifications or absolutes as much as I concern myself with buying from people who will look me in the eye and answer my questions about their products. I feel good about his treatment of his hogs and that what he does feed them is higher quality than the grocery stores.

 

I really feel good knowing that the hog was raised carefully and humanely, dispatched quickly and without the horror of the normal way pigs are ushered into the everafter. (My husband used to live in a town with a pork packing plant and he knew several people who worked the kill floor and said they were a little unbalanced after several months of doing nothing all day but killing pigs; pig after pig after pig, all day long.)

[katemary63]

IN the house we rented, we now have a freezer and dh has asked for us to get a large amount of beef or maybe pork to put in there. HOw do I find this and does it come as a quarter or half a side and I have to cut it? IN some other areas we lived in, it was common for people to buy and sell large quantities of meat but I am in the DC area and the butchers are selling to different clientele. I also don't live near ranches. How do I start the search?

 

I would call the county extention. All counties should have one and they know a lot of people. Around here, people go to the county fair in the fall and buy a hog or steer from a 4-Her. You could try that if your county fair isn't too far away. They all have hogs and steers, even if they are in the city. The fair will have a local meat processer set up to take the animals streight from the fair to their plant. You would pay him directly to butcher your animal. You can also choose the cuts and thickness etc for your order. You pick it up 2 weeks later, frozen, and take it home.

 

You can also call the local meat processer yourself and buy from them. They should offer packages on whole or 1/2 or even 1/4 cow or hog.

Of course, I have no idea how far from you any of this would be.

[Kelli in TN]

Well, I can sure tell you that FOR US, grass fed beef is MUCH cheeper to raise. I mean, like you said, it is only commnon sense. But I am talking about the cost to raise 1 steer on grain finishing as compared to the cost of finishing 1 steer on grass.

 

If you are trying to earn a living on grass fed beef, you have to factor in the fact that it takes much longer to finish a steer on grass - and in the end, you don't get as much beef. The cattle simply don't grow as fast or as big. You also have to have more land then in a feedlot situation, a lot more land. So, I don't know all the figures, but those are some thoughts.

 

We have two beef farmers at our farmer's market. The grass fed is a good deal cheaper than the grass/grain fed. Some of that could be attitude though. The grass/grain farmer lives on a century farm that has been producing beef for, well, a century. I think he is banking on his family name and might be overcharging a bit. The farmer I buy from is a husband wife team who say they just want to make a modest living and they price their products acccordingly.

 

Ground beef is about $2.50 pound, roasts run about $3 and up per pound (depending on the cut), ground lamb is $3 per pound, steaks are pretty high. However I don't actually pay these prices as he puts together monthly specials that are discounted. His specials always include a steak and I hide the steaks under all the bread in my freezer until I squirrel away enough for the family.

[Jackie in NE]

Cattle don't naturally consume grain. .

 

 

Bill

 

Ask anybody who runs cattle near corn fields.... You can have your cattle on a lovely, beautiful grass pasture, and if a bovine can push her way through a barbed wire fence into the corn field, she's going to! Especially after the field has been harvested, and she can pick up those lovely mature grains of corn right off the ground. While the corn is fresh, green and tall, they won't actually go INTO the corn rows too much... I think they're afraid of the dark!!

 

But the point is that cattle will eat corn "naturally". They love it. It's like humans liking sweets. Yes, it's bad for us. Yes, we have to control it. But put out a bowl of sweets in front of most humans, and the sweets will disappear. Now consider the bovine who has no such thoughts of weight control (and as a beef producer, I'm thankful for that). They actually fight over the grain!

[melissel]

Ground beef is about $2.50 pound, roasts run about $3 and up per pound (depending on the cut), ground lamb is $3 per pound, steaks are pretty high. However I don't actually pay these prices as he puts together monthly specials that are discounted. His specials always include a steak and I hide the steaks under all the bread in my freezer until I squirrel away enough for the family.

 

Kelli, those are GOOD prices for grass-fed! You're very lucky. I'm in a co-op, and even with the bulk discount, our prices are not that low.

[Jackie in NE]

I'm no aggie either, but I was betting that most of the grain grown for feed is subsidized (and modifed)...whereas no one is getting a kickback to grow lush, clean genetically-pure pasture. However, Mr. Mamagistra informs me that grain-feeding is more expensive, but it yields fatter cattle at a faster rate than pasture-feeding.

 

A farmer who's raising fully-pastured beef has to keep them on pasture longer in order to get them to market weight, thus he does not turn his cattle as fast. The farmer who starts his beefers on grass then sends them to the feedlot to fatten gets faster turnover, which keeps the cost of grain-fed beef down. At least that's my feeble understanding. :D

 

The beef industry is separated into specializations, for the most part. There are exceptions, of course. But usually, the cycle begins with a cow-calf producer who raises cows on grass, and then sells the calf crop annually once the calves reach weaning age. Those calves usually weigh about 600 pounds or so, and they are sold to another rancher who might put them out on a different kind of feed until they weigh about 900-1000 pounds. These feeds can vary wildly, depending upon location, and availability of feed types, and cost. That person then usually sells the calves (now considered yearlings) to a feedlot where they are fattened on grain and sold for slaughter.

 

Now there are a million ways to skin this cat, and thankfully we can all make independent choices about the way we eat. I'm just describing the way it is usually done.

 

We are cow-calf people. We could never keep our calf crop on grass through to slaughter because we don't have enough grass, or access to enough grass, or the cash that it would take to hold on to the calf crop that long.

 

So this "ordinary" way of getting beef onto the consumer's table is driven by consumer taste preferences, and economics. (our mortgage lender loves annual payments).

 

The reason we're going to butcher a grass-fed cow next week, is because she's not worth much as a cull cow. It's too expensive to feed her grain (but if there are "kickbacks" available, I'd like to know about that program.....:lol:. And it is the cheapest source of protein for our family. She will be turned into ground beef and stew meat. If I could have a nice, young, grain-fed steer and the tender steaks and roasts that he provides, (for the same price as our cow) I'd do it in a New York minute.

[Margaret in GA]

This thread is very timely to me as I just got the call yesterday that "our steer" is at the butcher's. We have done this 4 times now... contracting with a local farmer to raise a steer for us. Last time we had 100% grass fed and I'm telling you it was wonderful. I couldn't detect that grassy smell I've had before. There is a brand at the grocery -Laura's?- and it smells that way and it tastes bad. For some reason this bovine had none of that. I wonder what the difference was? Type of grass? Who knows. The steer we have right now will be a combo. Mostly grass, but finished with a little grain. It's not my preference, but it's close.

 

Margaret

[OHGrandma]

The beef industry is separated into specializations, for the most part. There are exceptions, of course. But usually, the cycle begins with a cow-calf producer who raises cows on grass, and then sells the calf crop annually once the calves reach weaning age. Those calves usually weigh about 600 pounds or so, and they are sold to another rancher who might put them out on a different kind of feed until they weigh about 900-1000 pounds. These feeds can vary wildly, depending upon location, and availability of feed types, and cost. That person then usually sells the calves (now considered yearlings) to a feedlot where they are fattened on grain and sold for slaughter.

 

Now there are a million ways to skin this cat, and thankfully we can all make independent choices about the way we eat. I'm just describing the way it is usually done.

 

We are cow-calf people. We could never keep our calf crop on grass through to slaughter because we don't have enough grass, or access to enough grass, or the cash that it would take to hold on to the calf crop that long.

 

So this "ordinary" way of getting beef onto the consumer's table is driven by consumer taste preferences, and economics. (our mortgage lender loves annual payments).

 

The reason we're going to butcher a grass-fed cow next week, is because she's not worth much as a cull cow. It's too expensive to feed her grain (but if there are "kickbacks" available, I'd like to know about that program.....:lol:. And it is the cheapest source of protein for our family. She will be turned into ground beef and stew meat. If I could have a nice, young, grain-fed steer and the tender steaks and roasts that he provides, (for the same price as our cow) I'd do it in a New York minute.

 

Jackie, we also are a cow/calf operation in Ohio. Based on our experience with a grass fat cull cow a couple years ago, I'd encourage you to keep steaks from that cow. We had a cull made into mostly hamburger and the rest as roasts. The roasts were so tender I really regretted not keeping some steaks. That cow was about 8, and I didn't expect her to be so tender. I think we did have the butcher hang her a bit longer than he would have a typical fat steer.

[stripe]

But I've always wondered why grass-fed beef was so much more expensive than grain-fed. I would think it should be the other way around.

I'd imagine it's because the grain can be more easily fed to caged animals (it's more "efficient," whereas grass grazing requires space). Also, I was under the impression, cattle that eat grain grow faster (=can be slaughtered younger? or yield more meat?).

 

Read Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages by Anne Mendelson, if you want her take on the economy of milk altering (why is unpasteurized milk more expensive than pasteurized, why is homogenized milk cheaper than unhomogenized, etc).

[Kelli in TN]

Kelli, those are GOOD prices for grass-fed! You're very lucky. I'm in a co-op, and even with the bulk discount, our prices are not that low.

 

Don't I know it??!!?? I love this couple!! There was no way I could afford the other farmer with his $4 a pound ground beef and way pricey roasts. I want to put this farmer on my Christmas list, wash his car, take out his trash......

 

This last time I bought from him I spent $85 on beef and lamb. When I got home and unloaded the loot into my freezer I realized he had slipped me an extra roast and two extra sirloins.

[Spy Car]

We pay a little over $2/pound for our grassfed beef. Ours is not certified organic, and it's a guy we found out about through word of mouth. The certified organic farm that sells to lots of trendy restaurants charges $5/pound. I wonder how much of the price of grassfed has to do with its typical target market and the fact that the people buying it have seen what Whole Foods charges ;) On the other hand, I don't see many organic farmers getting rich selling beef, so I certainly don't begrudge them the price. I just can't afford to pay it, so we buy from the $2 guy.

 

Would I love to be in your shoes.

 

I have found one source where the prices are only moderately-ridiculous if you want to purchase 1/2 a cow, or a 1/4 cow. But we don't have a deep-freeze (or the room for one).

 

In Los Angeles it is the "Whole Foods" effect. $$$$$.

 

I fervently hope a local farmer starts selling grass-fed beef and/or bison again. Because we're pretty much stuck.

 

I don't think Americans (as a society) yet fully comprehend the health consequences of grain-fed beef. And how omega 3 deprived our diets are. Our bodies can not make these "essential fatty acids", we must get them from food sources. Grass-fed beef is a reasonably good source. Grain-fed beef is anything but. We are causing great damage to our national health.

 

*Sigh*

 

Eventually we will wake up and demand an alternative. Just as we are finally waking up to HFCS and trans-fats. But on grain-fed beef we are still many years behind in our consciousness.

 

*Sigh*

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

Ask anybody who runs cattle near corn fields.... You can have your cattle on a lovely, beautiful grass pasture, and if a bovine can push her way through a barbed wire fence into the corn field, she's going to! Especially after the field has been harvested, and she can pick up those lovely mature grains of corn right off the ground. While the corn is fresh, green and tall, they won't actually go INTO the corn rows too much... I think they're afraid of the dark!!

 

But the point is that cattle will eat corn "naturally". They love it. It's like humans liking sweets. Yes, it's bad for us. Yes, we have to control it. But put out a bowl of sweets in front of most humans, and the sweets will disappear. Now consider the bovine who has no such thoughts of weight control (and as a beef producer, I'm thankful for that). They actually fight over the grain!

 

I'm not saying cattle won't eat it. Just like I imagine a child might be willing to "live" on candy.

 

But there are health ramifications for the animals.

 

And the end product is drastically less nutritious for the human consumer. Grain feeding significantly alters the omega 3/omega 6 balance in the meat.

 

And our health really does suffer from this lack of an essential nutrient. Study after study after study confirm it. That's why (some smart) people are taking "fish oil" supplements.

 

But what most people don't realize is we would get the omega 3s we need if beef was "grass-fed". Eventually this issue will be treated with the urgency and attention it deserves. But now, it is somehow not a "public issue".

 

It should be.

 

Bill

[stripe]

Try eating beef (or any meat) in another country.

 

That's all I have to say. (I won't get into the size of American chickens since this is a beef thread.)