Isn’t Organic Best?

I am a meat-eating, animal-lover, an omnivore who can nonetheless appreciate the value (and personalities) of living, breathing animals, even those that are not typically domesticated.  For example, keeping two pigs as house pets does not keep me from enjoying a bite of pork now and again. Some people may find this hard to reconcile, my love of animals and of their meat, but for me, this isn’t much of a challenge.

What is important to me is that all animals be raised humanely.  I am a strong believer that just because an animal is bred and raised for food doesn’t mean the animal’s life should be filled with suffering. Many people mistakenly believe that by eating organically, they are ensuring that the animal has been raised in a humane way.  I don’t believe this to be the case.  Although one can raise an animal organically and humanely, organic doesn’t necessarily equal humane.  There once was a time when organic was synonymous with natural.  Today however, organic farming has more to do with government bureaucrats and following a set of rules developed by lobbyists and politicians.

So what is a person to do if they want to eat meat that is healthy for them and raised humanely?  My suggestion is to go to the source.  Eating from local producers is a rewarding experience.  First, you get to see first hand how the animals are raised.  Are they treated humanely?  What are they eating?  Second, you can become more connected to the food you eat. To meet the animal that will provide you with meat will teach you a great deal about what it means to be a meat eater.  I don’t recommend that everyone take part in their own butchering, however, it is healthy in my opinion for one to reconnect with the food we eat. Third, eating locally, both vegetable and animal, utilizes less resources.  Fourth, supporting small farm enterprises guarantees sustainable agriculture as well as local business.

There are two big downsides to eating this way.  Cost and quantity. The cost for pasture raised products tends to be a little more expensive than what you may find at your local grocery store.  For some, this is a deal breaker.  I would interject that in most cases the quality is substantially better, and perhaps healthier which may or may not be worth the extra few dollars per pound. It amazes me that when shopping for a new TV, people consider a host of variables (flat screen? size? plasma? HDTV? wall mountable? etc…) before they consider price, but when shopping for food, cheapest will do just fine. The second downside for some would be the quantity most places ask that you purchase. It is much harder to find local farms willing to sell specific cuts of meat. Rather, they sell meat by the whole, half, or quarter of the animal. For beef, this can range from purchasing anywhere from 600 lbs to 100 lbs of meat at once. Storage is an issue for some, though this can be overcome through buying as a group.

If you are undaunted by these two potential negatives, I would suggest that you do some research and find local producers of meat.  Visit their farm and see how the animals are raised.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  A friend of mine in West Virginia has provided me with lamb and beef.  I met her when I decided to purchase Kit and Kaboodle from her. Her products are delicious and I consider her beef to be some of the best I have ever had. Her farm, Fair Dinkum Farm (its sheep are those in the picture above), is located about 4 hours from Washington, DC.  It is a beautiful drive and worth it for her high quality products.

I visited another farm today that will provide me with pork products. Wagon Wheel Ranch is located one hour north of Washington, DC.  This farm has a wide selection of products and I will provide updates on the quality of it after I try it.

If you know of other places in the DC area that provides healthy, humanely raised meat, please let me know and I will be happy to investigate it and post my findings.

Happy Eating!