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Friday, September 25, 2009

Meet meat...

http://www.thunderinghooves.net/

It just so happens I'm finally getting around to reading Omnivore's Dilemma, where the chapter I'm on discusses meat and how it's basically not properly raised on most "farms". Yes, even the meat you buy from your grocery store that's labeled "grass-fed" "organic" "cage-free" "farm-fresh" still comes from a huge factory where, sure they might not use any pesticides or growth-hormones, but the way that cow is treated is exactly the same as any corporate factory you've grown to hate. The cows, chickens or pigs might have a door somewhere to be let "free" but they're still put in a big cage (or shelter, if you will) with thousands of other cows, chickens or pigs. They probably can't even see this door if they tried. They probably are stepping in eachother's shit and vomit and feathers until they die - by a machine. Basically, a slaughterhouse is a slaughterhouse no matter what pretty little sticker you put on the package.

But because I'm lucky to live in Seattle, where everyone composts their banana peels and farmer's markets are shopped at more than Safeways, I also get to do things like visit farms from where I get my cheese (which I've done) or have the farmer, who raised and yes, killed my meat, can come to a parking lot near me to sell the cow or lamb or chicken that was on his beautiful farm not so long ago.

The difference is simple. When I go to my local grocery store, it usually says a lot of things or nothing at all about my meat. Lately, I've noticed more packages with stickers that say, "From the farm" but don't say which farm or there's simply a sticker of a farm, but no mention that the cow was actually living on one. But with Thundering Hooves there's no mistaking where your meat comes from. You know the cows have plenty of land to graze on. You know that they are fed grains, and why they are fed grains. You can take tours of their farm, and see pictures of their farm from their site. You can actually meet the person who probably once handled the cow/chicken/pig that you are now about to eat.

Awhile back, Dominic and I did a taste test from meat at Safeway that was labeled, "Farm fresh, organic without fed any hormones". Then we bought a much more expensive piece of meat, the same cut, the same weight, from our local Farmer's Market. The taste of the two were so remarkably different (meaning that the Farmer's Market meat was way fucking better - like better than any fancy steak you've had at any restaurant ever). This became just one of our reasons to buy meat locally. The other reasons should be obvious and that's how I found Thundering Hooves.

So in two weeks, I'll walk 2 miles to get meat that's only come 280 miles to get to me. And that, for some strange reason, makes me happy.

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2 Comments:

Blogger Heidiblossom said...

Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is another good one.

11:23 AM  
Blogger Barrie said...

Yep, I read that one a few years ago. I've really gone backwards when it comes to reading Omnivore's, right down to reading Joel Salatin's book (who is widely featured in Omnivore's) before picking this one up. I was always hesitant to read Omnivore's because I really didn't enjoy In Defense of Food. But so far, it's much better so I'm happy for now.

1:16 PM  

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