Mooooooove Over Feedlot Beef!

About a year ago, I watched the movie Food Inc..  If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you watch it.  It's a "must see" for everyone who lives in this country.  Food Inc. is a documentary about our nation's food industry and how drastically the business of food production has changed in the last 50 years.  It also shows how our food supply is (surprisingly) controlled by only a small handful of very powerful corporations who (sadly) are putting the almighty buck ahead of our health and well being.  One large part of the movie is devoted to the disappearance of the quintessential American farmer.  It's actually very sad and shocking to see that most of our nation's small farms are a thing of the past.

After watching Food Inc., I sat back and reevaluated how I shop and what I eat.  I knew I needed to make a change.  You cannot watch Food Inc. and not be affected by it.  Yes, my family eats meat.  Yes, we purchased it from the grocery store.  Yet, we had no idea where it actually came from or what harmful steps may have gone into the process.  I decided I needed to be a more mindful consumer.  It seemed like a huge undertaking for me and I knew I couldn't change everything all at once.  These types of changes are best when taken in "baby steps".  Our diet already includes many organic choices, we read labels, and try to be more aware about what we put into our bodies.  I thought a wise next step for me, in this evolution was to change how I purchased beef. 

Our family eats red meat about once a week.  I was interested in finding a way to purchase beef in bulk, from a local source I felt comfortable with.  I needed this source to assure me it was practicing healthy and humane standards for animal growth and production.  Upon searching, I located a wonderful small farm near where I live.  I contacted the farmers, Paul and Tina Schmid at River Rock Farm about purchasing "bulk beef" for my freezer.  The farm has a small herd of Angus which were originally derived from a plantation in Maryland.  It's a farm that's been in operation for over 40 years.  They raise their herd under 100% organic conditions, feeding them a diet of 100% grass (no grains, no unhealthy antibiotics or hormones).  The animals are grown to their full size in the proper amount of time they need to get there - about 2 years.  I felt good about this choice and asked to be put on their customer list.  They even invited me to visit the farm to see where the animals happily "graze along the banks of the river".  I thought that was a nice touch, yet figured I'd wait for that introduction until it arrived in the little white paper-wrapped packages.

In November, I received my order.  It came frozen, cut, wrapped and labeled to my specifications.  It filled my chest freezer.  The beef I purchased is healthier than "grocery store beef" in that it (being from a grass fed animal) offers a higher amount of healthy fats and a lower amount of the unhealthy fats.  I certainly noticed it has a different taste, and it's one we've grown accustomed to and are thoroughly enjoying.  We are hoping it lasts at least through the summer.

As a consumer (and a human), I highly recommend you be more mindful of where your food comes from, how it is produced, and the steps that were taken to get that food to your table.  You may find some very surprising things along the way.  The shocking truths you may discover just might change your life forever.

~Always striving to live a Fit Full Life!