Healthier Meat Choices

Raising cows to butcher has been a part of my childhood. I never realized that someday I would come to appreciate it so much. I know what goes into my meat and in return we eat 100 % percent grass-fed beef that's all natural. There are many benefits to eating grass-fed beef. The meat is leaner, has more nutrients such as vitamin E, beta-carotene, and good fats such as omega-3.

The butchering of our cows generally take place in early fall after they have fattened up through the spring and summer. Just because you don't have the space to raise your own cow doesn't mean you can't get the end result, a freezer full of all natural goodness. Look into Locker beef.

Local Farmers sell cows all the time. All you have to do is start asking around. You can also find local farmers on Craigslist or in the newspaper classifieds. Even a city dweller can find a nearby suburban farm. You can go into halves with another family and purchase a cow ready to butcher. In that case your next step would be to contact a butcher. They will come and slaughter the cow and cut and wrap it. All you have to do is pick it up. There will be options as of how you want your cow cut up.  More roasts, steaks, stew meats, etc. Another option is to purchase locker beef from a local butcher.

A few cons of purchasing a locker package directly from a butcher: 

• You may not always know where the beef comes from
• You may not know the farm's practices (whether they are vaccinated, injected with hormones, cleanliness, etc.)
• It usually cost a few more pennies

Pros of purchasing a locker beef package:

• Less steps. You go to the butcher shop pick out the locker package that fits your needs
• Most butchers also provide the choice of 100% grass-fed or grain-fed

Also some farms offer locker packages themselves. Some do the butchering while others may simply eliminate the step for the customer. All you have to do is place your order with them, and pick it up.

Where to start your look:

Word of mouth

Newspaper

                   Local store bulletin boards

Craigslist

You will find that most folk around here have a well stashed freezer. Much of that is also obtained by hunting. Hunting is a huge part of small town life. It isn't uncommon that at least half the kids in third and  fourth grade have taken the gun safety course and hunt right along the side of mom and dad. That's right. Most moms around here hunt as well. To go out hunting is a date for the Honey and I. It is something we really enjoy doing together. However, I have never killed anything more than a grouse. And, I am not so sure I want to. Elk and deer meat, widely referred to as venison, is VERY lean and of course it is as natural as you can get. I have eaten elk and deer my entire life but didn't even know what venison was until like five years ago.


*My next post will have the cost details