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Humanely slaughtered meat


mrsadm

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Sorry if this topic has been covered, I did some searches and read some threads but did not find what I was looking for.

How can I - a home cook - find sources for meat that is not necessarily organic but at least humanely slaughtered? Is there some kind of association, group, or web sites that help?

I have been horrified lately by all the discussion online of a particularly cruel incident at a meat-packing place (Ruhlman's blog has a link to it) - I will never watch it but I do want very much to do what I can as a consumer to support humane practices.

Thanks for any pointers.

*****

"Did you see what Julia Child did to that chicken?" ... Howard Borden on "Bob Newhart"

*****

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Sorry if this topic has been covered, I did some searches and read some threads but did not find what I was looking for.

How can I - a home cook - find sources for meat that is not necessarily organic but at least humanely slaughtered?  Is there some kind of association, group, or web sites that help?

I have been horrified lately by all the discussion online of a particularly cruel incident at a meat-packing place (Ruhlman's blog has a link to it) - I will never watch it but I do want very much to do what I can as a consumer to support humane practices.

Thanks for any pointers.

Both Niman Ranch and Heritage Foods USA practice humane treatment of their animals, from husbandry to slaughter (according to the literature... I haven't exactly visited the abattoir's to check out the claim...). You will obviously pay a premium for this, but in my opinion it is well worth it.

ETA: In my guide to online meat sources I have a field called "humane" for pork, but not for any others. This does not imply that the other meats aren't available, just that I didn't think of it except for pork, the factory farms for which seem to be worse than those for beef, for example. I could be totally off base about this: I should probably add that field for all the proteins.

Edited by Chris Hennes (log)

Chris Hennes
Director of Operations
chennes@egullet.org

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Sorry if this topic has been covered, I did some searches and read some threads but did not find what I was looking for.

How can I - a home cook - find sources for meat that is not necessarily organic but at least humanely slaughtered?  Is there some kind of association, group, or web sites that help?

I have been horrified lately by all the discussion online of a particularly cruel incident at a meat-packing place (Ruhlman's blog has a link to it) - I will never watch it but I do want very much to do what I can as a consumer to support humane practices.

Thanks for any pointers.

The best place to start is at your local farmers markets. Establishing a relationship with your local farmers allows you to know how the animals are raised, killed and processed. Many farms allow visitors so we can see how they practice.

I often buy meat from Bev Eggelston, a protege of Joel Salatin, who is in VA.

Link to Bev's Eco Friendly Farms

http://www.ecofriendly.com/

Link to NY farmers markets

http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/index.htm

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Thank you both! The farmer's markets in upstate NY are generally closed throughout the long winter; otherwise I agree that's a great place to start. I will check your links, thanks very much.

*****

"Did you see what Julia Child did to that chicken?" ... Howard Borden on "Bob Newhart"

*****

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Thank you both!  The farmer's markets in upstate NY are generally closed throughout the long winter; otherwise I agree that's a great place to start.  I will check your links, thanks very much.

Oh sure, and good luck! We're fortunate to have a handful of markets that go year round despite the fact that they're outdoors. NY state would be another matter, however! :wink:

Another thought is to see if you have any Halal butchers or Kosher butchers who do their own slaughtering. Again...much better than the immense stress of mass butchering.

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we have the same problem here in nw nj when the farmers markets close. i have met through them and just being a big mouth people including 4hers who raise their own chickens, pigs and beef so i have access to birds, eggs, pork and cow off season. we are also lucky that there are several organic growers in the area and where the husband came from who do their own butchering. will also try to scare up some articles i remember about people who raised and slaughtered their animals "humanely" in the ny/vt area if that will be of use.

Nothing is better than frying in lard.

Nothing.  Do not quote me on this.

 

Linda Ellerbee

Take Big Bites

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