Organic beef source

[puchica]

My roomates and I have bought sides of organic beef for the past two years, but our hook-up moved out of town. Does anyone know of local organic farmers or butchers who sell pre-cut beef by the half or quarter? I've found some places that offer "grain-fed" cows, but I'd rather have organic or near-organic.

[Farming_Lassie]

My roomates and I have bought sides of organic beef for the past two years, but our hook-up moved  out of town. Does anyone know of local organic farmers or butchers who sell pre-cut beef by the half or quarter? I've found some places that offer "grain-fed" cows, but I'd rather have organic or near-organic.

←

Grain fed beef may still be organic... traditionally Ranchers feed corn/ wheat as a grain along with hay for wintering. Beef raised on the ranch rarely, if ever receives antibiotics or hormone injections. It is the comingling in feedlots where beef becomes polluted...

Yes, I raise cattle.

Ang.

www.fairsted.com

[fero style]

sunnysidefarms.com

[Meredith]

Does anyone know of local organic farmers or butchers who sell pre-cut beef by the half or quarter? I've found some places that offer "grain-fed" cows, but I'd rather have organic or near-organic.

←

http://www.southmountaincreamery.com/

The website is badly designed, but I think the product and the prices are good.

[syzygy8]

Eco-Friendly sells at the Dupont Market on Sundays. And probably elsewhere other times. Although I don't think they do beef, Cibola is also there. They've got the best eggs, too.

[sdelgato]

I know Wegman's carries an assortment of Sunnyside organic meats. The hanging tenderloins rule... Damn pricy shite I might add! Would "naturallly" (no hormone/anitbiotic) raised beef fit the bill??

Edited February 22, 2005 by sdelgato (log)

[Robin Shuster]

Forrest Pritchard of Smith FAmily Farm sells grass fed and finished beef at the TAkoma Park Farmers Market on Sundays and the ARlington Market on Saturdays. He can supply you. Grass fed is better than organic. Cows are not supposed to eat grain, organic or conventional. They cannot digest it.

My roomates and I have bought sides of organic beef for the past two years, but our hook-up moved  out of town. Does anyone know of local organic farmers or butchers who sell pre-cut beef by the half or quarter? I've found some places that offer "grain-fed" cows, but I'd rather have organic or near-organic.

←

[sdelgato]

but grass fed beef is, well, flavorless. Lower in fat, but flavorless. Who said a cow shouldn't eat grain? Corn is only 12 percent digestable to anyone or any animal, cows are no different. No?

Edited February 22, 2005 by sdelgato (log)

[frogprince]

seconding ferostyle's suggestion, i would highly highly recommend putting some sunshine in your beef diet: sunnyside farms.

[puchica]

Thanks for all the guidance...

I have to say that one of the great thing about our most recent half-cows was their relative cheapness. And tastiness of course. The second one (we named him Deuce) was even cheaper because his organic pedigree had been ruined by antibiotic ointment for an eye infection. Since we weren't going to eat the eyes, we decided it was OK with us.

I think grass fed is what we are really looking for, truly organic or not, so it looks like we should be hitting the farmers markets and making some deals. There really is no better feeeling than a freezer full of delicous beef products.

[syzygy8]

There really is no better feeeling than a freezer full of delicous beef products.

←

I beg to differ. There really is no better feeling than a stomach full of delicious beef products.

[hannnah]

but grass fed beef is, well, flavorless.  Lower in fat, but flavorless.  Who said a cow shouldn't eat grain?  Corn is only 12 percent digestable to anyone or any animal, cows are no different.  No?

←

Previous discussion of whether cows digest grain. Short answer: yes, they do, and it's not "bad for them" - it's comparable to the difference between eating granola and spinach for a human.

Spinach, like grass, has a lot more indigestible matter and essentially no fat, so the body has to work harder to extract nutrients from it. Granola has more digestible matter and is higher in fats and sugars, so it takes less of it to provide the same number of calories. All other conditions being equal, a grain-fed animal is not going to be any less healthy than a grass-fed animal, but it will develop more intramuscular fat (aka marbling) and will taste and cut differently as a result. In the end, it's basically an issue of whether you like the taste of one vs. the other.

[sextons]

Another source for organic meats: http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/

They sell from the farm or through their butcher shop in Middleburg:

Home Farm Stores

1 East Washington St, Middleburg, VA 20117

(540) 687-8882