Help! Organic Butchers in Vancouver..........

[Rookie Sensation]

I'm looking to find an organic or naturally-raised meats butcher, preferably somewhere near east van (Commercial, Main), downtown, or kitsilano.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you!!!!!!

[canucklehead]

I think that Famous Foods is all natural/organic. Whole Foods in West Van is the same - and they will have people on hand to help with your purchase. I am sure Capers is also natural/organic - but I am not sure if there is some one hand to help.

Depending on what you are trying to buy - you may even want to contact Blue Goose Cattle (www.bluegoosecattle.com) - whom I think are open to the public once a week from there facilites in North Van.

[stovetop]

http://www.bluegoosecattle.com/

Nice link- It is good to see some BC companies coming forward and finding ways to market themselves. I love their web page and see great things in the way they are streamlining their marketing; if they left it up to BC Gov they would not do as well.

I have a question, does anybody know what is up with BC Agriculture in regards to abattoirs, especially in the alternative food producer bus. I mean such products as free range- organic- or just plain old school mentality. When I was in the kootneys ranchers there were very afraid of what was coming down the shoot from the BC gov. They wanted to ban all independent producers and only have one local abattoir. This plant was to be located to far away so the cost would be to high for any independents or small producers. I feel that if you take away the small guy how will the organic meat business survive?

The way of success in any agricultural commodity is to have farmers be able to reach a level of equilibrium so cost can be met and the business can be sustainable. That is what organic is all about not creating a high end product, which I feel is the shortcomings of organic and eventually big business just buys the company and you are back where you started. If the basis is about sustainability and quality meats the industry will have more chance to survive; by thinking globally but acting locally you keep more food around home, this is where organics is loosing it's edge. This should be the basis of the whole process not creating a high end product but creating traditional sustainable and locally grown beef or any other commodity.

Edited July 17, 2006 by stovetop (log)

[Rookie Sensation]

Thank you so much for your help.........(quietly salivating at the thought of a well-hung, medium-rare hanger steak - mmmmmm).

[radbertus]

If you don't mind going over the bridge I think that most of what <a href="http://www.3pnaturalandexoticmeats.ca/indexHS.html">3P</a> sells is organic.

[Mimolette]

This is my first post although I have been reading this forum for many months. I was inspired to post when I saw this link and the reference to Blue Goose Cattle Company.

I visited the Blue Goose wholesale outlet in North Van for the first time this weekend. We met the owner and spoke to him at length about the industry, their ranch and philosophy. He seemed passionate and sincere about his beliefs and it was fascinating to hear about the industry. They have a wide range of individually packaged cuts available for purchase at the outlet and the prices are very good. Short ribs, flat iron, wing tip...as well as all the traditional cuts are available. They also supply to Whole Foods. The brochure indicates that they are open Monday to Saturday (although I think he is often there on Sundays as well).

The meat that they sell from this outlet has been dry hung....which results in incredible flavour and tenderness. We purchased wing tip ( a cheap but flavorful cut) and decided to try a side by side taste comparison with a AAA non-organic strip loin. We marinated both for a couple of hours, tossed on the BBQ and were shocked by the difference. The organic dry aged from BG had amazing taste, texture and mouth feel....oh yeah, that's what a steak is supposed to taste like!! The non-organic (and wet aged) by comparison was watery and flavorless. I know we weren't comparing apples to apples...but I was blown away by the difference. I love what this guy is doing and his product is awesome. It's definitely worth the trip over the bridge.

[stovetop]

The organic dry aged from BG had amazing taste, texture and mouth feel....oh yeah, that's what a steak is supposed to taste like!! The non-organic (and wet aged) by comparison was watery and flavorless. I know we weren't comparing apples to apples...but I was blown away by the difference. I love what this guy is doing and his product is awesome. It's definitely worth the trip over the bridge.

yes- somewhere along the line someone thought that wet aged was going to improve meat, I belive this is the most major facture in what makes meat good.

steve