Comments on: Real Food Quote Monday – Grass-Fed Salad Bar

By: Dani

Dani — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:14:11 +0000

AH! Thanks for the reminder on the fat! I have tallow coming out my ears still–I bought a 5-gallon bucket on sale at US Wellness meats over 6 months ago, and we’re maybe 1/4 of the way through it! Looks like I need to get some lye and make some soap! Still, though; I can always use more… um, that is, if my freezer is big enough!

By: Wardeh

Wardeh — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:43:31 +0000

Dani — I hope someone can help you. I’m not really an expert at this. But I can tell you what we do. I should preface it by saying that we’re not steak lovers. So we only keep the choicest steaks (T-bone, tenderloin) and the choicest roasts (rump and tri-tip) and I get the so-so steaks cut up into stew meat (sirloin) and everything else gets ground. You could also ask the processor for advice on the tenderest cuts. Keep the fat, too, for tallow!

By: Dani

Dani — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:41:21 +0000

Wardeh, you have become the first place I turn when looking into new techniques for healthy living… and I find myself a little overwhelmed now that I have ordered a side of beef. I usually buy individual frozen cuts from the guy where I get my raw milk (he’s in a co-op with cattle, goat and chicken farmers, and actually raises/sells buffalo himself), but as our “rapidly growing grasses” season is nearing its close, I felt this was a prime time to buy a grass-fed cow. And, this was the closest post I could find that might relate!

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what cuts to request when the processor calls me? The farmer may have inadvertently caused me a little anxiety on this note by grilling me with questions as to what cuts I would want, etc. Either way, I am a bit nervous waiting for the call to come in from the plant. My folks bought 4-H cows when I was a kid, but this is my first experience! Any suggestions? Things to avoid? I am already planning on telling them I want everything they’ll give me, including bones, tongue, organs, etc. (farmer actually poked fun at me that I can’t have half of the tongue. Um… duh?)

THANKS!

By: Heidi

Heidi — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:26:18 +0000

Great quote. I just finished reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma and really enjoyed it. Pollan has such an easy and accessible style, making what can be quite a ‘heavy’ subject an enjoyable read.

I love his descriptions of his time at Salatin’s farm, it is so interesting to hear about how everything is tied to everything else, it gave me many ideas and things to think about for our little homestead.
.-= Heidi´s last blog post… Pondering parsnips =-.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:57:40 +0000

Oh, and as far as your quote…..I read it and really would like to roll in a patch of clover, then sit and nibble a little myself. What a great cow visual! It was great quote.

Nikki

By: Nikki

Nikki — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:54:37 +0000

I’m good with grain finished meat as long as the grain fed is organic or as very least GMO. Most times the farmer will state that they don’t use pesticides on there pastures and sometimes will state what kind of grain. Hate for the cows to be raised “right” only to be fattened on grain treated with pesticides. It would kinda blow the whole thing up for me.

Nikki

By: Colleen

Colleen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:20:15 +0000

I have not read any of this author’s work, but he describes an open pasture raised cow’s eating habit very well. Our cows definitely search out the ice cream first (clover) before munching on regular grass. When weeds or anything else growing in the pasture is at the seeded state they completely ignore it.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:12:22 +0000

It’s funny, I am in the middle of reading this book. It makes me want to read everything Salatin wrote; after reading the first section, I was just depressed (I have read so many books on CAFO and factory farming), but the Salatin section was kind of like “OK, now what can we do to fix the problem.”

I have to say, I am thinking that Salatin’s system does seem like the optimal system. Cows are meant to eat grass. Sure, there might be a few seeds here and there, and maybe some crabgrass, but that really is the ideal. I think if you have to have grain-finished beef because it’s the only choice, it’s still better than grain-fed beef.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog post… Menu Plan Monday – Week of 11/09/09 =-.

By: Wardeh

Wardeh — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:19:32 +0000

You’re right! I wrote the wrong word – fixed now. Thanks for catching it!

By: Gab

Gab — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:56:13 +0000

At first I was confused and then I realized you mustve meant GRAIN-finished at the beginning (emphasized in green). Or am I really just confused?!