April 25th, 2011 Grass Fed ?

[Dagney]

We've taken to purchasing our meat products (beef, chicken, lamb, etc) from local farmers only. The farm we use most frequently is a grass fed operation - their beef animals recieve no corn 'enhancements' to their diet during their growing phase. It's all grass/grain feed. We've found that it's better tasting than corn fed cows, it doesn't have as much fat in it (which is a plus for us), and has more of a 'beefy' flavor - so we actually end up eating less of it.

I believe it was in one of Pollan's books that I read about how CAFO cows (confined agriculture feeding operations), which are fed corn to 'finish' them, or get them to optimum weight quickly before slaughter, actually were often sick - because the anatomy of a cow is not designed to process corn - which also explains why so many 'commercial' beef products come with the extra added antibiotics (which causes a whole other issue).

I don't think that grass fed is a 'marketing ploy'. I think it's the growth of a market for people who are starting to see exactly what 'industrial food' is doing, and how unhealthy it truly is.