Local Food
I have been researching lately where I could satisfy some of our household foods with locally produced alternatives. Utah, is no California, but we do have a surprising amount of locally produced foods if you are willing to look. I have been first off trying to find a place where I could get milk and other dairy items like cheese and eggs that are not from far away since I know that these things are produced locally, but mainly because I want to try to eliminate all of the hormones that are being used, and because I want products from grass fed animals that don't need all of the antibiotics and supplements that corn fed animals do. (Read Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma for more information.) I think I may have stumbled onto a local dairy that can provide milk, cheese and eggs from local cattle and chickens. I was pleasantly supprised to find that while the cost of milk at our local walmart is at around $3.40-$3.50 gal, I can get this much healthier alternative delivered to my door for around $3.20 gal.
Another pleasant suprise that I came across through another local dairy outfit that I checked into was that they are also selling grass fed, hormone free beef. I have been trying to eat less beef as it is, but I have just about gotten to the point of not eating meat at all unless I have either harvested it myself, (Yes I hunt. Note, I said hunt not get; that's like saying fishing not catching.) or if it comes from a healthy source preferably one that I can drop by and check out operations at.
I will let you know what we decide to do. I don't think that I have any Utah readers, at least not any that have ever commented, but in the case that I have any local lurkers, I will give the info on the options at that time in case anyone is interested.
P~
Labels:
eating locally,
food
4 comments:
Congrats on finding a local dairy! How convenient that they deliver to your door! We have to drive weekly to ours, but the kids like seeing the animals so, so far it is working out well. I would highly recommend getting your hands on some local grass fed beef if you can. There is nothing like it! We bought 1/2 hog and 1/4 cow from a local farm and we have been nothing but delighted with every cut of meat. I bought the meat before I started reading Omnivore's Dilemma and I'm glad I did!! If I had had conventionally grown meat still in the house I probably would have tossed it all!! :)
good for you, P. It's nice that your healthier option is cheaper too. We buy our milk from the local dairy and cheese from the local cheesemaker and I must tell you that driving to work and passing by those contented cows grazing gently on the hillsides, makes me smile for it's beauty every time.
Here's a link for you for the Western Belted Galloway society
http://www.beltedgalloway.org/members.asp
- there are a few members listed in Utah that might be able to point you in the direction of some excellent pastured beef. Galloway beef is exceptional in quality - I can definitely tell the difference between dairy cows and beef cows in the make-up of the meat. Dairy cows do not put on the fat in their meat that beef cattle do - it goes to the milk instead. The marbling in the meat is what will make the beef more tender. That is why Prime cuts of steak cost so much at restaurants!
Good luck in your search! I wish we had dairy options here in West TN. Most of the family dairies in our area closed because they just couldn't make enough funds to stay open.
Epm
Thanks for the link. None of them is really very close, but they are certainly wihin driving distance. The cows that the dairy is getting the meat from are not old dairy cows, I'm not sure that I was clear about that. They are a dairy breed, but are the males, so they are raised for slaughter. I;m sure it wouldn't be as good as Belteds but I certainly can't see it being worse than the fatty hormone ridden commercial growers product either.
Post a Comment