Delivery of locally raised meat (Raleigh, King: house, buy, school)

[NC_Paddler]

I remember seeing an inquiry awhile back about meat delivery services. Since I came across this site recently, I thought I'd post it. I have not used the service personally, so I cannot comment on the quality.

"Welcome![LEFT][LEFT]We are creating a meat riot to fix the world and improve our health. We have started by sourcing our meats directly from local farmers that practice sustainable farming practicesleaving no carbon footprint on our planet, offering ethically raised meats such aspastured pork, grass-fed beef and pastured free-range chicken to be delivered directly to you!"[/LEFT][/LEFT]

http://www.farmtoforkmeat.com/

[MainLineMommy]

Talk about expensive! First, the site never actually claims that the meat is certified organic. They just say 'ethically raised', which is not a regulated claim. Meanwhile, even if you purchase the most expensive 'package' you're paying over $9 a pound for pork chops and over $6 a pound for ground beef or sausage!! You can get certified organic meat for less than that, and can probably get it delivered directly to your house for less than that too.

[hammester]

$10 per pound for bacon? Thanks but not thanks!

[JebediahScooter]

There's a guy that sells hormone-free beef at a pretty decent price at the Raleigh Farmers' Market. He's the one to the left of the folks that sell pork, goat, and eggs I believe. I don't think he delivers, but if you have a big freezer, you can buy bulk packages. He's super nice, too...took me on a cuts of beef tour in the freezer in his trailer.

[2BZee2Pee]

Let me come bow hunt in your back yard and I'll give you all the organic meat you can eat free

[delmarvalocal]

I think that this is a fantastic concept and the progressive thinking of the triangle area is why we relocated here. To those negative responders, you get what you pay for! Do your research "certified organic" no longer means a high quality natural product free of antibiotics and hormones. Unfortunately the confinement and agri business operations have paid off the legislators and the term "organic" is a borderline sham. Take "free range" poultry for example; instead of actually being able to roam a pasture eating a natural diet, it just means that they are able to see the outside via a concrete pad and fence for a short time every day.

I'll choose ALL NATURAL products over "certified organic" any day of the week. AND I dont mind paying an additional premium for a superior product. We need more innovators like this group.

[Bilirubin]

Originally Posted by delmarvalocal

I'll choose ALL NATURAL products over "certified organic" any day of the week. AND I dont mind paying an additional premium for a superior product. We need more innovators like this group.

You're obviously entitled to your own opinion, so this is for others that might like to know the difference between "Organic" vs "Natural" beef.

Organic beef is regulated by the USDA, and generally speaking, the cattle is strictly tracked (breeding history, vet care, etc), raised only on organically grown grains or grass (also regulated), never receive antibiotics or growth hormones, have unrestricted outdoor access, and receive humane care.

Natural beef is kind of regulated by the USDA (ranchers are not certified and there is no verification system, standards are set by the ranchers themselves). To qualify as "natural" the food (meat) must be minimally processed, and not contain artificial ingredients or preservatives. They may receive growth hormones and other drugs, and they may eat anything that is not plastic (often fed to act as roughage). Natural does not refer in any way to how the animal is cared for or treated.

I don't really eat beef, but if given a choice, I'd go with the one labeled "Certified USDA Organic" over "Natural". Organic is just a much stricter program. If I knew the ranch, and knew that the cattle was pasture fed (not corn fed), like the old-school ranches of old, I'd choose that, regardless of an organic label or not.

Here's a link to a fact sheet, and another (http://www.beeffoodservice.com/CMDocs/BFS/Beef%20Choices.pdf - broken link).

A good documentary that discusses corn fed beef, and is interesting in other ways as well, is King Corn. Worth a watch.