What Is the Meatrix?

...if you finished a few of your beeves yourself on grass and made them available by the half or quarter at the nearest big city--or if you got ambitious, even over the internet like Peaceful Pastures. Grass-fed beef is THE thing right now among foodies and health-conscious carnivores, it goes for big, big bucks, and the trend is only going to get bigger, not smaller. If I lived near you I'd buy a half a beef from you like that *snap* if I knew it was even mostly grass-fed and not grain-finished, and I could sell another three halves just in my immediate circle of family and friends, not even counting my nutrition group. Unfortunately, you're down there and I'm up here.

I really prefer to buy my meat/eggs/dairy direct from farmers because then I KNOW what I'm getting--I can go and see it to be sure--and I know the farmers make a lot more money from my direct purchase. And even so, I usually save over what the same product (guaranteed pasture-fed animal products) would cost in a store. That's not to say I don't buy in the stores, because I do; often I don't have much choice. But if you can buy direct from a farmer, people, do, whether it's animal products or produce.

I should think, Jenny, with the rising cost and popularity of beef right now, that you'd be doing well!

Lynn Siprelle, Editor
and converted carnivore

Grass-fed beef isn't as good as grain fed. Grain gives the beef extra fat and marbling, adding too the flavor and texture of the cut.

You think you would only eat half a beef a year? We ate a whole beef, pig, and deer over the past year! And I've been buying ground beef for about the past 4 months. We have really got to put one in our pens and finish it out so we have some good beef soon.

I wish we were doing well. One of the biggest things killing the family farm isn't the factory farm, but the rising cost of machinery and such, but low prices on crops. In fact, many crops are bringing what they did in the 40's and 50's. Our cows just make the land payment on the ranch and house. It doesn't provide for any living or the farm and farm land at all. Try out these prices:
*New tractor (pulls plows, baler, rakes)= $130,000 (yes REALLY! We bought our newest one last year, it's a 94 model, for $35,000)
*New baler (bales hay)= $75,000 (again, we bought a used one 4 years ago for $50,000)
*Swather (cuts hay)= $70,000 (we found a used one a couple years ago for $15,000 and had to put about $7,000 in parts to get it working)
*Combine (harvests wheat)=$150,000 (we don't combine wheat, we bale ours into hay, so at least this is something we don't have to have)
*hay rakes= $7,000 (our only piece of machinery that we ever bought brand new!)

A majority of our machinery is very used. Some of our plows are older than DH!

This year so far, we have spent $14,000 in parts alone to keep the machinery together, $7,500 in diesel and natural gas for our irrigation motors, $7,000 in seed, $10,600 in fertilizer and pestacides. Another $12,000 in diesel for the trucks and tractors. And we are small farmers! At least land is cheap. About $200/acre or so for pasture, a little more for non-irrigated farmland.

Wait, this was supposed to be about beef, right? LOL!! Sorry, I got off onto a farming tangent rather than ranching. Maybe when some of the machinery is paid for and we get out of this drought, we will actually make some money (in case you are interested, our annual rainfall is supposed to be about 15 inches. We haven't gotten more than 10 inches a year for the past 10 years). One reason why I want to get my teaching degree and get back to work when Chance is in school, take ALOT of pressure off the farm to support the household. The farm can support the farm, I can support the house, and anything extra would just be nice.

Oh, one more thing. We have almost 1,200 acres and 50 cows is all it can support because the grass is so scarce. Now, places like Georgia and East Texas and the Pacific Northwest can put many more cows per acre, rather than acres per cow.

Studmuffin, of course I remember you well! We nearly moved to Alamosa a few years ago, but couldn't afford the land up there. Besides, gets a bit too cold in Colorado for me! LOL!!

"Grass-fed beef isn't as good as grain fed. Grain gives the beef extra fat and marbling, adding too the flavor and texture of the cut."

That may be so, but flavor's not the issue at this house. It's health, and grass-fed animal products are MUCH healthier for you than grain-fed. Let me see if I can find a reference...OK, here ya go: Why Grassfed Animal Products Are Better For You.

Jenny, I would never ever tell you how to farm! I don't know the first thing about it. But I do know that many family farmers are turning to this new market and prospering again, and if you weren't aware of it, I wanted you to know. We're hoping to keep a couple of chickens ourselves in the next year and I'm always on the lookout for raw dairy and grassfed meat. It's not easy to find, at least at a price we can afford!

And I know we could eat way more than a half in a year! I just don't think I have more storage space than that at a time.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

I won't argue that it may be healthier. But what's the point if it doesn't taste as good? LOL! I'll take my chances and die with a smile on my face (in the words of my grandfather at him having restrict the salt in his diet. He died at age 91).

I know you wouldn't tell me how to farm. And I'm not telling you how to eat. I know you need to watch what you eat. I feel very blessed that I don't have to be careful at this point in my life (and, God willing, ever). I'm glad you are making the choices that are right for your health.

Happy chewing that tough grass-fed meat!

PS, you know I luv ya! Gotta rib you a little! (whoops, pardon the pun!!)

I don't think we've ever had tastier meals, actually, than we do now; grass-fed beef can be nearly as tender as grain-fed, I've found, at least the beef I've had, and a good cook can deal with the rest. I don't need my meat to be fork-tender, just tasty and good for me, and the meat I'm getting, when I can get it, qualifies. (I'm tellin' ya, whether you want to eat it or not, there is a market out there.)

Your grandpa probably died at such a ripe old age because the foundation of his health was set in his youth by eating a lot of good, local, probably mostly grass-fed animal products like butter, cream, eggs and meat, and few if any transfats (since they weren't in very widespread use). He probably also didn't eat as much sugar as we do now in his youth.

Personally I don't believe in the low-salt theory, especially since it has made zero difference in my own blood pressure. It's less a salt problem and more a processed foods problem (very high non-salt sodium problems), and definitely a WATER problem--and a magnesium problem. The magnesium content of our food, especially veggies, is much lower than it's ever been because of soil depletion without renewal. I take extra magnesium and also epsom salts baths; it helps my blood pressure and regulates my heart palpitations.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor