The Denver Post | Cyrus McCrimmon
If you’re a carnivore — and especially if you choose organic meat — here’s a must-read.
Yesterday’s Denver Post Food section included a terrific, long article about one organic ranch in Wyoming, which produces the grass-fed organic beef that goes to Whole Foods stores in this region.
The article looks at the history of the particular ranch, but more importantly, it follows the beef from hoof to plate.
I’m familiar with the process. To me, responsible meat-eating involves knowing where meat came from and how it was treated. (The author, Douglas Brown, seems to agree; the article was accompanied in the newspaper by his opinion piece about his new meat-eating philosophy.)
For many years, I’ve heard about the process of meat animals going from the field or stream to the plate – from college environmental science classes; from a cousin who worked as the man with the stun gun in a slaughterhouse; from a relative who worked at a turkey processing plant; from relatives who hunt or fish or raise their own meat animals, like the cattle named Sirloin and Chuck to remind their owners not to get too attached; and from our experience picking up a quarter-beef (organic) at the processing plant.
For many years, as a result, I was a vegetarian. Now, I’ve given in to the carnivores in my house, and we eat meat — and I even like it. We draw the line, however, by insisting that pretty much all the meat we eat must be humanely raised. I don’t do as Brown claims to do — say no thanks to the main dish if the hostess can’t vouch for its provenance — because I value relationships more than my beliefs. But at home, we’ll continue to eat organic.
The article has generated quite a few comments arguing about whether the newspaper should publish such a disturbing story. I would argue that whether you choose not to eat meat, or to make it part of your diet, it’s good to know where our food comes from, and bolster your opinions and beliefs with facts. But if you are faint of heart, do be aware that the article describes and pictures the slaughterhouse process as well as ranching techniques.
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Comments ( 1 Comment )
This is really what we need nowadays. We must go back to the basics, organics and homegrown foods are the best way we can combat viruses and diseases breaking out these days. Let us be responsible and take charge of what we eat..take charge of our health.
colshe added these pithy words on
Oct 20 09 at
11:28 pm
