Found an AFFORDABLE source of organic beef!!!

[Jean-Paul]

I am so happy! After reading "The Omnivore's Dillemma" (Michael Pollan) I was never more determined to quit eating beef until I had the means to afford grass fed, organically raised beef. What I found was actually a little better... Beefalo!

It is 3/8 buffalo and 5/8 beef. It is raised on a local farm and processed locally under their close supervision. It is leaner than beef, it is grass fed, drug free, hormone free, tasty, and most importantly, IT IS AFFORDABLE! The prices are actually pretty close to the prices I find at the grocery store. They set up at the Farmer's Market at the river market every Tuesday and Saturday.

Now I feel so much safer letting my kids eat red meat. I have been reluctant to do so considering the health risks associated with the drug filled, irradiated (to kill all the bacteria from the feces that gets in the meat, hormone ridden beef that you get from the grocery store.

I had been buying "Laura's lean beef", which is slightly better, but this is a local source and much more fresh.

Here's what they say on their site:

ALL NATURAL GRASS FED BEEFALO
NO HORMONES CHEMICALS OR ANTIBIOTICS
HIGHER IN PROTEIN - LOWER IN FAT, CALORIES AND CHOLESTEROL

In the community of Opal at El Paso, Arkansas, is where the Beefalo roam. We have been raising Beefalo since 1994 and have been supplying our healthy product for two years at the Little Rock Farmers market.

A Fullblood Beefalo is an animal containing 3/8 American Bison and 5/8 domestic cattle. This combination produces a fertile animal which develops rapidly and provides excellent table meat.

American Beefalo cattle combine the hardiness of the Bison with the temperament of bovine breeds. The bovine bloodlines can be of any breed enabling a Beefalo breeder to select the bovine genetics best fitted to his individual program.

We raise 100% grass fed Beefalo, No hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, or additives to our meat. Our animals are processed under Federal/State USDA Inspections and under our supervision. We stay with our product during it's process before it is frozen fresh and delivered to you.
Along with the healthiness of Beefalo, recent research on pastured meat has shown it to be significantly higher than conventional meat in Vitamin E, Essential Fatty Acids [EFAs], Conjugated Linoleic Acid [CLA] which has anti-cancer properties, beta-carotene and various other important nutrients.

Beefalo is sold at the Little Rock Farmers Market every Tuesday and Saturday during the market season and delivery is available weekly all year long. We will be adding Thursday evenings beginning June 17. Look for the Beefalo Trailer in the center of the pavillions.

This is what a cow SHOULD look like. Notice how lean this animal is... Not bloated and sick looking from eating corn feed, which cows are not genetically designed to digest.




In their natural environment.




Where I buy it at our farmer's market. I don't know if they ship out of state, and their prices page is currently not working, but call them if you are interested. I really want to support them and keep them in business. It is the first time I have seen organic grass fed beef that didn't cost me half a paycheck. If you do contact them, do please mention where you found out about them.

Here is their contact info:

Gary Armstrong
Phone: 501-882-2965
E-mail: beefalo@aristotle.net
El Paso, Arkansas

[Blackjack]

SPAM!!! j/k...

[Paradigm]

Originally Posted by Blackjack

SPAM!!! j/k...

Haha, I was going to say the exact same thing, but with more emoticons :p

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Jean-Paul

In their natural environment.

These are Beefalo, right? What is their natural environment?

I suppose they live in peaceful harmony with the jackalope?

[Blackjack]

Labradoodles do the herding.

[Jean-Paul]

You guys crack me up. I make nothing if someone buys this stuff. I just want to support them in any way I can because it is such a rare thing to find something like this. Now I need to find an organic source for poultry and I will really be able to keep all those toxins out of my (and my family's) diet.

[sixpackinacooler]

Well JP I have been buying their meat for the last 2 years- every week they have a special of some sort. The ground beefalo is fantastic. As the meat is lean it should not be overcooked, medium rare to medium is prefered, but be aware it has a much shorter cooking time then typical beef. I have also noticed beefalo, not from local producers, at some specilty grocers in town so it is still possible to get off season- or what i did last year is stock up on a few months worth (which isnt much since i only eat this once, maybe twice a week at most). Oh and there is a supplier at the market, who i havent seen this year much- Grass Roots Pork, who has organic pork and chicken. Also the organic lamb producer, Adam Farms ( ?) is fantastic, as are his eggs.

[Lisa~]

Thanks for sharing a great resource JP!

And for the rest of you, too funny!

[getgot211]

for anyone near the twin cities, http://www.cannon.net/~farmonwh/

Beef, pork, chicken and lamb. about the same price you pay at Cub.

[zambro]

I can generally find buffalo/bison in the supermarket, but it's usually around $8-9 a pound.

Where do people in New England (specifically Boston) get their grass-fed beef or buffalo? I haven't found much at the Haymarket.

[RobLL]

This is one subject where it is obviously appropriate to name names, give links, even a one liner from sellers would be useful. Just finished Omnivore's Dilemma last night, it qualifies as one of those rare books I may buy a copy (got mine at the library) to pass around to kids and friends. We don't eat a lot of beef. Normally I buy New York cut steaks when a local retailer has them for 10 lb $40, and while I might be willing to pay some more, I have some limits there. Rob

[Lost Dog]

If the cow and bison worked well, how about looking to the turkey and chicken combo?



Turken

These might be in their natural habitat...

[Ian Kay]

Originally Posted by zambro

I can generally find buffalo/bison in the supermarket, but it's usually around $8-9 a pound.

Where do people in New England (specifically Boston) get their grass-fed beef or buffalo? I haven't found much at the Haymarket.

I'm searching around here too, zambro. If I discover something I'll let you know, and vice versa... deal?

[gobbla]

back home you could\can go to about any farmer and he'll sell you a cow for market price, take it to the butcher (several around for the hunters, they don't give a hoot if it's a cow or a deer). As long as you have a freezer big enough, you get a LOT of meat for $1.50-1.75 a pound.

[Jean-Paul]

Update... I just went back to buy some more for this week, and I found out that they also sell free range poultry from another farm nearby. They only sell it whole though. YAY!!!

[UpNorth]

Originally Posted by zambro

I can generally find buffalo/bison in the supermarket, but it's usually around $8-9 a pound.

Where do people in New England (specifically Boston) get their grass-fed beef or buffalo? I haven't found much at the Haymarket.

If you have a car and are willing to drive a bit there is a buffalo farm in Durham, NH (about 1 hour from Boston). All natural and the prices aren't too bad. Most of the local butchers around here sell it.

Also, I've toyed with "investing" in half a cow. There is a local farm here that sells them. I just need to get a chest freezer and put it in the basement. I imagine you could find a local farm just about anywhere in the country (other than the dessert I guess) that would allow you to buy a share of a cow.

[RedLefty]

Originally Posted by UpNorth

If you have a car and are willing to drive a bit there is a buffalo farm in Durham, NH (about 1 hour from Boston). All natural and the prices aren't too bad. Most of the local butchers around here sell it.

Also, I've toyed with "investing" in half a cow. There is a local farm here that sells them. I just need to get a chest freezer and put it in the basement. I imagine you could find a local farm just about anywhere in the country (other than the dessert I guess) that would allow you to buy a share of a cow.

Cool! I'll buy the "meat" half, and you can have the rest.