100% Grass-Fed And Certified Organic Beef:
Both Are Important For Your Health
Grass-fed meat has less fat and more nutrients. But if grass-fed meat isn't also organic, the cattle could be given antibiotics and other harmful medications, the the cattle could be sprayed treated with chemicals for fly and parasite control, their grass can be grown from genetically modified seeds and the land treated with harmful chemical fertilizers.
On the other hand, organic meat is free of poisons, but it can be grain fed so it doesn't have the benefits of grass-fed meat.
All of our meat is totally grass-fed - no grain, ever. It is also certified organic - this requires the cattle, their food, the land, and the processor are all certified under the USDA organic standards. We raise our cattle as grass-fed and organic because that is the healthiest for them, for people who eat the meat, and for the earth.
Both Are Important For Your Health
Grass-fed meat has less fat and more nutrients. But if grass-fed meat isn't also organic, the cattle could be given antibiotics and other harmful medications, the the cattle could be sprayed treated with chemicals for fly and parasite control, their grass can be grown from genetically modified seeds and the land treated with harmful chemical fertilizers.
On the other hand, organic meat is free of poisons, but it can be grain fed so it doesn't have the benefits of grass-fed meat.
All of our meat is totally grass-fed - no grain, ever. It is also certified organic - this requires the cattle, their food, the land, and the processor are all certified under the USDA organic standards. We raise our cattle as grass-fed and organic because that is the healthiest for them, for people who eat the meat, and for the earth.
Our Meat Both Certified Organic
AND 100% Grass Fed
AND 100% Grass Fed
Cooking Tips
What Do The Labels Mean?
If you buy meat in a supermarket that's labelled as pasture raised, all natural, all-vegetarian diet, or grass-raised, is that pretty much the same as grass fed organic meat? The pictures on the package and their websites show healthy-looking cattle grazing on lush pasture. But here is what these terms actually mean:
'All natural' meat, according to the USDA definition, only means that nothing can be added to the meat after it's slaughtered - such as red food coloring to make it look 'fresh'. But 'all natural' doesn't have anything to do with what the cattle ate or how the cattle were raised.
'All vegetarian diet' sounds like grass-fed, until you realize that grain is vegetarian also. It should mean their are no animal parts ground into the grain, which is what leads to mad cow disease. Unless the grain is certified organic, those contaminants can be found in feed that is supposed to be free of animal parts,
'Pastured raised' dosn't mean grass-fed. It's pretty much meaningless since most beef cattle are raised on pastureat least the first few months of their lives.
'Grass- fed' should mean the animal never ate grain. But the USDA allows meat to be labeled grass-fed even if they are fed grain 'in an emergency.' Since there is always grass and hay available to be purchased, what could 'an emergency' be except wanting to quickly put weight on cattle before slaughter? To be approved for a grass-fed label, all the farmer has to do is sign an affadavit saying cattle are grass-fed except in emergencies, Unlike organic, the government has no enforcement procedure for grass-fed labeling. You have to depend on the farmer to be honest. That's not easy to do if the farm is in the West or in another country.
However, if the American Grassfed label (used by members of the American Grassfed Association) is on the meat, it should be totally grass-fed, with no routine antibiotics or growth hormone. The American Grassfed Association has very specific standards for member farms.
'Certified organic', with the name of the certifying agency, means that as long as the meat was raised in the United States it was in accordance with all of the certification standards - not just medication and harmful chemicals, but humanely raised with care given protect the soil and water. (More about organic certification HERE.
Buy Local - And Know What You're Buying
If a small farmer down the road says the meat they're selling is pastured raised and all natural, it could mean that it is grass-fed, with no harmful medications or chemicals used. Many small farmers who raise grass-fed meat may not be certified organic but in all important respects manage their farms organically with no harmful chemicals, medications or other hamrful substances on their cattle, fields or barns.
If they're local farmers, you can talk to them directly. Ask questions. Many will invite you to visit the farm and see how they raise their animals. You can find out what you're buying because the farmer and the farm is here - not in the west or in another country.
If you buy meat in a supermarket that's labelled as pasture raised, all natural, all-vegetarian diet, or grass-raised, is that pretty much the same as grass fed organic meat? The pictures on the package and their websites show healthy-looking cattle grazing on lush pasture. But here is what these terms actually mean:
'All natural' meat, according to the USDA definition, only means that nothing can be added to the meat after it's slaughtered - such as red food coloring to make it look 'fresh'. But 'all natural' doesn't have anything to do with what the cattle ate or how the cattle were raised.
'All vegetarian diet' sounds like grass-fed, until you realize that grain is vegetarian also. It should mean their are no animal parts ground into the grain, which is what leads to mad cow disease. Unless the grain is certified organic, those contaminants can be found in feed that is supposed to be free of animal parts,
'Pastured raised' dosn't mean grass-fed. It's pretty much meaningless since most beef cattle are raised on pastureat least the first few months of their lives.
'Grass- fed' should mean the animal never ate grain. But the USDA allows meat to be labeled grass-fed even if they are fed grain 'in an emergency.' Since there is always grass and hay available to be purchased, what could 'an emergency' be except wanting to quickly put weight on cattle before slaughter? To be approved for a grass-fed label, all the farmer has to do is sign an affadavit saying cattle are grass-fed except in emergencies, Unlike organic, the government has no enforcement procedure for grass-fed labeling. You have to depend on the farmer to be honest. That's not easy to do if the farm is in the West or in another country.
However, if the American Grassfed label (used by members of the American Grassfed Association) is on the meat, it should be totally grass-fed, with no routine antibiotics or growth hormone. The American Grassfed Association has very specific standards for member farms.
'Certified organic', with the name of the certifying agency, means that as long as the meat was raised in the United States it was in accordance with all of the certification standards - not just medication and harmful chemicals, but humanely raised with care given protect the soil and water. (More about organic certification HERE.
Buy Local - And Know What You're Buying
If a small farmer down the road says the meat they're selling is pastured raised and all natural, it could mean that it is grass-fed, with no harmful medications or chemicals used. Many small farmers who raise grass-fed meat may not be certified organic but in all important respects manage their farms organically with no harmful chemicals, medications or other hamrful substances on their cattle, fields or barns.
If they're local farmers, you can talk to them directly. Ask questions. Many will invite you to visit the farm and see how they raise their animals. You can find out what you're buying because the farmer and the farm is here - not in the west or in another country.
Our Naturally-Raised Meat
Sometimes we have 100% grass fed
meat from an animals couldn't be
certified as organic because it didn't
meet one of the certification
requirements. They have never eaten
grain; they have only eaten our
organic pasture and hay for all (or
most) of their lives. The meat is
somewhat less expensive than meat
that is also certified organic. Let us
know, when you order if you would be
interested in naturally raised meat if
we have it.