Organic fruits and vegetables are all the rage nowadays.
Farmer's markets are popping up all over the place, and going green and eating sustainable foods are becoming a real lifestyle choice for millions of conscious people.
Buying organic grass fed beef is another growing interest for the health and planet-conscious set, but for most people it is cost exclusionary.
Whereas organic fruits and vegetables can be had for just a couple dollars more than conventionally-grown produce, affordable grass fed beef simply doesn't exist on a small scale.
Steak is already expensive; organic grass fed steak can cost twice as much.
Luckily, a practice gaining traction with "locavores" (that is, people who choose to practice food sustainability by eating only food from local farms) is cowpooling.
Cowpooling is the latest buzz term describing when a group of people pool their resources together to purchase an entire cow from a local farm.
Local, smaller farms usually produce free range, grass fed, and organic beef, as opposed to the industrial mega ranches that pump out millions of pounds of unhealthy, unhappy beef.
When you team up with some likeminded individuals, you all enjoy wholesale prices of high quality, affordable grass fed beef.
You're also supporting a local business doing things "the right way.
" Of course, if you're going to split an entire cow between a few families, you need to make a few preparations.
First of all, you should have ample storage space.
You're going to have a whole lot of meat on your hands, so be ready to eat! Consider buying a separate, standalone chest freezer for all the stuff you don't finish - and it will be a lot.
Also, be aware that because you're buying a large quantity of meat, you will be paying a decent amount of money.
Even split amongst several families, a cow is a large animal, and - while you'll be getting a great price-per-pound of grass fed beef - the costs will add up.
Still, you'll be saving money in the long run.
There are a few main reasons for trying cowpooling: 1) Buying Local In tough economic times, it is beneficial to everyone if we enrich the lives of our communities.
Buying affordable grass fed beef from a local farmer won't be funneling money to some far off mega ranch; it will be helping to support a range of local businesses, from the farmer, to the butcher and the meat packer.
2) Keeping Control It's important to know exactly what you and your family is eating.
Purchase packaged beef from the local grocer, and you're probably getting hormone-laden, corn-fed beef that lived a terrible life.
Cowpooling allows you to shop around for a local farmer that conducts business more in line with your beliefs and provides a healthy product.
3) Health Helper By buying a side of grass fed beef straight from the farmer, you're avoiding all the cross-contamination and unsafe handling that can occur when cuts of meat have to travel from slaughterhouse to grocery store.
4) Wallet-friendly Again, cowpooling is an initially expensive investment if you're used to buying your meat every week in small quantities.
Nowadays, however, with the cost of food fluctuating so much so quickly, buying grass fed beef at flat, wholesale prices is an altogether better decision for you and your family.
If you can't find any willing friends or family to cowpool with you, try asking your butcher or the people who work the meat counter at your favorite grocery store for farmer recommendations.
The Internet is always a good last resort for information, so try a basic Google search or look at this guy's story.
Farmer's markets are popping up all over the place, and going green and eating sustainable foods are becoming a real lifestyle choice for millions of conscious people.
Buying organic grass fed beef is another growing interest for the health and planet-conscious set, but for most people it is cost exclusionary.
Whereas organic fruits and vegetables can be had for just a couple dollars more than conventionally-grown produce, affordable grass fed beef simply doesn't exist on a small scale.
Steak is already expensive; organic grass fed steak can cost twice as much.
Luckily, a practice gaining traction with "locavores" (that is, people who choose to practice food sustainability by eating only food from local farms) is cowpooling.
Cowpooling is the latest buzz term describing when a group of people pool their resources together to purchase an entire cow from a local farm.
Local, smaller farms usually produce free range, grass fed, and organic beef, as opposed to the industrial mega ranches that pump out millions of pounds of unhealthy, unhappy beef.
When you team up with some likeminded individuals, you all enjoy wholesale prices of high quality, affordable grass fed beef.
You're also supporting a local business doing things "the right way.
" Of course, if you're going to split an entire cow between a few families, you need to make a few preparations.
First of all, you should have ample storage space.
You're going to have a whole lot of meat on your hands, so be ready to eat! Consider buying a separate, standalone chest freezer for all the stuff you don't finish - and it will be a lot.
Also, be aware that because you're buying a large quantity of meat, you will be paying a decent amount of money.
Even split amongst several families, a cow is a large animal, and - while you'll be getting a great price-per-pound of grass fed beef - the costs will add up.
Still, you'll be saving money in the long run.
There are a few main reasons for trying cowpooling: 1) Buying Local In tough economic times, it is beneficial to everyone if we enrich the lives of our communities.
Buying affordable grass fed beef from a local farmer won't be funneling money to some far off mega ranch; it will be helping to support a range of local businesses, from the farmer, to the butcher and the meat packer.
2) Keeping Control It's important to know exactly what you and your family is eating.
Purchase packaged beef from the local grocer, and you're probably getting hormone-laden, corn-fed beef that lived a terrible life.
Cowpooling allows you to shop around for a local farmer that conducts business more in line with your beliefs and provides a healthy product.
3) Health Helper By buying a side of grass fed beef straight from the farmer, you're avoiding all the cross-contamination and unsafe handling that can occur when cuts of meat have to travel from slaughterhouse to grocery store.
4) Wallet-friendly Again, cowpooling is an initially expensive investment if you're used to buying your meat every week in small quantities.
Nowadays, however, with the cost of food fluctuating so much so quickly, buying grass fed beef at flat, wholesale prices is an altogether better decision for you and your family.
If you can't find any willing friends or family to cowpool with you, try asking your butcher or the people who work the meat counter at your favorite grocery store for farmer recommendations.
The Internet is always a good last resort for information, so try a basic Google search or look at this guy's story.