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This is seriously the subject I cannot stop talking about. Any friend or family member close to me has heard me chat over and over again about it. There’s so many great benefits you get from purchasing meat this way. Keep reading to discover 5 fantastic reasons to buy beef local!
Last November I found a third party seller in our area who sold beef headed to a processor about an hour away. This was something I was interested in doing for months (remember that 2020 scare where certain meats were scarce because of you-know-what?). So when I found him, I immediately talked it over with my husband and then messaged this guy.
This is definitely something that was out of character for me (so is blogging lol). I hate messaging people and talking to strangers (my mother taught me well). I hate it even more when it’s something I’ve never done before. I found value in it though, which prompted me to step out of my comfort zone.
I seriously think this was the best decision Bert and I made in 2021. Our beef lasted us over 8 months, (we technically still have some left!) and it was such a relief to have ample meat in the freezer for suppertime. Between purchasing the meat, Bert hunting, and buying half a pig this past spring (from the same seller) we have not had to buy meat from the grocery store in over a year!
It’s Cost Effective
Did you know it’s actually cheaper to buy half a beef from a farmer? Mind blown! You can eat healthy, support small business AND it’s cheaper?! Wow! Yes, you pay more up front, but it will save you hundreds in the long run! Let’s run some numbers (obviously, this is going to be different for every individual/family/cow):
I purchased 467.5 lbs of beef at $3.25/lb. This was half a cow sent to the butcher. That total came to $1519.37. This included the processor fee, so there was no additional cost. Right now, as I’m writing this post, ground beef at Walmart (sorry Walmart, I’m hating on you right now) is $3.76/lb. For 73/27% fat. This is a no brainer!
To clarify, we didn’t get only ground beef in our purchase. Half a cow means half a cow. We were able to get plenty of steaks, roasts, ribs, stew meat, and more. Again, no additional cost. We paid $3.25/lb regardless of what kind of cut the meat was. I cut my grocery bill in half over this. The meat lasted our family of 5 from November to mid-July. No more believing eating healthy is only for those who have more money than you!
You’re Eating Quality Beef
I feel like this is a duh moment. Did you know the beef you’re purchasing local is typically not raised in a feed lot on grain? Down here in the heart of Arkansas anytime you see cattle farms as you’re driving, they’re happy as larks grazing in cow pasture.
Most farmers won’t lie to you and tell you that they’re 100% grass fed, but this makes total sense. If the calf is born in the spring, it grazes all spring/summer long and into the fall. Usually, it is not until right before the cow is sent to the butcher that the farmer gives it a strict grain diet. They do this normally for two reasons—there’s not enough grass due to the colder temperatures and less sunlight and the farmer wants to fatten the animal up.
When you buy meat straight from the farmer, you know exactly what kind of food you’re consuming. Do some research into the farm or farmer itself and find the kind of meat you need. You now get to choose to have organic, regeneratively-farmed, grass-fed, pasture-raised, preservative free quality beef at a fraction of the price you find at the grocery store.
You start to eat like they did “back in the day”
Eating everything you get from the cow comes with its own challenges. You suddenly have packages of soup bones, short ribs that seem to have lots of fat and not a whole lot of meat on them, and options of getting beef liver, cow tongue, brains, and many other organ meats.
If you’re anything like I was, you’ll be excited as all get out but have no idea how to cook it or what you’re going to do with this sort of meat. Don’t lose hope, this is the start of creativity in the kitchen! Joking. The best advice I can offer is to find yourself an old cookbook. We’re talking Betty Crocker 1950s type cookbook.
Don’t be afraid to get creative. I realized I had quite a few roasts to use up. I ended up coming up with this fantastic Philly Cheesesteak Recipe. There’s many times you can find different ways to use up the meat. Experiment some, and you’ll be surprised by what your favorite go to meals become.
It’s More Humane
I think typical society thinks there’s only two ways to handle the meat industry. Either become a vegetarian or support poor farming practices, inhuman treatment of animals, and give your money to large corporations in order to satisfy your craving of a cheeseburger. Most people don’t even consider that there’s a third, better option.
Yes, eating meat means killing an animal. There’s no way to get around that one. But how much better would you feel if you knew that the cow you are eating was treated right? What if that cow grew off the milk from its mother while she grazed on pastureland? Sounds a whole lot better than living in a 4 by 5 pen drinking milk from a bottle! What if that animal lived a full life in its herd on its 500 acre pasture, never having a care in its life?
If you’re being completely honest with yourself, a vegan diet is extreme, nutritionally deficient, and unsustainable. The farm you support allows animals to live happy, healthy lives the way nature and God intended it to be.
It Supports Small Business
Not only do you get something in return, it feels so much better to know your money is going to a local community member. You’re able to develop a friendship and relationship with this person. This opens up so many other opportunities.
Your local farmer has connections. Purchasing half a beef is only the start of getting more of your foods local. You now could possibly have access to milk and dairy, chicken, hog, goat, and who knows what else. You have connections to recipes, ideas, collaboration, and advice. This is how you grow a community to support you and your family. You can now use that community to fill in the gaps that are needs. Possibly, you’ll even be able to offer your contributions as well and give back to others.
I feel so passionate about this that I share doing this with anyone who will listen. I know it’s so unheard of and there’s a lot of questions I get about it. Stay tuned for more posts and recipes about how to cook the beef you use!
[…] important to note, however that I also cook it at home approximately once a week. Because we get our beef directly from a butcher, we’re able to get organ meats at a competitive price. It’s a […]