I don't know if this is a new years resolution but I am making some serious changes..

[charlottenian]

I like to eat and eat well, I recently though watched on Netflix "Food Inc" and am shocked at what I am eating. I was always suspicious but now I am completely terrified of what I am eating. The way chickens and cows are being "engineered" to be larger in a shorter amount of time, the fact that cows are not roaming they just sit in feces all day and the chickens sit in dark pens all day, this to me was a bit disturbing. The fact that a tomato has to be gassed to turn red from green to look fresh, this is horrifying to me. So I am finishing out our fridges with all the food we have left and starting over. I guess I can get the veggies and fruits from the farmers market, my concern is about the meat. Where could I buy an entire cow and have it sliced up or multiple chickens in order to freeze them? Anyone have any suggestions or advice....

[Kurb]

Yes bias'ed documentaries are always a good baseline for decisions.

[Dpantherman]

Well, I don't know about all of you, but I plan on starting a smoking habit. Along with PCP

[charlottenian]

Yes bias'ed documentaries are always a good baseline for decisions.

I was already on the fringes, this just tipped me over to the other side

[Falcons1stPanthers2nd]

Well, I don't know about all of you, but I plan on starting a smoking habit. Along with PCP

I have some pretty good cubans if you're ever in Atlanta.

[Mayor Qumiby]

Yes bias'ed documentaries are always a good baseline for decisions.

So is what they are saying wrong? ?????

Trader joes has a good selection of organic meats that's usually where i go. You mght have luck at a earth fare or at a coop ...but yea that video woke me up as well and have cut out fast food as well as most things with corn syrup.

[charlottenian]

So is what they are saying wrong? ?????

no, it's just status quo for him to make some witty comment to feel better about himself

[charlottenian]

So is what they are saying wrong? ?????

Trader joes has a good selection of organic meats that's usually where i go. You mght have luck at a earth fare or at a coop ...but yea that video woke me up as well and have cut out fast food as well as most things with corn syrup.

I just came across this site and am getting intrigued....

http://www.eatwild.com/products/nocarolina.html

[ThPantherFan]

I like to eat and eat well, I recently though watched on Netflix "Food Inc" and am shocked at what I am eating. I was always suspicious but now I am completely terrified of what I am eating. The way chickens and cows are being "engineered" to be larger in a shorter amount of time, the fact that cows are not roaming they just sit in feces all day and the chickens sit in dark pens all day, this to me was a bit disturbing. The fact that a tomato has to be gassed to turn red from green to look fresh, this is horrifying to me. So I am finishing out our fridges with all the food we have left and starting over. I guess I can get the veggies and fruits from the farmers market, my concern is about the meat. Where could I buy an entire cow and have it sliced up or multiple chickens in order to freeze them? Anyone have any suggestions or advice....

I am so happy to hear this. As most know, I'm a farmer and believe in wholesome food. I am not registered organic (due to the paperwork) but I farm as organic as possible. I encourage everyone to know where their food comes from. My vegetables are not sprayed for insects during fruiting. Any spray I use is of organic nature. My eggs are from free range and grain fed chickens. It is surprising to read in the USDA guides that eggs can be held for months before they are washed for retail. Once an egg is washed it has a 30 day sell by date. Small farmers, such as I, do not have to put a sell by date on the carton because they are sold within a couple of days of lay. Also, most people do not know that only 10 percent of the eggs sold in the US comes from the US market. Guess who ships in the most eggs? That's right, China. I wish you were close, I would sell you some good wholesome food. As I tell the people at the market I sell through, 'my grand children eat this so I take extra care.' It costs more to buy from me than the stores. I try to keep my prices reasonable. I'm a lot cheaper than the certified organics in the stores. Get to know a local farmer and try to purchase from them. Watch the farmers markets as they will allow people to bring foods in from outside sources. I sell through a tailgate market that has strict guidelines. It has to be raised by you before you can sell it at the market I deal with.

[charlottenian]

I am so happy to hear this. As most know, I'm a farmer and believe in wholesome food. I am not registered organic (due to the paperwork) but I farm as organic as possible. I encourage everyone to know where their food comes from. My vegetables are not sprayed for insects during fruiting. Any spray I use is of organic nature. My eggs are from free range and grain fed chickens. It is surprising to read in the USDA guides that eggs can be held for months before they are washed for retail. Once an egg is washed it has a 30 day sell by date. Small farmers, such as I, do not have to put a sell by date on the carton because they are sold within a couple of days of lay. Also, most people do not know that only 10 percent of the eggs sold in the US comes from the US market. Guess who ships in the most eggs? That's right, China. I wish you were close, I would sell you some good wholesome food. As I tell the people at the market I sell through, 'my grand children eat this so I take extra care.' It costs more to buy from me than the stores. I try to keep my prices reasonable. I'm a lot cheaper than the certified organics in the stores. Get to know a local farmer and try to purchase from them. Watch the farmers markets as they will allow people to bring foods in from outside sources. I sell through a tailgate market that has strict guidelines. It has to be raised by you before you can sell it at the market I deal with.

I appreciate the work you and other farmers do, from what I saw on this documentary most farmers have now turned into engineers rather than farmers. I plan on investigating and finding someone to buy an entire cow from and split it with a friend of mine, I think this is a suitable solution. I think I can get the fruits and veggies organic via either trader joe's or farmers market. Also if I was in HT and saw a label that said "free range" does that mean organic / grass fed as well?

thanks!

[ThPantherFan]

I appreciate the work you and other farmers do, from what I saw on this documentary most farmers have now turned into engineers rather than farmers. I plan on investigating and finding someone to buy an entire cow from and split it with a friend of mine, I think this is a suitable solution. I think I can get the fruits and veggies organic via either trader joe's or farmers market. Also if I was in HT and saw a label that said "free range" does that mean organic / grass fed as well?

thanks!

Watch out for 'free range'. No that does not mean organic. The USDA site for egg production has classifications for free range (means has access to 3 hours of sunlight). They don't even have to go outside as long as they have a door to go out of to the light. Some free range farms only have a run area for the chickens. They can still claim 'free range' (that burns my ass up too). Cage free means just that (they roam around in a hen house and no access outside). Ask your local farmer what he does with his chickens. Mine are fenced in (predator protection) but they have access to acres to roam free in. They have access to woodland (actually chickens are woodland creatures) and pasture. I have nests for them to use, but I go egg hunting too. I will find where they make their own nest on the ground (in the woods). The USDA also has classifications for meat too. You would be surprised. I know a cattle farmer in Asheboro that raises grain fed and grassed beef. If you want, PM me and I'll give you his contact information.

[charlotte49er]

I like to eat and eat well, I recently though watched on Netflix "Food Inc" and am shocked at what I am eating. I was always suspicious but now I am completely terrified of what I am eating. The way chickens and cows are being "engineered" to be larger in a shorter amount of time, the fact that cows are not roaming they just sit in feces all day and the chickens sit in dark pens all day, this to me was a bit disturbing. The fact that a tomato has to be gassed to turn red from green to look fresh, this is horrifying to me. So I am finishing out our fridges with all the food we have left and starting over. I guess I can get the veggies and fruits from the farmers market, my concern is about the meat. Where could I buy an entire cow and have it sliced up or multiple chickens in order to freeze them? Anyone have any suggestions or advice....

I gave up beef back in 1994. Nasty stuff!

Factory chickens get their beaks clipped so they can't peck themselves of other chickens.

Free Range chicken is all I can say. They rape you on the price though.

Best way to know what goes in your food is to raise it yourself. Or hunt it in the wild. (But you would be surprised at how tough and stringy wild game is compared to farm raised meat!) Or make a friend with a local farmer that raises animals not in a pen.

My Brother-in-law raised both frying and egg chickens for many years. (There is a difference.) Fryers get plump and laying hens are pretty skinny and are only good for laying eggs.

I remember spending Summers with my Grandmother in south Jersey. They had a milk man and an egg man. Used to ahve an aluminum cooler outside the house for the milk man to put dairy into. She also had a sign that said "Eggs" or "No Eggs" as he drove around. We used to go to the fish market and get fresh fish. (There are still some of those around Charlotte. One on Morehead and one on Kilborne.) Progress huh?

[Skew]

I'm guessing a chicken nugget eating contest is out of the question.

[Squirrel]

Getting a cow to be butchered isnt that hard. Just check around wiht the local farmers. They usually have one slaughtered for their own use. Tell them you would like to buy one and they will give you a price. Dont expect it to be cheap. But do the research on how much cows are going for. You can find this out at the local stock sale.