Posted 9/27/2018 9:57am by Katie Briggs.

Hi Friends,
As we've started taking reservations for the Holiday Turkeys, I've been bombarded with questions on the benefits of pastured meats. I was also able to read a recent Consumer Reports article on the crazy amount of drugs that are found in our meats...and "Shocker" the government says all those drugs are "safe". It's scary, and honestly, I know too much to buy meat from the store anymore. It's one of those things where once you have the information, there's no turning back. The practices of many farmers is absolutely disgusting and dishonest. They know what they're doing is harming the environment, animals and consumers, but there is a disconnect. I've put together a few key aspects of the Beef, Chicken, and Pork industries to give you a starting point. I want you to be able to make great decisions for yourself and your family.
BEEF:
Maybe you just haven't thought too much about what the animals you eat today were fed yesterday. It's a pretty common thing. You may have seen labels saying grass-fed, grain-fed, open range...etc., not knowing the real difference between these terms. Once you understand the vital differences between grass-fed beef and grain-fed beef, you'll see things in a different light. Today, 99.9% of the beef you find on the grocery store shelves has been fed a grain diet. In general, these cows are fed GMO laden corn and soy products, but often there is more on their menu than strictly grains.
It's been reported that some grain-fed cows are actually fed many foods other than grains to keep down costs and promote weight gain. From gummy worms and skittles, to milk chocolate bars, to stale candy still in the wrappers. These poor cattle are fed whatever is cheapest, and will fatten them up the fastest. I'm involved in many agriculture groups, where the farmers are very open about using these methods. They've been doing this for years, and believe that using GMO grains and sugars is mainstream farming. They've bought the lie of big agriculture, that all of this is okay.
When these poor cows get sick (which easily happens with their confined living conditions), they're typically pumped full of hormones and antibiotics. Quick fact for you...80% of the antibiotics sold in the U.S. are going to livestock :( It is also important to note that grass-fed does not equal organic, and organic does not equal grass-fed. Grass-fed cows can be roaming on pasture that is full of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides. Also, if an animal is finished on grain (very common), then all benefits of the super important CLA, is obsolete. The bottom line is, You are what you eat! Knowing your farmer and how he operates his farm is a must.
So now for the good news. Grass-fed and finished beef has significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef. Grass-fed beef, one of the best protein sources around, is also higher in precursors for vitamin A and E and cancer-fighting antioxidants compared to grain-fed beef. If you haven't heard of CLA yet, it's a powerful polyunsaturated fatty acid we must obtain from our diets that's been shown to help fight cancer, discourage weight gain and build muscle. High-quality grass-fed beef from healthy, grass-fed cows or other animals are the top sources of CLA.
PORK:
Just google the word "Ractopamine". Pork, in my opinion, is probably the most dangerous meat to consume if you're buying conventional. 80% of all pork sold conventionally will test positive for Ractopamine. This drug has been banned in 160 nations...like Russia, China, Europe, etc. It's bad stuff! Basically, it fattens the pigs up, super fast. However, it also makes the pigs sick, lame, and unable to stand...but they're fat, and they can still be slaughtered so the pork farmer's love it. How and why it is still able to be used and even promoted is beyond me. But this drug is not the only reason to avoid conventional pork. Numerous research has found in testing pork, that dangerous bacteria were in almost 69% of all the samples. What's worse is that many of the bacteria found in the pork were resistant to multiple antibiotics, making treatment, should you fall ill, all the more problematic and potentially lethal.
The good news...and there is always good news yall! More and more local farmers are beginning to see the need for raising pork the way they were meant to be! Pigs like to forage...they are happy little rooters in the woods! They'll eat almost anything...from grass to grubs, acorns, and even persimmons. Farmhouse Nashville hogs receive the benefit of eating our over ripe melons, veggie scraps...they even love turnip greens! Free ranging pork contains higher concentrations of the beneficial fatty acids and have higher levels of Vitamin D in their fat. So, eat your bacon...but make sure you know your farmer!
CHICKENS:
I love my chickens...like seriously love my chickens. They're funny little things! On our farm, we only raise the chickens for the eggs, so my birds get to stay with me for a good while. They have some adorable coops, that we move constantly. This enables them to forage on fresh pasture, bugs and grubs. They love being able to peck around in the woods and grass. When I have veggie scraps, I'll toss them in and it's like flies on honey! They love treats!
Unfortunately, that is not the case for any conventional chicken or eggs that you buy. Almost 99% of all conventional chickens are being raised on top of a floor filled with sawdust shavings, spilled feed, feathers, poo, and dead birds. In mass-market chicken production, the birds live crammed wall-to-wall on that toxic mix. In winter, with the windows shut, you can't see from one end of the chicken house to the other, but you'll always smell the ammonia :( So, it's no wonder that chickens are given antibiotics...how else can they make it in these conditions? Antibiotics are given not just to keep them from dying...it's also given so that they can fatten up extremely quickly. In today's markets, chickens are sold when they are 6-7 weeks old...it used to be standard practice to wait 24 weeks. When you go into a supermarket and see the bags for your chicken, along with hand sanitizer in case you touch it, you should be a little weary. Why does this meat have so many strains of bacteria...why does it cause such intense gastronomical problems? The good news is that when chickens are raised on pasture and moved every few days, the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria diminishes. Funny how that works...you let the animals graze as they're supposed to, and the problems go away. I love it!!!
So now what do you do? I urge you to take control of your own health by choosing carefully what you eat. Choosing to benefit from pastured meat nutrition is a big step toward living a healthy, abundant life. Consuming grass-fed meats has been shown to potentially fight cancer, reduce heart disease risk, improve blood sugar levels and even benefit the environment, all while being a safe option that's free of hormones and antibiotics.
We have such a good source of meat, with farmers that are not only honest and ethical - but truly care about the consumers of their products. I hope you guys will dig in...literally...to not just the pastured meat, but also the research and info out there on this. You, as a consumer, can bring about change. Vote with your pocket book. Support small local farmers who are raising food that is not just more nutrient dense - but healing to our bodies and our land!
Cheers to Healthy Eating,
Farmhouse Nashville Team
Stephanie Bradshaw
615.693.2519
www.farmhousenashville.com