Where's the Beef From?

Many of us have already made steps towards improving the well-being of our planet: recycling, turning off lights when we’re not at home, using eco-friendly transportation, reusing shopping bags. But while you’re taking care of the earth, don’t forget to take care of yourself, too—a great way to do both is by eating all-natural.

Eating all-natural foods is one of the single best steps we can do for our families and ourselves. Recently at Shubie’s, we've been learning about the benefits of natural and organic meat and poultry, and the more we learn about them, the more we can’t believe that we’ve been eating factory farm meats all these years. That’s why choosing Northeast Family Farm Beef and Misty Knoll and Freebird Antibiotic Free Chicken was an easy decision for us (see the bottom of this post for more information about these great, local family farms).

So why are naturally raised meats better? Here’s a taste of what we’ve been finding out:

·      No Chemicals! Reduced exposure to hormones, pesticides and antibiotics is one of the most important benefits. No one really knows what kind of effects these chemicals have on humans, and frankly, we’d rather not be the guinea pigs. At Northeast, Misty Knoll, and Freebird, adding chemicals is just never done—they’re chicken and cows are healthy, so they don’t need them!

·      More Nutrition! Beef, chicken and pork that are raised naturally are lower in total fat than conventional meats because factory farms use high-fat feed to make the animals grow faster. The leaner cuts of all-natural meat average twenty calories less per ounce than comparable conventional meat. Not only do all-natural meats have less fat, they also have more vitamins, such as vitamin A (up to 400% more than conventional meat) and vitamin E (up to 300% more), which can help lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, and may have anti-aging properties.

Cows at Northeast Family Farms

·      Animals are wild! They should be able to roam and eat natural plants and insects. Buying natural meat supports the farmers that go the extra mile to provide a humane alternative to factory farm meat. It just seems right!

·      And perhaps one of the most crucial elements of all about natural meats…it just tastes better! Happy animals make tastier meat!

At Shubie’s, we believe fresh is best. And healthy food means a healthier you. We want to bring you delicious, healthy and safe food, and we believe in supporting the smaller and local farmers and agriculture. In turn, you might have to pay a little more than you would for conventional meats, but for a better and healthier you, isn’t it worth it?

The Farms:

Misty Knoll Farms is a family-owned and operated Vermont farm, producing the finest naturally raised free-range turkeys and chickens available. Considering themselves “stewards of Vermont’s working landscape,” Misty Knoll treats their farm as a precious, irreplaceable resource.

Freebird chicks

At Freebird, the best things in life are free: free of antibiotics, free to roam and free to eat a natural vegetarian diet. Roomy houses, pure corn and soybean diets, and antibiotic-free practices are about doing things the right way—for the chickens, for the future and for their customers.

And at the Northeast Family Farms, every cut from each animal they buy can be traced back to the farm where it was raised, and their strict standards prohibit the use of supplemental growth hormones or antibiotics in the feed.

Want to know more about factory farms and sustainable agriculture? Food, Inc. is a great documentary that examines issues surrounding the system of food production in the US.