-
The developing grass fed beef market….
There is no one in this business of grass fed beef whose opinions I value more than Bill Roberts of 12 Stones Grasslands Beef. Bill has not only an education in the field but years of experience in all levels of raising and marketing cattle. While a staunch advocate for natural food he has also been a critic of some of the fads and, let’s face it, the nutty theories of some of the well-known grass gurus. A recent article got us thinking…and worrying just a bit. And while I don’t disagree with his facts, I’m not sure I want to follow where they’re leading. So let the discussion begin! …
-
If you can’t beat them, buy them….
We’ve made the point before that the organic label has been seriously corrupted. Big agriculture industry giants (Big Ag) have infiltrated the organic field and, with their accomplices in government, are doing all they can to blur the differences between our contaminated supermarket food supply and safe food. Again, Democrats and Republicans alike in Washington are the culprits in this story. You would think, of course, that “organic” means entirely natural; it grows and we eat it unadulterated except for what we may add as we prepare it. Well, that’s not true. Something like 300 additives, some carcinogenic, have already been cleared by the “watchdog” government agency for use in organic food…
-
How Monsanto does it….
The Big Ag company that doesn’t miss a trick. Generally, Monsanto buys its friends in government with campaign contributions and its friends in the ag colleges with grants to study problems that may or may not exist. But here’s a first…they’re establishing a “chair” at the University of Illinois communications school to teach budding journalists to love chemical agriculture. http://www.4-traders.com/MONSANTO-COMPANY-13589/news/Monsanto-Company-Monsanto-Commits-$250-000-to-University-of-Illinois-Ag-Communications-Program-14308443/
-
On this, I’m not so sure…
At first glance, it’s another case of Pointy-Head Over-reach. Bureaucrats cracking down on a blogger when he has the temerity to recommend the Paleo (Cave Man) diet even though he’s not a professional nutritionist. What he seemed to be doing was recommending the diet to his readers based on his happy experience with what it had done to cure him of diabetes. We recommend the diet, too. But to others, we’re too weak and addicted to coffee, sugar and wine. (Not a complete list) But a careful reading of the story from North Carolina indicates the authorities are making a good point. That you can go too far in passing…
-
BULLETIN: We beat the bureaucrats!
It was a powerful demonstration of the new so-called “social media” at work. I’ve never seen such a push back as the ag community staged against the proposed Obama rule that would have prevented kids from doing chores around the farm. We reported on the proposal (see below: I’m from the government…) as did every other blog I read and apparently Washington was buried in an avalanche of protests. The Labor department has pulled back its plan and—more importantly—has even guaranteed it will not be resurrected during this Administration. The bureaucrats have a way of getting whatever they want on most issues by coming back until the opposition is finally worn…
-
I’m from the government and I’m here to help you….
We try to keep politics out of our blogging….we really try. But the #&*@! pointy-headed bureaucrats are doing it again. They’re about to promulgate a regulation which would make it illegal for us to have our grandchildren join us in working on the farm. From the time they’re able, some of our grandkids love to help out; others aren’t interested. They all want to drive the 4-wheeler, of course, and will do any chore that involves that. Sorry kids….the Obama Administration says Grandpa is trying to kill you. Please watch the following. I know it’s crazy Fox News and all that…and the comments go “off the wall”….but still watch, please.…
-
Another helping of slime, kids?
We thought it kinda funny-sad-outrageous recently when the Fed Food Police confiscated some school lunch boxes and substituted cafeteria meals instead. The contents of the lunch boxes were deemed “unhealthy” but when we read what the Feds proscribed—starting with chicken nuggets—we concluded Mom’s cooking may not have been perfect but it was a whole lot better than Michelle’s Menu. Now comes word that a decision back in the Bush administration perfecting a school lunch burger—something scientists that investigate the project call “pink slime”—is being implemented. The Feds are buying millions of pounds of the stuff—made up of meat trims, connective tissue, and “you best not ask”—for your local school cafeteria. …
-
Not all food is created equal….
A good friend has written an article on food production that we think deserves wider dissemination than we offer here…..but we’ll do our bit. Organizations such as Weston A. Price are stout advocates of what is termed “nutrient dense food”. It’s a phrase that is beginning to find its way into popular literature and Bill Roberts, of 12 Stones Grassland Beef, offers his take on it below. We think he’s right and spend a good deal of money each year trying to improve the mineralization of our soil. We also spend about 10 times what the average farmer does on natural, organic mineral supplements for our cows. America’s soils were…
-
First they came for the raw milk farmer…
…and eventually it will be locally-grown meat. (In fact, it’s already started.) The unholy alliance of Industrial Agriculture and Big Government are engaged in a campaign of harassment and intimidation targeting the small farmer who sells his products directly to the consumer. It’s all under the guise of protecting consumer health, but in fact the real danger to the consumer is that food in the fancy wrapping in the supermarket. This isn’t political, though Michelle is the only one closer to the President than Big Ag’s lobbyists. But this campaign to discourage local food production has gone on through several Republican and Democrat administrations. It seems to be intensifying now…
-
Better living through chemistry…
More and more, I find myself wondering how long man can continue playing with Nature before we pay the ultimate price. Experiments with that ultra-flu virus make me think that way. So does reading that scientists in the Netherlands have developed a glob they think is artificial beef. The first hamburger will be ready to serve in the Fall. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9091628/Test-tube-hamburgers-to-be-served-this-year.html There’s a somewhat limited market for a $400,000 dollar hamburger but mass production will kick in and take care of that. But what would be the real price of such a burger? And I don’t mean all the un-calculated real costs in energy and transportation and minerals involved in production. I…