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Wanted: pasture raised meat, poultry, eggs, dairy in Yorkshire (Read 3167 times)

Liamhutch89

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I'd like this part of my diet to come from cows/chickens that lived relatively normal lives and have themselves eaten what a cow/chicken is supposed to eat. 'Organic' and 'free range' labels can occasionally be found at the supermarket, but so far as I can tell, this does not guarantee my cow ate a healthy diet of grass.

I'm aware of various websites that offer 100% grass fed, pasture raised meat boxes and such, but would prefer to buy locally. The closer to Leeds the better. Anyone have a good source?

griffer

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We use the farm shop in Airton, as an example the brie comes from the next village (calton) with the milk provided by a cow called daisy that lives on malham Moor. It's absolutely fantastic but she only makes enough for 2 bries a week.
The beef and pork are all from local farms but makes it all expensive

lagerstarfish

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Not near Leeds, but close to Burbage if you are visiting - Firs Farm on Ringinglow road might have what you want.

turnipturned

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I'd like this part of my diet to come from cows/chickens that lived relatively normal lives and have themselves eaten what a cow/chicken is supposed to eat. 'Organic' and 'free range' labels can occasionally be found at the supermarket, but so far as I can tell, this does not guarantee my cow ate a healthy diet of grass.

I'm aware of various websites that offer 100% grass fed, pasture raised meat boxes and such, but would prefer to buy locally. The closer to Leeds the better. Anyone have a good source?

In terms of red meat, what I think you are looking for is probably going to come from 'rare breed hairy cattle' i.e. shorthorn, longhorn, highland, belty. An easy option is somewhere like Keelham Farm shop, but any good local butchers will be able to tell you the source of your meat.

I am not sure what your motive behind this is, but if its 'animal health', then buying anything British with Red Tractor on it (i.e. all Aldi meat) will be a pretty good guarantee. If its conservation/climate change, then rare breed cattle apply. Just to put it in perspective, we run 10 (+ followers) longhorns on some land in Cumbria, within 5 years, due to change in management and grazing, we now have one of the best sites in north Cumbria for Orchids and wildflowers on this type of grassland. Similar trend can be said for farmers I previosuly worked with in Upper Wharfedale, who changed from sheep to rare breed beef. The speed at which change happens is pretty remarkable. I must add, if its a 'climate' concern, again, just make sure you are buying British. There needs to be a bit more research and depends how you look at it, but I won't be surprised if most of our beef systems in the UK are close to carbon neutral if not positive due to the amount of carbon locked up in brown soils.

teestub

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Agree with Turnip, talk to your local butcher, there must be some great ones in Leeds.

If you want to buy direct from a farm we have bought from Hellifield Highland pretty regularly http://www.hellifieldhighlandbeef.co.uk/

Keelham are funny as they don’t make a big song and dance about where their meat is from, but when I’ve spoken to the butchers before, they have been very knowledgable, with the beef and lamb sourced from within the Dales and often from sales at the neighbouring auction house.

Liamhutch89

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Airton and Burbage shops noted for when i'm in the area.

In terms of red meat, what I think you are looking for is probably going to come from 'rare breed hairy cattle' i.e. shorthorn, longhorn, highland, belty. An easy option is somewhere like Keelham Farm shop, but any good local butchers will be able to tell you the source of your meat.

I am not sure what your motive behind this is, but if its 'animal health', then buying anything British with Red Tractor on it (i.e. all Aldi meat) will be a pretty good guarantee. If its conservation/climate change, then rare breed cattle apply. Just to put it in perspective, we run 10 (+ followers) longhorns on some land in Cumbria, within 5 years, due to change in management and grazing, we now have one of the best sites in north Cumbria for Orchids and wildflowers on this type of grassland. Similar trend can be said for farmers I previosuly worked with in Upper Wharfedale, who changed from sheep to rare breed beef. The speed at which change happens is pretty remarkable. I must add, if its a 'climate' concern, again, just make sure you are buying British. There needs to be a bit more research and depends how you look at it, but I won't be surprised if most of our beef systems in the UK are close to carbon neutral if not positive due to the amount of carbon locked up in brown soils.

Thanks for the detailed and informed response. My motives are multifactorial: environmental impact, animal welfare, and also ensuring my food is 'healthy'. That is the nutritional content of produce from an animal appears to be vastly different depending on how it lived and what it ate. 

It's been frustratingly difficult to find produce that hits all these markers. My local farm shop's website boasts about their cows being raised at the farm with the highest levels of animal welfare, but then scores an own goal with: "our animal feed is also fully traceable". 'Animal feed' most likely meaning they are fed cereals and grains?

I understand that what i'm looking for will be rare as it demands a lot of space and effort. I also understand it's not feasible to feed over 7 billion people in this way, but there's no point getting stuck in a bind over it - i've tried veggie and it doesn't work for me!

Anti

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I'd like this part of my diet to come from cows/chickens that lived relatively normal lives and have themselves eaten what a cow/chicken is supposed to eat. 'Organic' and 'free range' labels can occasionally be found at the supermarket, but so far as I can tell, this does not guarantee my cow ate a healthy diet of grass.

I'm aware of various websites that offer 100% grass fed, pasture raised meat boxes and such, but would prefer to buy locally. The closer to Leeds the better. Anyone have a good source?

I'm not sure if this is a symptom of too many American podcasts (people who've only just learned about the carnivore diet via Joe Rogan etc) but people talking about pasture/grass fed meat in the UK drives me bonkers. We don't grain feed our beef here and your lamb comes from all the heavily subsidised hilltop farms decimating the landscape. Chickens will happily eat grain, so you can speak to a local butcher about this if you want them rummaging through grass. Ours do but they love their grain stuff too.

The environmental impact of meat has very little to do with how far it's travelled and entirely due to the fact it's an environmentally impactful process.

teestub

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...but people talking about pasture/grass fed meat in the UK drives me bonkers. We don't grain feed our beef here...

We do have intensive beef finishing lots here too https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/29/revealed-industrial-scale-beef-farming-comes-to-the-uk

turnipturned

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Quote

It's been frustratingly difficult to find produce that hits all these markers. My local farm shop's website boasts about their cows being raised at the farm with the highest levels of animal welfare, but then scores an own goal with: "our animal feed is also fully traceable". 'Animal feed' most likely meaning they are fed cereals and grains?


Most, if not all beef (except rare breed) in the UK will be 'finished' (fattened) inside. Depending on the system, this will likely be silage and supplementary feeding. The vast majority of rare breed will also be supplementary fed during the winter, even if that's just with hay sourced from your own land. Very rare to have a system that could support year around grass.

Anyway, good on you doing your research.

Liamhutch89

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I'm not sure if this is a symptom of too many American podcasts (people who've only just learned about the carnivore diet via Joe Rogan etc) but people talking about pasture/grass fed meat in the UK drives me bonkers. We don't grain feed our beef here and your lamb comes from all the heavily subsidised hilltop farms decimating the landscape. Chickens will happily eat grain, so you can speak to a local butcher about this if you want them rummaging through grass. Ours do but they love their grain stuff too.

The environmental impact of meat has very little to do with how far it's travelled and entirely due to the fact it's an environmentally impactful process.

I can't say that I've listened to any American podcasts, but it's good to know I've been mistaken if cows in the UK aren't fed grain. Does it mean much if chickens will happily eat grain? Considering that the human population is becoming more unhealthy by the day, happily eating absolute rubbish just because it's available, I can't see why other animals would be different.

In response to the environmental impact, your comment might lead someone on the fence to buy whatever is cheapest based on the idea that they can't make a difference. Is the distance travelled so negligible that this person would be correct to do so from an environmental perspective? I'd like to think that every little helps in lieu of living off gathered berries but perhaps that is naïve? 

turnipturned

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...but people talking about pasture/grass fed meat in the UK drives me bonkers. We don't grain feed our beef here...

We do have intensive beef finishing lots here too https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/29/revealed-industrial-scale-beef-farming-comes-to-the-uk

And more will appear as farmers desperately try and figure out a way of filling the income gap as 'Basic farm payment' gets phased out in the next few years.

We need more transparent conversations about how are meat is produced in the UK. In reality, its incredibly complex and sector cross cutting (environment, social, health etc). It's something we certainly haven't got right in UK and we really are at tipping point in 'British agriculture' as we transition out of CAP. If we get it right, we could dramatically shift the direction of environmental decline, if we get it wrong, it could be catastrophic.

As consumers, I think we need to make it pretty clear what we want and it's great to see people becoming more aware and conscience about their consumer behaviour. (I guess the challenge is, how do we ensure this isn't just a 'middle class' issue, I guess that comes with policy, but I am not sure our government has the foresight or the ability to listen).

Apologies, slightly sidetracked your original ask Liam, but hopefully some good context for you.

Liamhutch89

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I don't mind at all about general discussion on animal produce and general farming practices, it's all relevant and I want to learn.

There is a huge disconnection between packaged meat in a supermarket and where it originally came from. It's all to easy to forget that they were even animals, let alone how they were raised. Perhaps slaughtering animals should be added to the school curriculum? I know I would have benefitted from that. Obviously, I'm half joking, but isn't it funny how the idea sounds so taboo whilst we will so easily let someone do it for us?

I say all this entirely guilty as someone who has never been involved in the process at any stage.

If we get it right, we could dramatically shift the direction of environmental decline, if we get it wrong, it could be catastrophic.

I have complete faith our esteemed leader's will manage to fuck it up.

Anti

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I'm not sure if this is a symptom of too many American podcasts (people who've only just learned about the carnivore diet via Joe Rogan etc) but people talking about pasture/grass fed meat in the UK drives me bonkers. We don't grain feed our beef here and your lamb comes from all the heavily subsidised hilltop farms decimating the landscape. Chickens will happily eat grain, so you can speak to a local butcher about this if you want them rummaging through grass. Ours do but they love their grain stuff too.

The environmental impact of meat has very little to do with how far it's travelled and entirely due to the fact it's an environmentally impactful process.

I can't say that I've listened to any American podcasts, but it's good to know I've been mistaken if cows in the UK aren't fed grain. Does it mean much if chickens will happily eat grain? Considering that the human population is becoming more unhealthy by the day, happily eating absolute rubbish just because it's available, I can't see why other animals would be different.

In response to the environmental impact, your comment might lead someone on the fence to buy whatever is cheapest based on the idea that they can't make a difference. Is the distance travelled so negligible that this person would be correct to do so from an environmental perspective? I'd like to think that every little helps in lieu of living off gathered berries but perhaps that is naïve?

I hate that I sound so dichotomous in this sort of situation, and yes small difference can all add up but if the environment really is at the forefront of your mind then perhaps you really ought to re-think eating meat at all. Here's some interesting data: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

Anyway, half the battle with this shit is at least starting to think about it. It would be great if population went back to the rare meal of eating meat I suppose. Think a big family roast once a week.

teestub

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I think the meat being local isn’t important in terms of food miles, but in terms of a good butcher having a relationship with local producers and therefore being able to identify the good farmers with good farming practices, where (as turnip noted up page) the farms will be way better in terms of carbon numbers than any metadata will suggest.

Liamhutch89

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I'm not sure if this is a symptom of too many American podcasts (people who've only just learned about the carnivore diet via Joe Rogan etc) but people talking about pasture/grass fed meat in the UK drives me bonkers. We don't grain feed our beef here and your lamb comes from all the heavily subsidised hilltop farms decimating the landscape. Chickens will happily eat grain, so you can speak to a local butcher about this if you want them rummaging through grass. Ours do but they love their grain stuff too.

The environmental impact of meat has very little to do with how far it's travelled and entirely due to the fact it's an environmentally impactful process.

I can't say that I've listened to any American podcasts, but it's good to know I've been mistaken if cows in the UK aren't fed grain. Does it mean much if chickens will happily eat grain? Considering that the human population is becoming more unhealthy by the day, happily eating absolute rubbish just because it's available, I can't see why other animals would be different.

In response to the environmental impact, your comment might lead someone on the fence to buy whatever is cheapest based on the idea that they can't make a difference. Is the distance travelled so negligible that this person would be correct to do so from an environmental perspective? I'd like to think that every little helps in lieu of living off gathered berries but perhaps that is naïve?

I hate that I sound so dichotomous in this sort of situation, and yes small difference can all add up but if the environment really is at the forefront of your mind then perhaps you really ought to re-think eating meat at all. Here's some interesting data: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local

Anyway, half the battle with this shit is at least starting to think about it. It would be great if population went back to the rare meal of eating meat I suppose. Think a big family roast once a week.

As mentioned above, I tried eating veggie and it doesn't work for me. I've tried twice. Nevertheless, that chart is very useful and it clearly shows that I should favour poultry, fish, pork and eggs over beef and lamb. It also indicates that a conscientious meat eater can have an emissions impact equal to a vegetarian who consumes chocolate and cheese (neither of which I eat for example).
« Last Edit: August 16, 2021, 01:19:11 pm by Liamhutch89 »

 

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