Farm to plate
A couple of months ago, a farmer called me to ask whether I knew of a few people who’d like to order a side of beef. Paul Graham is a cattle farmer who sells his meat direct to the public. He does this so that he can farm his cattle organically and still make a living. The Graham’s farm wasn’t always organic. Paul bought the farm from his father after working in an abattoir for years. He had young children and was horrified to see the changes in the cattle when they were injected with hormones.
In Paul’s words, the animals became “sex mad” and the young cows’ genitals changed shape and size. He didn’t want his kids to eat the meat from these animals so he decided to convert to organic farming. Now his cows live a happy life on Paul’s certified organic farm roaming the pastures and eating grass. No industrial food waste as cattle food for his cows. He sells bulk meat to the public – you either order 1/4 or 1/6. So I put the word out through my networks and we soon had 4 “beasts” ordered.
Paul arrived early one Saturday morning and it was a fun, social morning as people came to pick up their meat and take extra bones and liver if they wanted it. Being an ex-vegetarian, I don’t know a lot about the different cuts of meat and how to cook them so it’s an interesting journey and the Internet is such a great resource for novice cooks like me.
The greatest satisfaction in this has been knowing that the cows have had a good life and been well looked after. We know where the meat comes from and how the cows lived. In modern supermarket-based living, we are so removed from the farm and the farmer. The meat doesn’t have much relationship with the animal or farm that it came from anymore.
There’s a beautiful scene in one of the David Attenborough “Life of Animals” series where a Kalahari bushman finally kills the animal he has been tracking all day and goes through this beautiful ritual where he lovingly pays respects to the animal and honours its spirit before carrying it back to feed the whole tribe. This is what I think we need to return to in some way. Not to return to a hunter gatherer way of life but to incorporate the ritual and honouring of the animals and plants that feed and sustain us and to know where our food comes from and just what went into getting that food onto our plates.
We have now created an easy way for you to participate in our bulk meat orders. Visit The Organic Meat Club and subscribe. You will then receive updates and news of bulk meat orders on the Gold Coast. Subscription is free.
Kosuke and Taiji with the cows at the Organic Farm Share farm in Unumgar.
Hello Filippa – I think we all need to know where our meat comes from. I also am an ex vegetarian but feel if we don’t know that the animal has had a happy free life we are partaking in cruelty and all the bad karma involved. Your posts are a step to increasing people’s knowledge towards living a healthy, happy and responsible life. I always enjoy them.
Thanks for your feedback Judy! It’s the same with vegetables and fruit really. Not in needing to know that they’ve had a happy life but to know what agricultural system we are partaking in and therefore condoning or supporting. I think we really have to let go of cheap and convenient and shop and eat with conscience. It’s something I’ve only just become aware of. For me, in the past, it was always a health or financial decision. I didn’t think about being guilty by participation.
Wonderful! I wish I was there and could order some of the beef! But I don’t really wish I was there, except for a holiday, as I just love living here in Toodyay next door to small mixed farms. One one side of me are a mixed flock of sheep who have recently lambed, so there are at least a dozen lambs, white, brindle and black, and 3 sets of twin.s I’ve talked about this on my blog. I’m so privileged to see these lovely animals living naturally in their community, and although I know some of them (the wethers) are slaughtered for meat, I know that they have a happy and peaceful life and are well looked after.
You might be able to buy direct from your own farmers as they are so close around you!