About My Quest

Happy pigs in mud, cows in clover. This is the way we like to think of farm animals. Unfortunately this is most often not the case. My love of animals and conviction that eating meat is part of the ideal healthy human diet has led me to seek out meat that is:

Humanely raised and treated
Free range
Grass fed
Hormone and Antibiotic free
Pesticide free
Affordable

Although certified organic food is wonderful because you are assured that the producers strictly satisfy the above criteria the cost of these products is generally very high and not affordable for everyone.
'Organic' is a ridiculous term because it simply means that it consists of natural elements. Many food producers are predominantly 'organic' by the definition set out by reputable certifiers however for a range of reasons they do not bother with the expense of becoming certified.
Many farmers produce food that fits the list above and I plan to find them. I encourage you to band together with friends, family and colleagues to buy in bulk direct from these farmers.

Recommended CICO Meat Suppliers

Here's a list of farmers and suppliers who supply meat that is Cows In Clover Organic or CICO.

CICO means that the meat is;
  • Humanely raised
  • Free range
  • Grass fed
  • Antibiotic and Hormone Free
  • Pesticide free
  • More Affordable than Certified Organic
You may ask how do I know that the suppliers I am recommending genuinely comply with CICO objectives? The truth is I can't 100% guarantee that they do. Unfortunately if you want this kind of guarantee your only choice is to buy certified organic. 
However I am very confident that these farmers are genuine because firstly they make these claims. Some producers have misleading packaging, use generic terms like natural, free range even organic but if you scratch the surface they do not claim to be pesticide free, hormone free, cruelty free, humanely raised or grass fed because these terms would be easily disproven. 
I only approach farmers that claim that they share my objectives. If they are willing for me to visit I feel they are unlikely to have anything to hide.  I actually visit the farm and observe the animals and their environment, can see that they are relaxed, enjoy social and familial activities and look healthy.
I ask the farmer pertinent questions about feed, weaning, transport, slaughter. Generally my farmers have added processes that ensure that the animals have as stress free a life and death as possible. This often means more work and more cost to the farmer. A farmer who does not care about the quality of his/her meat or the animal's life will not entertain extra work or cost.
My long term goal is to generate interest in this blog and then use that interest to support efforts to lobby government for a labeling system in Australia that gives consumers information about where meat comes from so they can make informed choices.

BEEF
Farmer Danny and Cathy - Gippsland Lean Beef 
Read about my visit to Gippsland Lean Beef here
www.gippslandleanbeef.com.au
Order meat through the retail site
http://thefarmersmarket.com.au/shop/index.php?main_page
Order in bulk and they deliver to Melbourne metro area. Lamb is also available.

Alex and Christine's Farm in Alberton West, Gippsland
Read about my visit here
Webpage coming soon
Only half and whole sides of beef available however call Alex on 0431 158 638 and he can customise your pack to your requirements.

Family Farmed Meats - Fulham, Central Gippsland
Read about my visit here
www.familyfarmedmeats.com.au
Information on website re: home delivery and farmer's markets

CHICKEN
coming soon


EGGS
coming soon


PORK
coming soon


FISH & SEAFOOD
coming soon


DAIRY
coming soon

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)