Scary Meat……

Well, in the middle of the largest beef recall in Canadian history makes me think we had better start growing our own meat.  It’s nice to know where our chicken has come from and how it was butchered.  We did buy some pork from Hillcrest Farms but they  outsource the butchering  (I’m also not so happy with that facility as I think they might have mixed up our order as there wasn’t as much as I thought there should be).  I didn’t complain because I didn’t figure it out until a few weeks later plus my family has had issues with them when they raised hogs.  Anyhow, there is a special license available from the CFIA that allows farms too far away from a slaughtering facility to legally slaughter and sell their meat but we haven’t applied for it yet.  Yet another thing on the to do list.

Oh yes, back to the meat.  The whole recall situation really does make me think that we (as in a global we, as Quadra is pretty good)  need to seriously have a more local solution.  Rather than selling cuts as most farmers do, I think that the meat CSA is a better idea (If you are reading this any thoughts Amanda?)  . As I understand it it’s where you buy into the animal in the beginning of the season to help pay to raise it then slaughter it and you get meat in the end all cut and wrapped.  Here’s an example from Ontario, but here you get mixed frozen cuts (about 13 lbs per time) 4 times a year.(http://www.twincreeksfarm.ca/csa/meat-csa)
It seems like a big chunk of money but really it’s not if you think about how much you spend over the year.

I think we’d do pork, lamb and chicken if we ever got our stuff together.  We’re already liking our own chickens though I think we’re going to go back to the Cornish Crosses.  The Freedom Rangers are too nuts.  They are even crossing the ROAD!!!  They are going to be tougher than all get out!  However, flavourful!

Here’s a link to a lovely little video about but butchering a pig…..  warning graphic!

http://vimeo.com/39451071

Also, I’m kind of crushing on this from Gardener’s Supply.  I think it’s because of the harvest.It’s also something totally DIYable but right now sometimes it’s just easier to buy!  Not that I would because I’m too cheap and I think “I can totally make that!”

Happy Thursday!