Organic Beef

[cattleman]

Hey guys, I currently operate a small beef operation where I sell corn fed, hormone free freezer beef to family and friends. I am thinking of branching out and offering some organic beef if there was a demand for it. So the question I have, is would you pay a little more for the organic beef or would you be happy with the regular corn fed meat. Thanks.

[GWB]

I would definitely be interested in paying more for it, especially if it could be purchased fresh. We like to buy organic meats, but we've not been too happy with Akins or The Health Food Store. Sometimes it's been in the freezer for a long time and they often don't have sell by dates on it. Where do you plan to sell your product?

[Stinger]

Would this compare to the No Name Ranch beef used by Irma's and the Metro, etc?

[cattleman]

Stinger, I have no idea what kind of meat they offer at Irma's. I do know that the animals I have enrolled in the angus source program, that have went to the feedlot have graded around a high choice to prime. But like I said, I have been keeping some at the house and feeding out and selling to family and friends and they really like the flavor and the freshness of the corn fed meat. Also anyone that is interested is more than welcome to come to my farm and check things out, just to get an idea of how thing are ran. I take pride in being able to offer a product that is locally raised and really fresh. The way I have been selling my beef is straight from the processing plant. I have been only selling by the whole or half a side of beef, I know alot of people dont consume this much meat quick enough or they cant provide enough storage, so I am in the process of getting my license so I can sell individual cuts. I also offer free delivery within the OKC area with the purchase of a whole or half a beef.

I just dont know if the demand is there. It takes alot more work to go organic and increases the price quite a bit. The only organic processing plant that I know of is up in Kansas. I will continue to do some more research on the organic beef, Thanks for the input.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I don't care if it's flat LOADED with hormones. How does it TASTE?

If it's good tasting cuts of good meat, I'll pay quite a bit for it.

[kevinpate]

If it's good tasting cuts of good meat, I'll pay quite a bit for it.

That

[amylynn5656]

I would definitely pay a little more for organic, local beef. Please keep us posted on when you get your license (I'm a single girl and I don't think I could eat half a cow in a year!) But I'm certainly interested in purchasing some individual cuts. You might look into setting up shop at the OSU Farmer's Market.

[metro]

Yes, I'd pay more for local organic beef. We currently get ours from the OSU-OKC farmer's market. They have several local organic farms that sell individual packaged steaks, burgers, ground meat, chicken, etc. there.

[dalelakin]

So I see little to no difference between grass fed and organic other than the certification?

[Vines_&_Cattle]

You're kidding right? The main difference is between grass fed and grain fed beef. Both grass fed and grain fed can be organic, and both can be non organic. It all depends on the inputs and the system used.

For instance, a calf could be fed certified organic grain, and organic hay, but be fed in a feedlot, just like a conventionally raised beef animal. As opposed to grass fed, which usually involves frequent rotation in a lush pasture environment. Now that pasture could be organic, but it could also be fertilized by chemical fertilizers, and sprayed with pesticides.

Organic certification only means that the animal has been held to some minimum guidelines, defined by some third party, say the government, or a processing brand like Whole Foods.

Oh, and for those who don't think grass fed beef can compete with grain fed, you've got the wrong perception. I recently toured the Taggart Ranch down in Texas, where they're finishing heifers on nothing but grass and legumes, and getting a pretty penny for their efforts in the DFW Metro. Plus it's delicious.

Which is something I'm working toward in the future.

[MadMonk]

I'd like to have two identical cuts of beef, one from grass fed cattle, the other grain fed and have them prepared identically and compare them. What's the difference in flavor, texture, etc?

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I'd like to have two identical cuts of beef, one from grass fed cattle, the other grain fed and have them prepared identically and compare them. What's the difference in flavor, texture, etc?

X2.

As I said before...I don't care if Daisy ate gumdrops and white gravy while snorting coke, or legumes and grass while being coddled by an army of Oompa-Loompas giving it a massage. As long as it tastes good (and isn't going to kill me).

I'll even pay for the meat if somebody wants to cook me a couple of steaks, one from my butcher, one from an organic farm, and I'll do a blind taste test.

My guess is that they're both going to be tasty beef with a slight flavor of whatever it was cooked over. I'm thinking hickory.

[PennyQuilts]

I want a cow from a large, anonymous herd. It makes me cringe to think of killing the things so I can eat them. I try not to think of what they did while they were alive. I don't really want to know that they had a good diet because it makes me feel like a murderer.

I do like cheeseburgers, though.

[Vines_&_Cattle]

MadMonk, be careful when you set up the test. The Burgundy Pasture Beef slaughter house I toured in Texas also did custom work for other grass fed operations, and the owner showed us one of the other carcasses he processes. One in particular had almost no fat, and all the cuts were small. Such a product would not compare well to fat, well marbled grass fed carcasses hanging beside it, or a conventionally raised animal.

One thing feedlots can do is inject a lot of bad carcass with easy fat, thus making a more consistent product. Of course they're also good at pollution, tainting ground water, and buying up subsidized grain, heaven help you if you live near one.

Oh, and meat is not murder, it's dinner.

[PennyQuilts]

MadMonk Oh, and meat is not murder, it's dinner.

It its name is Buttercup, it is murder.

[Vines_&_Cattle]

My four year old disagrees. Her stated philosophy is that pigs make good bacon, cows make good steak, and lambs make good lamb chops. She wants a lamb for that very reason. I've even got her signed on to eat the broilers we're fattening up in the movable chicken coop out back.

[PennyQuilts]

My four year old disagrees. Her stated philosophy is that pigs make good bacon, cows make good steak, and lambs make good lamb chops. She wants a lamb for that very reason. I've even got her signed on to eat the broilers we're fattening up in the movable chicken coop out back.

Truth be told - I think you are raising that child right!

My best girlfriend, a rancher, named her first cow Buttercup (decades ago). It nearly killed her to kill it. The next cow was named Supper. The one after that was Dinner. And so on.

[Vines_&_Cattle]

I tried naming the chickens "Hot wings, Nugget, etc." but the wife gave me one of those looks.

The kid differentiates chicken into boneless pieces, and "chicken bones". I've thought of putting up a youtube vid of her BBQ covered face and arms, devouring chicken, proclaiming "I llllooovvveee chicken bones!"

[kevinpate]

> The next cow was named Supper. The one after that
> was Dinner. And so on.

If I wasn't already married, I'd easily fall with love with your friend.
That's one smart cookie.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

> The next cow was named Supper. The one after that
> was Dinner. And so on.

If I wasn't already married, I'd easily fall with love with your friend.
That's one smart cookie.

Just don't call her "cookie"...She might think she's next.

[PennyQuilts]

> The next cow was named Supper. The one after that
> was Dinner. And so on.

If I wasn't already married, I'd easily fall with love with your friend.
That's one smart cookie.

You betcha, she is! Brilliant woman - my best friend for forty years!

[twinkles]

We buy our meat from the Oklahoma Food Coop - locally grown and pastured meat, not from a feedlot.

Organic is :eh: to me - more important to me is their quality of life while they were living. One of the reasons we buy "pastured" eggs (also from the coop). Any of these farmers are happy to have you visit their operations. I wish we could buy hormone free milk ..... Organic is kind of misleading in the dairy industry too, I gather.

I boycott things like KFC - not just from a health standpoint, but just because of the misery they promote.

To me there is a difference in taste in grass fed beef and grain finished (which is what we generally buy). The grass fed we cook at a lower temperature, treat it a little gentler. According to the ranchers at the coop, grass fed beef is higher in Omega-3 fatty acids than grain finished. Both are delicious.

Good luck to the original poster! We always like to support our local farmers and eat locally grown food!

[HeatherDawn]

I used to be a member of the Ok food coop (when I was married and shopping for two) and I loved it. I will probably join again when I get out of college.

I don't really care about certified organic but I don't like hormones and antibiotics and all that crap. That's why it's nice to know your producer. I prefer grain finished but I usually mix it up and buy both.

[cattleman]

Thanks for all the input. Right now I am going to stay with the corn fed, hormone free beef until I start getting more interest in the organic beef. Thanks again

[dalelakin]

You're kidding right?
Organic certification only means that the animal has been held to some minimum guidelines, defined by some third party, say the government, or a processing brand like Whole Foods.

Thought that was what I said basically...so that really clears it up for me.

Best to say the real difference lies in that no chemicals are used in either the production of the meat nor the production of the feed the cows eat and a specific certification? Is that a good summation?