| January 30 | 2023 LOCAL + PASTURE RAISED FACTORY FARMING VS. PASTURE RAISED "...no matter how general may be a person's attitude toward the world, his [or her] impact upon it must become specific and tangible at some point." Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America What is factory farming? The term "Factory Farm" refers to the way most livestock and poultry are raised and harvested for food production, and is the primary way animals are raised in the U.S. Also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), Factory Farms are a form of intensive agriculture focused on producing large numbers of livestock as quickly as possible, without the health and wellbeing of the animals, or the environment, in mind. Factory Farms confine animals in small spaces, inside, where they live out their lives never grazing naturally or in the sun. Livestock are also often given growth hormones to increases their body mass in order to be processed sooner. All of the chicken, pork, and beef found in grocery stores, and fast food and other restaurants are produced at CAFOs, unless purposefully stated that they are sourced locally from family farms. Animals in these situations are often mistreated. For example, chickens naturally scratch and forage on the ground. When they are unable to do so because they are cramped with thousands of other chickens, they can become aggressive. The CAFOs solution to this is debeaking them, without any regard for the pain and unnatural result. I could go on and on with examples such as this. If you would like to read more about it, here are some links to articles with more information. Please be aware some photos and information can be unsettling, but this is why it is so important to know where your food is coming from, how it is treated, and what kind of farm/operation you are supporting. This is not something that should be ignored. The Humane League article . Farm Sanctuary article . ASPCA article . How is pasture raised different? Animals that are raised on pasture are able to live out their lives naturally; grazing, foraging, and (in the case of pigs) wallowing in the sun and open air. Pasture raised hens lay healthier eggs. A 2003 study at PA State University found that one pasture-raised egg contains two to seven times more nutrients than eggs raised on traditional feed in CAFOs. Farmers that raise their animals on pasture also have the benefit of natural manure for their fields, requiring less industrial equipment and harmful fertilizers. Often, larger companies and agribusinesses label their products with a greenwashing technique: making things look better than what they are. The terms "cage-free" and "free-range" simply mean the chickens are not in cages, but they are still housed indoors for the duration of their lives, as in the photo above. Unfortunately, the USDA does not verify that farms are in fact raising their animals on pasture; the farms actually get to determine what "pasture raised" means to them. Often, they can use the term even if the animals only spend a portion of their lives on pasture or outside. We pride ourselves on sourcing all of our meat, dairy and eggs from family farms across NC that raise their animals on pasture - humanely and organically - for their entire lives, not just a portion of it. Certified Humane article . Greener Choices article . Why is pasture raised from independent farms more expensive? This is a question we often hear. First off, animals that are left to grow/produce naturally take longer to develop, versus ones in CAFOs that are pumped full of growth hormones/feed. Secondly, it is more expensive per acre to farm or raise cattle on the east coast than in the midwest. Also, organic supplemental grain is more expensive than run of the mill GMO grains, because of government subsidies and 'big-ag' corporation methods. When it comes to pasture raised poultry, they are subject to wildlife that view them as food, and farmers often lose some of their flock to predators or have to take measures to mitigate that loss. Read as: cost . While unfortunate, it is very expensive to process animals at a butcher who uses humane practices, and even more so if the farmers are navigating this task on their own. This is why we and our farmers appreciate your support so much. It tells us that you want our world and your bodies to remain healthy. This Week's Local + Seasonal Produce VEGETABLES Bradford Farm - organically grown Arugula Purple Kale Red Russian Kale Salad Mix Swiss Chard Green Thumb Gardens - Concord, NC - organically grown Carrots (arrive Friday) Collard Greens Garlic Microgreens (arrive Friday) Street Fare Farm - Concord, NC - organically grown Baby Spinach (arrives Wednesday) Broccoli Shoots (arrive Wednesday) French Breakfast Radishes Pea Shoots Sunflower Shoots (arrive Wednesday) White Green Onions Organic Baby Bella Mushrooms - PA Organic Broccoli - CA (arrives Friday) Organic Butternut Squash - CA Organic Carnival Squash - PA Organic Cauliflower - CA (arrives Friday) Organic Celery - CA (sale!) Organic Covington Sweet Potatoes - NC Organic Fair Trade Avocados - Mexico Organic Fair Trade Delicata Squash - Mexico Organic Garlic - CA Organic Gold Beets - PA Organic Green Bell Peppers - FL Organic Green Cabbage - NC Organic Mini Sweet Snacking Peppers - FL Organic Murasaki Sweet Potatoes - NC Organic Parsnips - NC Organic Purple Sweet Potatoes - NC Organic Red Cabbage - NC Organic Red Cherry Tomatoes - FL Organic Red Onions - CA Organic Red Skin Potatoes - WI Organic Russet Potatoes - WI (arrive Friday) Organic Shallots - CA Organic Spaghetti Squash - CA Organic Yellow Gold Potatoes - WI (arrive Friday) Organic Yellow Onions - CA FRUIT Low Spray Arkansas Black Apples - NC Organic Biodynamic Navel Oranges - CA Organic Biodynamic Raisins - CA Organic Blood Oranges - CA (arrive Friday) Organic Fuji Apples - WA Organic Gala Apples - CA Organic Granny Smith Apples - WA (sale!) Organic Green Anjou Pears - WA Organic Honeycrisp Apples - WA Organic Kiwi - CA Organic Lemons - CA Organic Minneola Tangelo Mandarins - CA Organic Pink Lady Apples - WA (arrive Friday) Organic Red Anjou Pears - WA Organic Ruby Red Grapefruit - CA Fact of the Week: When talking to Frank about this week's f act to include, I couldn't decide which was most important. Decide for yourself: meat labeled "U.S. Meat" is often actually imported from other countries; lion's and other wildlife are often deliberately poisoned in order to protect cattle that are later imported to the U.S.; cattle ranching is responsible for 80% of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest; eating one industrial hamburger per week for a year averages 22,100 gallons of water consumption; every year nearly 10 billion animals are killed in the U.S. for human consumption, and 99% of them are raised on factory farms. BE INFORMED! IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS WHEN SOMEONE OR SOMETHING HAS TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT. Check out our new (in progress) website HERE ! By shopping with us you are in-turn supporting your local farmers, artisans, and economy. We thank you. Correne + Frank LaRoche Follow us @thebradfordmarket |
FACTORY FARMING VS. PASTURE RAISED | |
"...no matter how general may be a person's attitude toward the world, his [or her] impact upon it must become specific and tangible at some point." Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America | |
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What is factory farming?
The term "Factory Farm" refers to the way most livestock and poultry are raised and harvested for food production, and is the primary way animals are raised in the U.S. Also known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), Factory Farms are a form of intensive agriculture focused on producing large numbers of livestock as quickly as possible, without the health and wellbeing of the animals, or the environment, in mind.
Factory Farms confine animals in small spaces, inside, where they live out their lives never grazing naturally or in the sun. Livestock are also often given growth hormones to increases their body mass in order to be processed sooner. All of the chicken, pork, and beef found in grocery stores, and fast food and other restaurants are produced at CAFOs, unless purposefully stated that they are sourced locally from family farms. Animals in these situations are often mistreated. For example, chickens naturally scratch and forage on the ground. When they are unable to do so because they are cramped with thousands of other chickens, they can become aggressive. The CAFOs solution to this is debeaking them, without any regard for the pain and unnatural result. I could go on and on with examples such as this. If you would like to read more about it, here are some links to articles with more information. Please be aware some photos and information can be unsettling, but this is why it is so important to know where your food is coming from, how it is treated, and what kind of farm/operation you are supporting. This is not something that should be ignored.
The Humane League article.
Farm Sanctuary article.
ASPCA article.
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How is pasture raised different?
Animals that are raised on pasture are able to live out their lives naturally; grazing, foraging, and (in the case of pigs) wallowing in the sun and open air. Pasture raised hens lay healthier eggs. A 2003 study at PA State University found that one pasture-raised egg contains two to seven times more nutrients than eggs raised on traditional feed in CAFOs. Farmers that raise their animals on pasture also have the benefit of natural manure for their fields, requiring less industrial equipment and harmful fertilizers.
Often, larger companies and agribusinesses label their products with a greenwashing technique: making things look better than what they are. The terms "cage-free" and "free-range" simply mean the chickens are not in cages, but they are still housed indoors for the duration of their lives, as in the photo above. Unfortunately, the USDA does not verify that farms are in fact raising their animals on pasture; the farms actually get to determine what "pasture raised" means to them. Often, they can use the term even if the animals only spend a portion of their lives on pasture or outside.
We pride ourselves on sourcing all of our meat, dairy and eggs from family farms across NC that raise their animals on pasture - humanely and organically - for their entire lives, not just a portion of it.
Certified Humane article.
Greener Choices article.
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Why is pasture raised from independent farms more expensive?
This is a question we often hear.
First off, animals that are left to grow/produce naturally take longer to develop, versus ones in CAFOs that are pumped full of growth hormones/feed. Secondly, it is more expensive per acre to farm or raise cattle on the east coast than in the midwest. Also, organic supplemental grain is more expensive than run of the mill GMO grains, because of government subsidies and 'big-ag' corporation methods.
When it comes to pasture raised poultry, they are subject to wildlife that view them as food, and farmers often lose some of their flock to predators or have to take measures to mitigate that loss. Read as: cost.
While unfortunate, it is very expensive to process animals at a butcher who uses humane practices, and even more so if the farmers are navigating this task on their own.
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This is why we and our farmers appreciate your support so much. It tells us that you want our world and your bodies to remain healthy. | |
This Week's Local + Seasonal Produce | |
VEGETABLES
Bradford Farm - organically grown
- Arugula
- Purple Kale
- Red Russian Kale
- Salad Mix
- Swiss Chard
Green Thumb Gardens - Concord, NC - organically grown
- Carrots (arrive Friday)
- Collard Greens
- Garlic
-
Microgreens (arrive Friday)
Street Fare Farm - Concord, NC - organically grown
- Baby Spinach (arrives Wednesday)
- Broccoli Shoots (arrive Wednesday)
- French Breakfast Radishes
- Pea Shoots
- Sunflower Shoots (arrive Wednesday)
- White Green Onions
Organic Baby Bella Mushrooms - PA
Organic Broccoli - CA (arrives Friday)
Organic Butternut Squash - CA
Organic Carnival Squash - PA
Organic Cauliflower - CA (arrives Friday)
Organic Celery - CA (sale!)
Organic Covington Sweet Potatoes - NC
Organic Fair Trade Avocados - Mexico
Organic Fair Trade Delicata Squash - Mexico
Organic Garlic - CA
Organic Gold Beets - PA
Organic Green Bell Peppers - FL
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Organic Green Cabbage - NC
Organic Mini Sweet Snacking Peppers - FL
Organic Murasaki Sweet Potatoes - NC
Organic Parsnips - NC
Organic Purple Sweet Potatoes - NC
Organic Red Cabbage - NC
Organic Red Cherry Tomatoes - FL
Organic Red Onions - CA
Organic Red Skin Potatoes - WI
Organic Russet Potatoes - WI (arrive Friday)
Organic Shallots - CA
Organic Spaghetti Squash - CA
Organic Yellow Gold Potatoes - WI (arrive Friday)
Organic Yellow Onions - CA
FRUIT
Low Spray Arkansas Black Apples - NC
Organic Biodynamic Navel Oranges - CA
Organic Biodynamic Raisins - CA
Organic Blood Oranges - CA (arrive Friday)
Organic Fuji Apples - WA
Organic Gala Apples - CA
Organic Granny Smith Apples - WA (sale!)
Organic Green Anjou Pears - WA
Organic Honeycrisp Apples - WA
Organic Kiwi - CA
Organic Lemons - CA
Organic Minneola Tangelo Mandarins - CA
Organic Pink Lady Apples - WA (arrive Friday)
Organic Red Anjou Pears - WA
Organic Ruby Red Grapefruit - CA
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Fact of the Week: When talking to Frank about this week's fact to include, I couldn't decide which was most important. Decide for yourself: meat labeled "U.S. Meat" is often actually imported from other countries; lion's and other wildlife are often deliberately poisoned in order to protect cattle that are later imported to the U.S.; cattle ranching is responsible for 80% of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest; eating one industrial hamburger per week for a year averages 22,100 gallons of water consumption; every year nearly 10 billion animals are killed in the U.S. for human consumption, and 99% of them are raised on factory farms.
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BE INFORMED! IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS WHEN SOMEONE OR SOMETHING HAS TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT.
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Check out our new (in progress) website HERE! | |
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By shopping with us you are in-turn supporting your local farmers, artisans, and economy.
We thank you.
Correne + Frank LaRoche
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Follow us @thebradfordmarket | |
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