Free range organic Turkey or Ham

[tb4me]

Does anyone know where I can get organic free run turkey or Ham? I live in Brantford and would like some place close if at all possible. Were hosting the family dinner and are going to have one or the other. Thanks folks.

[bigugli]

As far as current rules go, you need to go direct to farm. Any product for retail, past the gatepost, requires inspection, certification, and specific inoculants.. I know of one poultry farmer Elmira way, by word of mouth, but his flock had already been sold and culled by our Thanksgiving. Usually you need to order well in advance.

Most of the independent breeders I knew in Niagara are now retired or dead., and the local club folded. I used to run the poultry and rabbit show at our fair.

 

Best suggestion is to get a hold of your local breeders or feather fanciers club, or local fair board. They would be able to put you in touch with the right people

Edited November 29, 2013 by bigugli

[cram]

Not to hijack, but any farmers here who sell sides of grassfed beef?

Edited November 29, 2013 by cram

[spincast]

Ron:

Try Faul Farms on the Ayr road, just past Bannister / Wrigley lakes. If they don't they will know who does They are members of local group of farmers who raise the products naturally. They have a map of the various farms who do so locally.

There is also a guy on Highway 2 between Falkland & Princeton who has free range products- but I think that is chicken / eggs and lamb only? You'd have to do a drive by to confirm. They are on the south side of the road. Barry Farms (the asparagus place) is also a member of this group and sells various natural products, and has some amazing products in his outlet.

Cram - BTW Faul Farms raise, butcher and sell grass fed beef. I believe you can order pretty well any size order you want. They have a retail store that you can pick and choose, or buy one of the value packs.

[ch312]

Faul farms is $3.25 / lb for a side of organic beef cut and wrapped. For comparison, I got prices from VG Meats in Simcoe a couple weeks ago and they want $4.25 / lb per side. That's a very good price and we will be placing an order after christmas. Seeing as a side is 300-350 lbs, that $1 / lb difference is huge.

 

Thanks for the lead spincast

Edited November 29, 2013 by ch312

[Bill Shearer]

Most small butchers know where to get them. Premium pricing for sure.

For the last 20 years, I have bought off a Mennonite up Chesley way. He said that he will no longer be able to supply, since his kids are moving out on their own, and it's too much work to raise and kill/prepare the birds by themselves. End of an era, I guess.

[tb4me]

As far as current rules go, you need to go direct to farm. Any product for retail, past the gatepost, requires inspection, certification, and specific inoculants.. I know of one poultry farmer Elmira way, by word of mouth, but his flock had already been sold and culled by our Thanksgiving. Usually you need to order well in advance.

Most of the independent breeders I knew in Niagara are now retired or dead., and the local club folded. I used to run the poultry and rabbit show at our fair.

 

Best suggestion is to get a hold of your local breeders or feather fanciers club, or local fair board. They would be able to put you in touch with the right people

I actually a member of the poultry club here in Brantford.. I don't know why i didn't think of that..But thanks for reminding me..

[tb4me]

Ron:

Try Faul Farms on the Ayr road, just past Bannister / Wrigley lakes. If they don't they will know who does They are members of local group of farmers who raise the products naturally. They have a map of the various farms who do so locally.

There is also a guy on Highway 2 between Falkland & Princeton who has free range products- but I think that is chicken / eggs and lamb only? You'd have to do a drive by to confirm. They are on the south side of the road. Barry Farms (the asparagus place) is also a member of this group and sells various natural products, and has some amazing products in his outlet.

Cram - BTW Faul Farms raise, butcher and sell grass fed beef. I believe you can order pretty well any size order you want. They have a retail store that you can pick and choose, or buy one of the value packs.

Nice Thanks! much appreciated as always. I will look into Faul farms for some beef and maybe a nice ham..

[misfish]

We like to buy here. Many ranges of meats and poultry to buy.

 

I love their Bison meat.

 

http://www.simcoecountyfarmfresh.ca/details.php?id=34

[Rich]

Does "Oh Goodness Me" in Brantford not carry organic meats?

[tb4me]

Does "Oh Goodness Me" in Brantford not carry organic meats?

I believe they do but I don't trust them..Not to mention the prices are insane..I went in there this summer to have a look at the "organic" produce..What a joke that stuff is..It all looked like crap old n wilted. $3.99 a pound for wilted swiss chard from god knows where.. Those stores are chains and dont support the local economy at all

[Rich]

I believe they do but I don't trust them..Not to mention the prices are insane..I went in there this summer to have a look at the "organic" produce..What a joke that stuff is..It all looked like crap old n wilted. $3.99 a pound for wilted swiss chard from god knows where.. Those stores are chains and dont support the local economy at all

I didnt know that. I was always interested in checking the place out, thanks for that info! Ill stick with my local guy.

[ch312]

I actually a member of the poultry club here in Brantford.. I don't know why i didn't think of that..But thanks for reminding me..

 

So, do you keep chickens in your yard? I was considering joining the club so I'd be able to have some chickens in the yard, but was wondering how much the membership costs and what you need to do to stay legit.

 

Does "Oh Goodness Me" in Brantford not carry organic meats?

 

Stay away, unless you like to pay very high prices for marginal quality food.

[captpierre]

I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as "free range" turkeys. They are raised indoors in climate contolled barns on concrete. They are highly susceptible to a deadly disease when raised on dirt. (Blackhead).

[tb4me]

 

 

So, do you keep chickens in your yard? I was considering joining the club so I'd be able to have some chickens in the yard, but was wondering how much the membership costs and what you need to do to stay legit.

 

 

Stay away, unless you like to pay very high prices for marginal quality food.

 

Yes we keep 10 Laying hens and about 15 rabbits right here in town..our lot is 150 x 75 so we also have a large garden too..Gotta have somewhere to be rid of all the rabbit and chicken manure..lol The poultry club meetings are held the first Monday of the month at the Paris fairgrounds.. Membership is 10 bucks a year. As far as staying legit that's all..By joining the club they ask that you show up to meetings and participate in club events. Such as the paris fair and a couple other small shows throughout the year

Edited November 30, 2013 by tb4me

[tb4me]

 

I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as "free range" turkeys. They are raised indoors in climate contolled barns on concrete. They are highly susceptible to a deadly disease when raised on dirt. (Blackhead).

Then how do turkeys survive in the wild? I don't want a steroid infested 50 pound bird a nice 10 to 15 pounder would suffice nicely

Edited November 30, 2013 by tb4me

[misfish]

I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as "free range" turkeys. They are raised indoors in climate contolled barns on concrete. They are highly susceptible to a deadly disease when raised on dirt. (Blackhead).

 

 

 

Then how do turkeys survive in the wild?

 

 

If there was a anymore organic bird,it would be the wild turkey. The one thing I found with them though,their legs are full of stringy bones. Like an old farm raised bird. As for the breast. Next to none. Wrapped in maple smoked bacon.Delish.

[captpierre]

There are no steroids used in poultry. Antibiotics yes, in commercially raised birds.. They are needed to keep the mortality low due to the overcrowding and less than sanitary conditions in barns with thousands of birds. The farmer must with hold the meds for a specifiic period of time before slaughter so they can be eliminated from the meat. Birds are raised using intensive farming methods because the consumer won't pay what it would cost farming the old fashioned way.

Anabolic steroids(legal) are implanted under the skin of the back of the ear in fattened beef cattle. These cattle grow a little faster -perhaps 1%. The profit margin for the farmer is so slim, if he doesn't use them, he makes no money. The amount of steroid found in the meat you eat is microscopic in amount and has no know impact on you based on typical consumption. They are however, banned in Europe

In the US, most dairy cows are injected with Bovine Growth Hormone regularly. This has been studied to death and was found to be safe.

This hormone is banned here in Canada.

I am very familiar with current farming practices and chose not to purchase "organic" meat. For me the extra cost is not worth the tiny(perhaps) benefit.

We have an incredible inspection process. Modern medicines used in farming are highly regulated and tested.

There is more risk in the saturated fat in the beef you eat(if you eat a lot), than any medication that could be found therein.

Edited November 30, 2013 by captpierre

[strik]

Friends of mine are starting up this business check them out. Great products

 

Melissa Comyn

519-353-4219

RR#Paisley

 

facebook page is

Hawthorne Hills Pastured Pork and Poultry.

[tb4me]

There are no steroids used in poultry. Antibiotics yes, in commercially raised birds.. They are needed to keep the mortality low due to the overcrowding and less than sanitary conditions in barns with thousands of birds. The farmer must with hold the meds for a specifiic period of time before slaughter so they can be eliminated from the meat. Birds are raised using intensive farming methods because the consumer won't pay what it would cost farming the old fashioned way.

Anabolic steroids(legal) are implanted under the skin of the back of the ear in fattened beef cattle. These cattle grow a little faster -perhaps 1%. The profit margin for the farmer is so slim, if he doesn't use them, he makes no money. The amount of steroid found in the meat you eat is microscopic in amount and has no know impact on you based on typical consumption. They are however, banned in Europe

In the US, most dairy cows are injected with Bovine Growth Hormone regularly. This has been studied to death and was found to be safe.

This hormone is banned here in Canada.

I am very familiar with current farming practices and chose not to purchase "organic" meat. For me the extra cost is not worth the tiny(perhaps) benefit.

We have an incredible inspection process. Modern medicines used in farming are highly regulated and tested.

There is more risk in the saturated fat in the beef you eat(if you eat a lot), than any medication that could be found therein.

I dont know about the farming end of it all that much but we just had steak from a friend that had his own cows. Grass fed and looked after by him personally..No roids or hormones I can clearly taste the difference..Last week mom had one of the "corn fed" beef roasts from Metro..No comparison what so ever..The corn fed beef was horrible no taste and tough..

[manitoubass2]

Mmmm, trenbolone acetate run off and metabolites of such passed off in clinically statistic amounts. Just thank got farmers arent fertilizing with it. And thank god one of those metabolites isnt methyl trienolone

[irishfield]

I dont know about the farming end of it all that much but we just had steak from a friend that had his own cows. Grass fed and looked after by him personally..No roids or hormones I can clearly taste the difference..Last week mom had one of the "corn fed" beef roasts from Metro..No comparison what so ever..The corn fed beef was horrible no taste and tough..

I can say the opposite.. for the same circumstance. Leah's Father butchers three or four cows every year. They are free roaming.. amongst the horses at his riding stable in Orr Lake and get nothing but the grass they can find and some hay. While the taste has got better over the last few years, thanks to me harping at him to find a better butcher... I'll take a steak from Foodland any day over his free "organic" meat. A lot is in how it's butchered... how long it's left to bleed out and age before making the final cuts. Sounds like your friend knows what he's doing. My F-in-law.. not a clue and until Leah reminded him that I grew up in a butcher shop... he wasn't listening. I think the first few years they were dispatched.. cut and wrapped the same day!

[tb4me]

I can say the opposite.. for the same circumstance. Leah's Father butchers three or four cows every year. They are free roaming.. amongst the horses at his riding stable in Orr Lake and get nothing but the grass they can find and some hay. While the taste has got better over the last few years, thanks to me harping at him to find a better butcher... I'll take a steak from Foodland any day over his free "organic" meat. A lot is in how it's butchered... how long it's left to bleed out and age before making the final cuts. Sounds like your friend knows what he's doing. My F-in-law.. not a clue and until Leah reminded him that I grew up in a butcher shop... he wasn't listening. I think the first few years they were dispatched.. cut and wrapped the same day!

Ya thats no good..The meat should be left to hang for a while..I believe the beef we had was "dry aged" for 4 or so weeks. the meat loses weight due to evaporation but wow the flavor. .

[irishfield]

4 weeks would be pushing it.. but in a very controlled environment he'd get away with it if he watched for mould growth. My father would get in full sides and hang them for about 18 days before cutting up into product. We'd get a delivery every Friday and he'd cut that side on Monday 2+ weeks later to fill the display cooler for the week, with a plan to move what he'd cut in the next 3 to 5 days. Todays standards seem to be no more than 14 days worried about ecoli. Aging also increases or decreases in days needed to age by the amount of carcasses hanging in the locker at any one time as they share bacteria back and forth.

[Rich]

21-27 days is prime beef aging range.

 

Kobe and Certified Angus (certified is not the crap you buy at Sobey's marked 'black angus') are aged this long which is one third the reason for their incredible flavour and tenderness. Even how the cow is slaughtered will have an effect on the meat. It's little known but halal slaughter methods actually do produce a more tender cut in the end.

 

HOWEVER a grass fed cow will always produce a better marble and overall flavour if slaughtered and hung the same as a corn fed cow, that's just fact. They can both turn out pretty good though.

 

Grass fed beef can be grade F to Canada Prime in rating.

 

Corn fed never goes higher than AAA.