The Many Benefits of Local Beef

The Potter family has raised cattle in Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H., since 1787. The family and their two dogs hang out in front of their farmhouse. Now that the Miles Smith Farm store has closed, you can buy the same beef we sold directly from the Potters at www.potterfarmnh.com.

If you want to save the planet, eat a juicy beef burger. To some, that sounds wrong. But is it? I became a vegetarian when I learned about CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations), where 10s of thousands (often over 100,000) of cattle are bunched together and fed systematic antibiotics to get fat on grain before they are slaughtered. All those animals pooping in one place make it a breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It's cruel to corral cattle together in close confinement without access to pastures while waiting to be slaughtered. That didn't sound right to me, so I stopped eating meat. I eat meat now. So what changed?

I learned the difference between "feedlot beef" and "local beef."

I learned that not all meat is created equally.

Well-managed, healthy pastures covered in diverse plant species actually hold carbon in the soil and help the environment. Cattle on pasture are happy cattle that produce healthy, delicious meat.

Regenerative farms, like Potter Farm in Gilmanton Iron Works, raise their cattle on pasture, building healthy soil using natural processes. Cattle are fertilizer machines. They eat grass (which people can't), and their manure fertilizes the soil as they walk around the pasture.

For over 20 years, we've raised cattle and sold meat in our farm store, but now that Bruce and I have retired, where will you get healthy, local beef? I have great news: Potter Farm. We purchased grassfed cattle from the Potters for years, and now they are selling directly to the public. The difference is that they sell half or whole sides of beef. The sides will be cut to order into packages of steaks, roasts, and ground beef, which will supply a family for four to six months.

Buying a half-steer is a good idea. Remember back in 2020 when the grocery store shelves were empty and the meat counters bare? Even today, having a half or whole steer in the freezer is wise. Aside from having enough to eat, here are five reasons why that makes sense.

1. Taste: The flavor of locally raised, grass-fed beef beats the taste of big-business, feedlot meat. Calm cows are tasty cows. Literally.

2. Price: Buying in bulk might seem costly, but it's usually only about $12 a pound for all cuts, from delicious steaks to tasty ground beef.

3. Convenience: You'll never have to worry about what's for dinner because your freezer will be full of yummy beef.

4. Humanity: Ask your local farmer about their care, handling, and living conditions, and you'll see what I mean.

5. Health benefits: You don't want to feed your kids the growth hormones and antibiotics from commercial meat. It's simple.

Buy local meat and know you're eating healthy, delicious beef and helping the environment with every bite. Next week, I'll share some ideas about food, such as "vegan burgers." Are these super-processed foods good for you or the environment? Maybe not.

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Carole Soule owns Miles Smith Farm, where she trains cattle as backyard pets. She now helps people train their dogs to be calm, obedient pets. You can reach her at carole@soulecoaching.com or soulecoaching.com.