Breezy Hill Update 52211
- We had our first Chicken Day this year. We did 91 today. It went very well, had a good crew.
- I am still taking names for "Dirt Hog" pork. Send me an email. It has been awhile since we did our last pork and I want to make sure no one is omitted.
- I am also starting a list of those that want ground beef. We will do it the same as last year, a minimum of 10 pounds. If there is enough interest we will get some processed into patties. There is an advantage with patties if there are only two in the family. You can "peel off" two patties for a meal and not have to thaw out an entire package. It costs extra for patties, so if there is enough interest I'll get the pricing.
- We still have lard for sale.
- This past week has been great for the corn and milo that we planted just before several rains. It is up and growing. Now if the garden sweet corn will get started.
- We made our annual trip to the Mennonite country for our sweet potato plants. It rained and rained and rained. We will hopefully get them planted this week.
- Be sure to check out the cooking tips that follow in the Shannon Hayes article.
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Holy Shit author, Gene Logsdon was recently interviewed on Here and Now on NPR. Here is the link. I recently read his book and had mentioned it on a recent Update. http://www.wbur.org/media-player?url=http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/05/11/farmer-resource-manure&title=Farmer+Calls+For+%26%238216%3BManaging+Manure+To+Save+Mankind%26%238217%3B&segment=farmer-resource-manure&pubdate=2011-05-11&source=hereandnow
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Top Ten Reasons to Eat Grassfed
As promised, continuing from our last newsletter, here is a more in depth explanation of number two of the top ten health reasons to eat grassfed beef.
According to a 2009 study that was a joint effort between the USDA and researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina, grassfed beef is better for human health than grainfed beef in these top ten* ways:
- Lower in total fat
- Higher in beta-carotene
According to Descalzo et al. (2005), meat from pasture-fed steers contains significantly higher amounts of beta-carotene in their muscle tissues as compared to grain-fed animals. Concentrations were 0.45 μg/g and 0.06 μg/g for beef from pasture and grain-fed cattle respectively, demonstrating a 7 fold increase in beta-carotene levels for grass-fed beef over their grain-fed contemporaries. Similar data has been reported previously, presumably due to the high beta-carotene content of fresh grasses as compared to cereal grains.
Beta-carotenes are precursors of retinol (Vitamin A), a critical fat-soluble vitamin that is important for normal vision, bone growth, reproduction, and cell division. The overall integrity of skin and mucous membranes is maintained by vitamin A, creating a barrier to bacterial and viral infection. In addition, vitamin A is involved in the regulation of immune function by supporting the production and function of white blood cells.
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A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef: C.A. Daley, A.Abbott, P. Doyle, G. Nader, and S. Larson. College of Agriculture, California State University, Chico. University of California Cooperative Extension Service
Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
- Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
- Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium
- Higher in total omega-3s
- Better ratio of omega-6 to 3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)
- Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter
- Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
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The next time someone or some government official says there is no basis for concern about GMO’s send them this link. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/27/19-studies-link-gmo-foods-to-organ-disruption.aspx . No less than 19 studies!!!!
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This from Shannon Hayes. For more read the entire link provided below.
During the cooking process, myofibrillar proteins begin to harden once meat approaches higher internal temperatures. Furthermore, once meat crosses the internal temperature of 145 degrees, the muscle fibers contract at an accelerated rate, drying the roast out. While the USDA recommends that beef be cooked to a minimum temperature of 145 degrees for food safety concerns, it is important to remember that they assume you are eating beef from factory-farmed animals, processed in large batches in industrial slaughter houses, where there is a much greater chance that your dinner could be harboring food-borne pathogens. Since anyone reading this article is likely using reliably-sourced local beef that was raised on grass (which greatly reduces the risk of disease transmission), I advocate enjoying beef cooked to lower internal temperatures.
Good information on cooking beef. We have advocated a different technique and here it is by Shannon. Some of you have her book. She is in the middle of writing another book. http://grassfedcooking.com/2010/super-slow-roasting/#more-63
You may want to review her web site for other cooking tips. http://grassfedcooking.com/books-by-shannon-hayes/the-grassfed-gourmet-cookbook/
that's it from the hill. Art and Debra