Contract farming

[Guest guest]

I've been looking around for a better way to get

beef and found two farmers that will " raise "

steer for you. One is in Eastern Washington ...

you buy the calf from him ($500 for a weaned

Longhorn) and he raises it for $150 for a year,

on grass in summer and hay in the winter.

Then at butcher time you get the whole thing ...

you can come pick up the organs etc. and

the rest is aged and cut and frozen. He says

the local Mexicans take everything but the hide

(even the gall bladder -- what DO you do with

a gall bladder???). I'm thinking of taking the

hide too, and getting it tanned.

Anyway, I'm sure others are doing this sort

of thing but I wanted to throw it out there for

folks who don't want to REALLY raise a cow

or a pig. I think it's a great idea for all concerned --

deal direct with the farmer! I'm not sure what

the butchering charges will be, but I'm expecting

it will be quite affordable as organic free-range

beef goes. We have enough property to raise

a cow but I'm not sure I want the responsibility,

and in any case most of us don't have facilities

to age meat!

-- Heidi