Finding good meat and fat -- tips from Corinne

[Guest guest]

Hey Corinne,

Your ideas are great, and I'm sure glad you found ways to get quality

meat; I'm sure these tips will help group members. This is one of the

many things I enjoy on this group, the many ideas and tips we

exchange with one another!

Personally, because I cannot get to the countryside (no cars), and it

takes me up to 2, even 3 hours by bus to get anywhere in town and

back (I live far in the subburbs, and I don't have direct bus routes

to places), I try to plan my travel time as efficiently as I can. So

farmers and other not near places are too hard to get at.

The good news, re: good meat:

- Loblaws has grain-fed turkey and pork without meat derivatives,

hormones, etc., etc. So when I can afford it, I buy those. And when I

have to buy lower-end pork, etc., I'll enjoy eating the fat, without

flinching (as per Bee's response... :- )

- The allergy and environmental health association I'm a member of in

Ottawa has a freezer of organic meat (deer, bison, lamb, turkey,

etc.) that they sell to their members at low prices (possibly cost

prices). I just have to figure out a way to not spend 3 hours busing

to get there and back... :- )

- There is a new organic butcher not far from where I live; I have to

go check his prices, but I think will be able to afford his pork, and

ground bison and lamb... great! He also sells pork fat, which I have

to melt in order to obtain lard... easy.

- Whenever I can go to Montréal at the beginning of the month (as I

will in the Holiday Season), I go to Talon Market and stock up

on their good quality meats of all sorts. The butchers there don't

have the official organic certification (very expensive), but their

meat is grown in a very healthy way, and tastes oh so good and fresh!

So I can get wonderful pork, lamb, veal at prices equivalent to

Loblaws! I also get at the J.T. Market ground bison, horse and deer

at very good, affordable prices, as well as good duck fat (yum!). So

when I go to Montréal for the Holiday Season, I'll get good meats for

the month, freeze them at my sister's and bring them back home in

Ottawa in my luggage on wheels, between layers of clothes (works very

well, but... heavy! :- )

Sorry this is long, but I thought these personal ideas might help

others too.

Take good care,

Fran