Where's the Beef?

Well 135lbs of it is now at our house. We purchased an organic cow from Daniels Farm in town. OK, only 1/4 of the cow. They raised it, took care of it, surely named it, then had it slaughtered for us. After a few weeks of "aging the meat" it was ready for us to pick up. We all went to the farm last night to get the boxes of individually shrink wrapped steaks, ground beef, ribs, etc. All 135lbs of it. That's a whole lot of organic beef!

Not to let the beef steal the show, we have also purchased into a local farm co-operative for our organic vegetables. Every week for 16 weeks we will be receiving a bushel of assorted vegetables; a root vegetable, salad, fresh herbs, and even flowers from Middle Branch Farm. We are excited to start trying some new vegetables and look forward to less trips to the grocery store!

So why the change to organic local food? Call it New Hampshire small town paranoia (dad seems like he is one step away from joining the local militia), but we are tired of the reports of people getting sick from meat and vegetables purchased at the grocery stores. Mad cow in the beef, salmonella in the nations tomatoes and spinach supplies, it just seems to be getting worse rather than better. Dad is also thinking ahead that food costs are going to skyrocket with today's fuel prices and flooding in the midwest. Yes it costs a little more for organic, but it's local, its fresh, and it doesn't need to be trucked across the country to make it to my dinner table.