big-cheap-easy

the weather is perfect today - sunny and high 70's.  the sweet corn has been so good at the market that i've been obsessed with making all kinds of soup.  today, i made corn and summer squash soup with cilantro.  yesterday, i made corn and leek chowder.

james read "the ominvore's dilemma" and has been sharing bits and pieces of wisdom from it. that, the release of the book "farm city: the education of an urban farmer" and the movie "food, inc.", has me thinking alot about our food. what can i do to improve the quality of what we eat while supporting local farmers and diversity in the food supply?  we've become an oversized nation, with oversized livestock and produce that is genetically manipulated for outward perfection and uniformity (rather than taste and nutrition).  we've cross-bred our cattle and sheep to make them bigger, but not better.  hereford cattle imported from england in the mid-19th century were half the size of modern herefords.  the original 600 lb. hereford produces almost 75% of the premium, lean meat produced by a 1200 lb. "modern" cow (who eats twice as much food).  the "modern" cow surpasses the "original" breed in one area - fatty, cheap cuts.  progress?  interestingly, the original breed size is now classified as "miniature", and some farmers are giving them a second look because they are more economical to raise.  our babydoll sheep are considered a miniature breed, but in fact they are the original size of southdown sheep imported from england.  modern southdowns were cross-bred with stock from new zealand to produce larger sheep, making the original breed virtually extinct.  babydoll southdowns are now considered a specialty breed, are registered and sell for nearly twice the price of modern southdowns.  maybe the tide is turning back to "mini"?

james has enlighted me about how a diet of corn is the worst thing for cattle.  their stomachs are not equipped to handle a grain diet,  yet most commercial producers prefer it because it fattens the animals more quickly and requires no land (whereas a diet of grass requires a pasture, and less crowding than a feedlot).   grass-fed beef contains less fat, 80% less frequency of e-coli bacteria, and more omega-3's.  feeding grain and corn to beef or dairy cattle increases physiological stress (ulcers, liver problems, mastitis, etc.), usually encouraging regular use of antibiotics.  

i've been corresponding with betsy at paicines ranch, a family-owned ranch in san benito county.  it's been a working ranch since the 1800's, and they breed angus cattle and quarterhorses.  they also sell their own beef, which is raised on organic pasture without hormones or antibiotics. the family also owns a meat processing plant that is certified in humane animal handling and offers services to small livestock producers.  i think i'm going to order 25 lbs. of beef from them (at $7.75/lb., it's cheaper that whole foods).  i feel compelled to support small producers who raise their animals in the healthiest way.  

i plan to do more research on heritage breeds.  there are breeds of animals and vegetables that are approaching extinction for a variety of reasons (mostly because they don't conform to the modern desire for big-cheap-easy food).  it doesn't seem smart to put all of our eggs in one basket (so to speak) where our food supply is concerned.  diversity is the smart choice, even if it isn't always the easiest one.