I am so glad, Amy! Steve is a wealth of information and I have been wanting to write about Regenerative Farming for a while so he was the perfect person to teach us more🧡
Amy, that's just the beginning. There are so many more questions about regenerative agriculture and responsibly-raised meat. I'm starting a "rewind" series this month while I'm on a short vacation with the family that revisits the "myths of beef" and how you can eat this nutritious protein more responsibly. You should check it out.
Loved this interview and am thrilled to learn of Steve's work and story (subscribing now). Our philosophies are very much in alignment. As one of mentors, Dr. Daphne Miller, says, "body = soil" :). Thank you, Beth!
Faye, that's a question I ask myself all the time when I visit my family in France. The food there just tastes so much better, right?!?! With meat, there are so many variables. The biggest ones are breed, age, and feed. In many Mediterranean countries, the shepherds are focused on quality more than yield. They are raising breeds that have been in those regions for centuries, and are accustomed to their surroundings. In the US, most lamb are of the same breed, Suffolk and a handful of British breeds. The focus is on yield and size over quality. The American market also tends to like milder lamb. That's why most animals are processed at 9-12 months. It's likely in Turkiye that animals can be older. This may reduce the tenderness of the meat, but it will also intensify the flavor. Often mutton (lamb that is 13+ months) is very flavorful when roasted, and even better stewed or braised. Finally, you are what you eat. I don't know about Turkiye, but in France, some of the most prized lamb is in Southern France feeding on the wild grasses, rosemary, and other scrub. This adds deep, rich flavors. In the US, corn and soy-raised animals simply don't develop more robust flavors because their ration (feed) is the same day in and day out.
And Beth, regarding your inquiry into farms or ranchers that you readers like regarding raising healthy animals, I have been getting a lot of information lately about Seven Sons based in Indiana. They send out detailed weekly newsletters about their farming practices. I have not yet ordered from them, but they have been on my radar for a while now.
Great information in this article. I am always looking for ways to buy healthier, better quality foods and this article helped a lot in being able to do so. I like the outlook about it not being about perfection or a complete overhaul, but doing what you can, when you can. One small change at a time.
Tina, it's so overwhelming to try to swim upstream of our industrial food system, especially here in the US. These little steps can sometimes feel trivial, but they add up. And before you know it, you've changed a significant portion of your participation in the food system, improved nutrition for you and your family, and made it feel effortless...or at least not nearly as hard as an overhaul or starting from scratch. Thanks for reading.
Great post! Enjoyed the interview with Steve and his story. Answered a lot of my questions! Thank you!
I am so glad, Amy! Steve is a wealth of information and I have been wanting to write about Regenerative Farming for a while so he was the perfect person to teach us more🧡
Amy, that's just the beginning. There are so many more questions about regenerative agriculture and responsibly-raised meat. I'm starting a "rewind" series this month while I'm on a short vacation with the family that revisits the "myths of beef" and how you can eat this nutritious protein more responsibly. You should check it out.
Will do!
Loved this interview and am thrilled to learn of Steve's work and story (subscribing now). Our philosophies are very much in alignment. As one of mentors, Dr. Daphne Miller, says, "body = soil" :). Thank you, Beth!
you are so welcome and I love Dr. Miller’s body=soil, that makes so much sense🧡
Looking forward to reading your work too. Subscribed!
Why is the lamb we've had in Turkiye so much tastier than the lamb we can find in markets in the U.S?
Faye, that's a question I ask myself all the time when I visit my family in France. The food there just tastes so much better, right?!?! With meat, there are so many variables. The biggest ones are breed, age, and feed. In many Mediterranean countries, the shepherds are focused on quality more than yield. They are raising breeds that have been in those regions for centuries, and are accustomed to their surroundings. In the US, most lamb are of the same breed, Suffolk and a handful of British breeds. The focus is on yield and size over quality. The American market also tends to like milder lamb. That's why most animals are processed at 9-12 months. It's likely in Turkiye that animals can be older. This may reduce the tenderness of the meat, but it will also intensify the flavor. Often mutton (lamb that is 13+ months) is very flavorful when roasted, and even better stewed or braised. Finally, you are what you eat. I don't know about Turkiye, but in France, some of the most prized lamb is in Southern France feeding on the wild grasses, rosemary, and other scrub. This adds deep, rich flavors. In the US, corn and soy-raised animals simply don't develop more robust flavors because their ration (feed) is the same day in and day out.
And Beth, regarding your inquiry into farms or ranchers that you readers like regarding raising healthy animals, I have been getting a lot of information lately about Seven Sons based in Indiana. They send out detailed weekly newsletters about their farming practices. I have not yet ordered from them, but they have been on my radar for a while now.
Thank you for sharing, Tina! I will be sure to add them to our list🧡
sevensons.net
This is the website for Seven Sons Farms.
thank you, Tina!🧡
Great information in this article. I am always looking for ways to buy healthier, better quality foods and this article helped a lot in being able to do so. I like the outlook about it not being about perfection or a complete overhaul, but doing what you can, when you can. One small change at a time.
Tina, it's so overwhelming to try to swim upstream of our industrial food system, especially here in the US. These little steps can sometimes feel trivial, but they add up. And before you know it, you've changed a significant portion of your participation in the food system, improved nutrition for you and your family, and made it feel effortless...or at least not nearly as hard as an overhaul or starting from scratch. Thanks for reading.
I am so glad you found it helpful, Tina. One small change at a time✔️🧡