Most beef cattle spend the second half of their lives in
feedlots eating diets with a high component of grains, corn silage, and
opportunity foods (culled vegetables and food processing wastes). The cattle grow very fast and it is a cheap
way to mass produce fat animals for the commodity markets. However, grains require high inputs of fossil
fuel and regular soil tillage. In grass-based
systems, the animals do a lot of the harvesting themselves - with their
mouths. Winter hay can be cut annually
without soil tillage.
At Getaway Farm our beef is grass-fed and
grass-finished. This means that, with
the exception of calves drinking their mommas’ milk, the diet of the cattle
consists entirely of grass and other diverse pasture plants. Our animals graze our pastures in the green
months and eat North Mountain hay through the winter. These practices have profound benefits for
the environment, the cattle, and the people who eat the grass finished beef.
Grass-finished beef is
healthier than grain-finished beef because it is higher in omega-3 fatty acids,
beta carotene, and conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), an
essential fatty acid largely missing from modern diets and found mainly in the
dairy products and meat of grass eating ruminants (cows, sheep, and goats).
Until 50 years ago, when surplus grain was first fed to
cattle on an industrial scale, CLA was more present in our diets. Recent
medical studies show promise that increased CLA may reduce the risk of heart
disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. To learn more about the virtues of
grass-feeding practices and products, see this excellent website: www.eatwild.com
Low Fat
Our beef has a significantly lower fat content than other red meats and,
according to one study, is closer in fat content to chicken breast without the
skin. Because of its leanness, our meat will cook about 15% faster than store
bought beef and is best when cooked medium-rare.
Sustainable & Soon
to be Certified Organic
The farm is in the process of becoming certified organic by the Nova Scotia
Organic Growers Association. We use no
pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, antibiotics, or artificial
growth hormones, and the animals flourish on our own grass and hay. Our first certified calves are expected in
fall 2006. It's our philosophy that if
we take care of the land it will take care of us. Therefore, we have taken care
to protect and enhance the plant, soil, water and wildlife resources on our
farm.