BRIGHTNESS IN A DARK TIME

Well, the drought continues, hardship abounds...out of the darkness comes BRIGHTNESS!!

Our newest additions to the herd:

"LET THEM EAT GRASS!" - Cattle and the GREENHOUSE GAS MYTH

**Warning! This is a "SMOKEY" Rant and an exercise in Self Indulgent Pontification**


This Book is quite possibly a "CROCK", especially about GRASS FED BEEF.
 It appears to be another example of manipulating data in order to profit from the use of scare tactics.

From the Website CIVIL EATS:

 

"...Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) new Meat Eaters Guide to Climate + Health. In it, EWG took a close look at how a variety of protein foods rank when their total, “cradle-to-grave” greenhouse gas emissions are calculated. Then we factored in the non-climate environmental impacts (like water pollution) and health effects of meat and confirmed that, indeed, not all meat..."


I am FED UP with the yammering about cow burps and "farts" having some kind of huge impact on green house gas. It’s Bull s__ (no pun intended, well, maybe)! The stated impact by the “Global Warming” crowd is nothing short of...hyperbole.


Using the “greenie” method of carbon offsets, bovines more than offset their gas emissions with what they return to the environment.


-They “harvest grass” and poop the seeds, thus propagating the spread of oxygen emitting grass/plants.
-Their poop/urine is a fantastic source of nitrogen, one of the essentials of life itself, and is a natural fertilizer as well.
-Their weight and hoofs act as “plows” scraping, tilling, and mashing the soil thus allowing seeds to germinate faster
(In fact, an ancient method of planting was to spread seed on the ground and then herd the cows back and forth to mash the seed into the soil)
Just to name A FEW!


Furthermore, your statements on unhealthy fat is flat WRONG when talking Grass Fed. 


The beef that is unhealthy is the feedlot beef that has been fed grains (either conventional or organic)…over use of grain in a ruminant animal changes the chemical structure of the fat content to an unhealthy fat (not to mention the havoc it wrecks on animal health)…Grass fed fat has certain levels of Omega 3 and cancer fighting CLA. 


Oh, and you trust the findings of the USDA, “Really? I beg to differ! The jury is not “out” on grass fed vs grain fed….Many independent studies have proven GRAIN FED IS BAD, Grass fed is NATURES NATURALLY PREFERRED METHOD and better for you.

This book will cause further harm to the individuals who are the backbone of what’s left of our “healthy” food production system…the quickly fading, American icon known as the Family Farm…


Well, done! This book will help to drive yet another nail into their coffins by driving more people away from beef.


For "the REAL FACTS" Read a previous Smokey Rant:
"Healthy Beef - It's In the Grass"
                                                                    

 From peanuts.com

"The "COW" DAYS OF SUMMER

A mid-day Siesta (Spanish for resting) in 100+ degree weather. 

Texas is now in the grip of the worst drought on record...

TEXAS DROUGHT THREATENS NATIONAL BEEF SUPPLY

AUTHOR'S NOTE - All of the premises presented in this series of posts are solely based on personal experience as a livestock producer and strictly as a cattleman (I have a basic understanding of farm commodities markets, but no real experience with such, and cannot speak with much authority from the farm side of things; Though I would think there are going to be some similarities). The information represents my opinion and is based on personal experiences. Any factual information may or may not be referenced, but be aware, the majority of the content is personal conjecture. Dialogue and comment are welcome.


Beef is the No.1 selling protein in the United States. Last year, consumer spending on beef totaled $74.3 billion. Per capita consumption of beef in 2010 was 59.6 pounds while per capita spending for beef was $240, according to industry research firm CattleFax.

 In the state that gave birth to the cowboy and spawned the culture of cattle drives, modern-day ranchers are fighting for survival. Severe drought (the worst in 44 years) and several million charred acres from wildfires have delivered a devastating "gut" punch, forcing ranchers to take drastic measures to save ranches across Texas. The state's livestock industry has lost $1.2 billion under withering conditions, according to the Texas Agrilife Extension Service, a service branch of Texas A&M University.

In Texas and other states with large cattle herds, the beef supply chain starts at the ranch. Ranchers own a herd of beef cows, each of which gives birth to a calf once a year. The mother nurses the calf and the pair graze on grass through the summer and into the fall, whereupon the fattened calf is sent to market.

This year, ranchers should be reaping the benefits of high prices, low supplies and high demand for their beef. The demand for calves from feedlots, where cattle add hundreds of pounds before slaughter, seems insatiable. Without rangelands full of nutritional forage, cows will struggle for nutrients. The herd will lose interest in breeding and cows may not provide enough milk for their calves, bringing the critical first step of America's beef cycle to a halt.

Among all meat production, beef producers typically incur some of the highest production costs. For example, costs for raising cattle are much higher than for poultry farming. Cattle producers pay more for each animal, grazing lands, fertilizers, feed and processing systems versus poultry farmers. Also the time it takes to prepare cattle for sale is much longer compared to other meats. It takes just 46 days for chicken to be market ready, but can take up to two years for beef.

Exacerbating the situation further is the shrinking number of cattle available for consumption. As beef producers struggle with the escalating drought, rising business costs, and mounting debt, more of them are selling their heifers for meat production, instead of breeding them to expand the herd. In Texas, the largest producer of cattle in the U.S., the "state herd" is down nearly 18% since 2008. In fact, ranchers and farmers across the country are shrinking their herd sizes bringing the nation's cattle herd count to it's lowest since 1958.


ADDING SALT TO THE WOUND:

The outlook for more rain looks grim. The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center forecast below-normal rainfall for Texas over the next month at least.

SHUT UP and EAT!

Time to Quit Complaining about Our Food and Do Some Healthy, Delicious Eating... Grab a Fork!


Grass Fed Burger Recipe
(From Cindy and Bob in Fort Worth)

Grass Fed burgers with red onions and mushrooms:
For two burgers:
 2 TBSP olive oil
 1/2 sweet red onion, sliced super thin
 1 portobello mushroom 1/4 inch slices
 1/2 cup good red wine ( pinot noir, merlot…you choose)
 ground pepper (lightly)
 Pinch of sea salt ( add after wine or mushrooms)
 
  Heat saute pan, add cool oil, when heated, saute
  onions 2-3 minutes. 

  Add mushrooms, cook additional 2 minutes. Add wine,
  pepper and salt to taste.
  Cook until wine is reduced.

  Ladle over Beef patty, on split grilled Kaiser roll.

 Cowboy Beef and Black Bean Chili. 
(Takes about 2 hours to prepare)

Ingredients:
2 pounds Grass-Fed ground beef
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 medium yellow bell peppers, chopped
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chili-seasoned or zesty-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 ounces) ready-to-serve beef broth
12 ounces dark beer
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed, drained
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions:
1. Brown ground beef in stockpot over medium heat 8 to10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up into 3/4-inch crumbles. Remove from stockpot with slotted spoon. Set aside. Pour off drippings.
2. Heat oil in same stockpot over medium heat until hot. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add bell peppers and jalapeño; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until peppers are tender.
3. Return beef crumbles to stockpot. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme and red pepper; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, beer, tomato paste and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes. Uncover stockpot; continue simmering 30 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans; cook 5 to 10 minutes or until beans are heated through. Season with salt and black pepper, as desired. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Makes 8 servings.

TEXAS SALSA MEATLOAF
Ingredients
2 lbs. Grass-fed ground beef
¾ c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. ground cumin
¾ c. salsa (your preference)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients by hand, mixing very thoroughly. If mixture seems too dry or crumbly, add more salsa to increase moisture.
Shape mixture into a loaf and place in glass baking pan. There should be no need for a loaf pan here, although you can use one if you’re a strict traditionalist.
Bake for approximately 90 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Glaze (optional)
½ c. catsup
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 ½ tbsp. Honey
Mix all ingredients together and baste loaf every 15 minutes after the first 10 minutes of cooking. Serve with extra glaze on the side for dipping and drizzling.

HOPE Y'all Enjoy!
 

ICE and HARD FREEZES in CENTRAL TEXAS...

We are still making repairs and catching up from the January and February ice and sub-freezing days. I hope to start posting very soon...

In the meantime, here is another post card from the ranch :)

HAPPY HOUR! 

This is "Blue" a pure bred Brahma Bull who is spending the winter with us. He does enjoy a beer now and then. Just to give you some perspective...I am 6ft 6in tall, Blue is 6ft 1in!

HEALTHY BEEF - ITS IN THE GRASS

Warning! This is an Author’s Rant and an exercise in Self Indulgent Pontification
 
When are we (the consumer) going to wake up? All of a sudden “big box” food retailers are jumping on the healthy food bandwagon…sheesh! Everyone from Walmart to Costco and all the big regional grocers are selling organic beef…. and then expect us to pat them on the back for looking out for our well being.

THE FACTS:

Cattle are grazing animals, which makes them "ruminants". This means cows have a chemical in them, rumen, that turns a non-protein substance (grass) into protein (meat). A grain only diet increases the acidity of the animals digestive system which increases the risk of E. coli infection. Combine this with the animals being confined in large numbers and you have a breeding ground for multiple forms of disease or infections....which means that the animals must be given multiple doses of various anti-biotics to keep them healthy and eating. Furthermore, the animals are given growth hormone implants to speed weight gain which, some researchers believe, is creating a higher risk of cancer in humans who eat conventionally raised beef. Suffice it to say this is why the large feedlot system that provides the overwhelming majority of our beef is making us more susceptible to disease and sickness.

Background and comparison:

CONVENTIONAL BEEF
This is the major form of meat sold. It goes by a several labels, “corn fed”, “grain fed”, etc, etc. Like I mentioned, 99%...did you get that(?) 99%...of the beef sold in the U.S. came from a feedlot. A typical feedlot has anywhere from a couple of thousand head of cattle to as many as 250,000 (some feedlots are even larger) in pens at any given time. The cattle are confined and fed large quantities of lots of interesting things….corn and other grains, out of date candy, and animal litter (poop!) to name a few. Sometimes, though less likely after the “Mad Cow Disease” scare, other animal parts or ground bones.

ORGANIC
(There are varying forms of organic labels, see left sidebar under "FACTS" to learn more)

Organic, hmm, that’s good, right? Well, some may argue yes, but, I say no.
I will quote Jo Robinson of EAT WILD to tell you why:

“When you see the organic label, you know the food is going to be free of pesticide residues, synthetic hormones, genetically modified organisms, and a long list of questionable additives. Few consumers realize that many of the largest organic producers raise their animals in confinement and feed them grain, just like ordinary commercial producers. Feeding large amounts of grain to a grazing animal decreases the nutritional value of its products whether the grain is ordinary grain, genetically modified grain, or organic grain.”

“Similarly, meat from a cow raised in an organic feedlot operation has the same increased risk of E. coli infection as meat from an ordinary feedlot operation…"


GRASS FED
The term “grass fed” refers to animals raised in open pastures of tall, waving grass. The results of which lowers the level of saturated fats and cholesterol while raising levels of both omega-3 fatty acids (thought to help prevent heart disease) and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a polyunsaturated fat that scientists believe helps fight obesity, diabetes and cancer. Furthermore, grass fed meat has vitamin E and beta-carotene both of which help fight all manner of disease and ailments. 

LETS RECAP
Forcing animals who are meant for grazing to eat large amounts of grains is detrimental to the nutritional value of their meat. Simply put the meat has more of the things you don’t want in your diet which could lead to increased health risks.

However, grass-fed meat contains more monounsaturated fat (good fat), less cholesterol and fewer calories. It also has health promoting vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, health promoting omega-3 fatty acids and disease fighting CLA.

So, when it comes time to grill that steak or some juicy burgers, think GRASS!


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