Small farms have been vanishing across America as competition from huge agricultural concerns makes it hard for the little guy to make a living. However, there are ways for savvy owners to make a respectable income. Running a grass fed beef farm is one proven way to get ahead.
The idea of producing meat for the market on grass rather than on grain fits very well with modern economic factors and preferences. Since they can't win a price war with giant enterprises, small farmers realized they needed to find a niche in which they could succeed. The methods that successful entrepreneur farmers have come up with have spread across the industry and brought new life to families that want to live off the land.
If the product on offer is truly superior, the fact that it might be more expensive does not deter consumers. Many people are concerned about the quality of food produced on 'factory farms' or by 'mono-culture', and they want to patronize little local growers to get healthier meat, eggs, and produce. This is why Farmers' Markets are becoming more and more popular across the country.
Science is on the side of more natural ways of raising animals and other foods. Most people believe local produce, especially if it is grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, is healthier than fruits and vegetables that may have been shipped across the country and that may contain chemical residues.
Research has shown that meat from animals fed only on grasses, with no grain at any stage of their life, has a rich supply of essential fatty acids not found in conventional meats. The direct marketing of meat and produce, from farmers to consumers, means that foods should be fresh, should never have been subjected to radiation or chemicals that are used to retard spoilage, and should still provide vitamins that can be lost during a lengthy stay in cold storage.
A farmer with pastureland can expend energy once devoted to the laborious and expensive growing of grain to improving his green fields. The cost of raising cattle on pasture is much less than that of raising them in confinement or finishing (fattening) them with grain. Since grasses and legumes like clover and alfalfa improve the soil rather than robbing it of nutrients as corn does, the fertility of the land is protected and chemical fertilizer use can be reduced or eliminated.
As well as saving money on production and vet care (feedlots are known to be unhealthy for the cattle that are crowded into them), a farmer raising cattle on pasture has a product that the huge producers cannot match. The fact that it takes more land and more time to raise cattle this way discourages factory-farm managers. By raising consumer awareness of the health and environmental benefits of grass-fed meat (pastured poultry is also popular), farmers can establish a secure niche in the local market.
There are big ranches out west that sell this kind of naturally-raised meat to large grocery chains. However, almost every grass fed beef farm is run by a single family wanting to make a good living and provide a quality product to their customers. They deserve our support.
The idea of producing meat for the market on grass rather than on grain fits very well with modern economic factors and preferences. Since they can't win a price war with giant enterprises, small farmers realized they needed to find a niche in which they could succeed. The methods that successful entrepreneur farmers have come up with have spread across the industry and brought new life to families that want to live off the land.
If the product on offer is truly superior, the fact that it might be more expensive does not deter consumers. Many people are concerned about the quality of food produced on 'factory farms' or by 'mono-culture', and they want to patronize little local growers to get healthier meat, eggs, and produce. This is why Farmers' Markets are becoming more and more popular across the country.
Science is on the side of more natural ways of raising animals and other foods. Most people believe local produce, especially if it is grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, is healthier than fruits and vegetables that may have been shipped across the country and that may contain chemical residues.
Research has shown that meat from animals fed only on grasses, with no grain at any stage of their life, has a rich supply of essential fatty acids not found in conventional meats. The direct marketing of meat and produce, from farmers to consumers, means that foods should be fresh, should never have been subjected to radiation or chemicals that are used to retard spoilage, and should still provide vitamins that can be lost during a lengthy stay in cold storage.
A farmer with pastureland can expend energy once devoted to the laborious and expensive growing of grain to improving his green fields. The cost of raising cattle on pasture is much less than that of raising them in confinement or finishing (fattening) them with grain. Since grasses and legumes like clover and alfalfa improve the soil rather than robbing it of nutrients as corn does, the fertility of the land is protected and chemical fertilizer use can be reduced or eliminated.
As well as saving money on production and vet care (feedlots are known to be unhealthy for the cattle that are crowded into them), a farmer raising cattle on pasture has a product that the huge producers cannot match. The fact that it takes more land and more time to raise cattle this way discourages factory-farm managers. By raising consumer awareness of the health and environmental benefits of grass-fed meat (pastured poultry is also popular), farmers can establish a secure niche in the local market.
There are big ranches out west that sell this kind of naturally-raised meat to large grocery chains. However, almost every grass fed beef farm is run by a single family wanting to make a good living and provide a quality product to their customers. They deserve our support.
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