Yep, been buying meat off local farmers for a long time... its nice that I live in a city that is literally agricultural less than 20 miles outside the limits if you go the right direction.
Guy works full time regular job, but raises cattle and pigs as a side business on his farm. 100% corn fed, and pay a rediculous price per lb and have better beef that I can find in any butcher shop or market. Even the ground meat made from the scraps has virtually no fat. Butchered just the way I want it, vaccumm sealed, lasts forever. Yea I gotta pay per lb of pre slaughtered weight, but what I pay is insanely less than what the supermarket charges and far better quality.
Yea, its a bit of a haul to get to the butcher shop and pick it up, and haul it all back to my house in coolers etc.. but its beyond worth it. I pay less per lb of processed beef that the super markets sell their low grade ground meat per lb.
I’ve debated joining one of the CSA’s but I don’t think I could eat all the veggies they deliver weekly. For me its not about the “organic” stuff, though nothing aginst those who wish to go that route, for me its simply all about $$. I refuse to pay $4+ a lb for ROUND STEAK that I know they paid that farmer squat for... They keep marketing crapier and crapier cuts and charging more and more for them, and none of that’s going to that farmer.
One thing I wish I could find is a steady source of affordable local chicken... those you need constantly, as opposed to beef or pork where 1/2 can last ya a year or so. One of the CSA’s has them, but not a consistent volume.
I have come to the conclusion that "affordable chicken," let alone local, has become an oxymoron.
Not that long ago, when we still lived in Delaware I could buy 40# cases of leg quarters for $10 and boneless breasts for $1.69 a pound.
Now I live in the same county with 2 major processing plants and practically surrounded by chicken houses and I'm lucky if I can find leg quarters on sale for 79 cents a pound.
A friend of ours works for one of the local growers and is forever offering me the chickens that escape the catchers. Even my husband is now seriously considering taking him up on the offer.
I prefer Organic, if I am growing it, but cannot afford to buy what they stick a label on and call organic....
Is it impossible to raise your own chickens?
When I was hatching eggs in the incubator, I used my old aquariums for them, with a 25 watt light bulb and it worked well.
Mary taught me to feed them cultured buttermilk instead of water, as it puts the good flora in their stomachs, just as it does yours.
How do you feel about rabbits? They are fun and pleasant to raise, altho, we are not all that fond of the meat.
I knew a widow lady, who had about 5 small children, she shot the cottontails, cooked them for making mexican food and canned them in jars, that was her source of meat.
Yes, homegrown beef and pork will spoil you for the store bought meats.
Call the Farm Extension office and ask who will sell you chickens.