Free Range vs Organic - when it comes to meat

[meriad]

I'm trying to be more aware of what meat I buy, ie where it comes from. In the past I'd generally go for value for money but now I prefer to find 'good' meat, ie not factory farmed and know that the animal I'm eating has at least had a good life. I know most people would say you have to go organic to make sure you get the proper deal, but the cost of organic can be really exorbitant, so doing an online shop the other day I bought free-range chicken. Now as far as I know to be labelled organic it's not only the lifestyle of the animal that needs to adhere to certain criteria, but the food they are fed needs to be organic as well - but I am not 100% sure about this.

So how does free range meat compare with organic. I would hope it's much better welfare for the animal than factory farmed; but is it?

Does anyone know?

[debih]

I don't really bother with organic food! Our own veggies are organic but the meat we buy isn't. Personally I don't think it tastes any different!

I do buy meat that I know is not factory farmed (although I am guilty of buying cheap chickens sometimes). Our pork (unless we rear it ourselves), lamb and beef all comes from a farm which is about 3 miles away from us - they send it off to the abbatoir and then have it back to butcher themselves. We always buy it in bulk. Their mince is amazing - and so much cheaper than the stuff from the supermarket.

Our sausage and bacon comes from there too - although I often make our own sausages if I can be bothered - to flavour them I either use a packet of flavourings that I buy from sausagemaking.org or I use things like onion, chives, parsley, black pudding, apple. It is a faff though so I do have to be in the mood.

Chickens I tend to buy from another farm where they are free ranging chickens but they are so expensive so I am guilty of buying stuff from the butchers although I never, ever buy it from the supermarket.

And we eat quite a bit of game although I'm not really that big a fan of it. We just always seem to have loads of the damned stuff! I've put an order in for another deer this year if Mick's mates can get one - they go off as beaters on shoots during the season and often get paid in meat!

[Workingman]

Ria, did this get mentioned at the meet or have you been reading my mind? It is one of the things that got me started on the sausages and bacon thing.

I am not sure where the line is drawn between organic and free-range meat. From what I can gather, free-range means the animals are grazed outdoors rather than force fed in sheds. That implies, to me, that they are at least semi-organic, as farmers don't tend to artificially fertilise grazing land. I suppose a simple way of looking at it is that it is traditional v factory farming.

I have been using one of the market butchers and he has a Compassion in World Farming certificate on the wall. I am not sure what it actually means, but he says his meat comes from local traditional farms. His prices are pretty good - see my English Breakfast thread - and the meat excellent.

I certainly could not afford supermarket prices for free-range, but I do my best. Do you have Farmer's Markets near you? If so I would be tempted to go along and ask questions.

[meriad]

You had (have ) me worried there Frank - I don't think it was mentioned at the meet LOL (or at least not that I recall )

We do have a farmers market close by - but not sure I'll get much time to talk to the butcher there as the queue for his products usually 1/2 way round the field - his meat is amazing. And same with the 'normal' butcher in the village next to me; he's always really busy on weekends when I can get there but I will try and get there during a weekday because I would be interested to know the difference.

[Workingman]

I don't think it was mentioned at the meet LOL (or at least not that I recall )

Well, there's a surprise!

I guess that the queues at the different butchers tell a tale, but I also guess that they will be the ones to know. Good luck with your investigations/choices, but don't get all guilty if you cannot go the whole hog.

(Sorry for the pun)