Those tasty burger recipes and timeless cooking tips are coming right up, but first a quick question.
Have you given much thought to where your burger was before it made its way to your plate? I’m not talking about, “the meat case” at your local grocery store. I mean – where the cow was raised, what it ate, and how it was treated before it became a hamburger on your grill? I enjoy a good burger every now and then, and so I wonder about these things. Indulge me for a few minutes, and read on.
Grass-Fed Beef
When compared with other types of beef, grass-fed beef (versus grain-fed) may have less total fat, more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, more conjugated linoleic acid (a type of fat that’s thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks), and more antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E. As it turns out however, the distinction between grass-fed beef and grain-fed beef is not straight forward.
Here’s the confusion – the term “grass-fed” isn’t clearly defined. But generally speaking, grass-fed cows eat (mostly) grass, while grain-fed cows eat (mostly) corn and soy during the latter part of their lives. Why is this important and which is better?
The answer to those questions it up for debate. It’s a very controversial topic. If you’re interested, you can read more here. The topic is further complicated by the fact that it may be inconvenient to access grass-fed meat depending on where you live. While some people might live close to a farmers market or Whole Foods store, others need to drive long distances to purchase it. And then there’s the cost factor.
Humanely Raised Animals
Personally, I’m most interested in the humane standards and responsible stewardship of the farm where the animals are raised. I look to buy meat that comes from animals that are raised with care and respect. Although I don’t eat much meat in general, this is still important to me. That’s why I took notice when I saw the Sugar Maple Farms booth at my local farmers market. Although they don’t have the official Certified Humane sticker on their meat packages, there’s no question that the animals at Sugar Maple Farms in Stockton, NJ are loved. I first met dairy farmer, Heidi Kovacs, at the farmers market this summer and I plan to visit her farm during their open house in the fall.
Here’s what dairy farmers Heidi Kovacs and Greg Zdepski of Sugar Maple Jerseys have to say…
“The most important thing at Sugar Maple Jerseys LLC is animal care. I [Heidi] started purchasing jersey calves simply due to my love of cows. That love and passion for my cows has not changed even though we have a lot more animals than when I first started out. We feel that providing pasture for all of our animals is an important part of animal care. Even though we are not certified humanely raised, we feel that it is a great program because it offers guideline specifics to how animals should be cared for. Everyone has their own idea of what they think is sufficient care for their animals and this program helps offer some clarity. It is also something that we are actively pursuing.
Our pasture raised meats started with the thought we could raise all natural meats here on the farm and be able to feed our family. Once we realized that we would have enough products to feed others, we decide to have our meats processed in a USDA inspected facility and offer them for sale from our farm and select farmers markets.
Our goal is to provide consumers with high quality dairy products and pasture raised meats at a price they can afford while having excellent animal care. Another important aspect to all that we do is that we really want to feed people. Not everyone can afford the prices for certified organic or certified grass fed products, but we feel that everyone deserves the opportunity to buy wholesome foods for their families, at an affordable price.”
Way to go Sugar Maple Farms!
Healthy Burger Recipes
Even though the summer is winding down, it’s still perfect weather for an outdoor BBQ. Try one of these tasty burgers; and don’t forget the veggies.
