Beefing Up the Menu With Meat-sharing

So what if you want to jump on the local-food bandwagon but find that meat at the farmers market busts your budget? Maybe you want meat that tastes better than the schlock you get at the supermarket. Or what if you want to reduce your carbon footprint by not supporting industrial agriculture?

Never fear, you don't even need to go to a farmers market to satisfy your local food jones. Why not try meat-sharing? Get a few of your friends in on it, contact a farmer directly through one of the community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs such as the Bay Area Meat CSA (motto: "buy good, healthy meat directly from local ranchers") and wait for your delivery of locally produced, grass-fed goodness to divide amongst your group.

The Oakland Local reports that the concept is gaining ground. Indeed, the larger community-supported agriculture movement, which more typically provides produce direct from farmer to eater, is indeed picking up pace around the country. The Web site Local Harvest allows you to search CSAs by zip code, including many that will provide meat.

Matt Markovich, featured in the Oakland Local's article, was happy to be a meat-sharing customer of Morris Grassfed Beef. "You’re helping support the entire ecosystem," he said. "... From field to fork, I know exactly what is going on with the food I’m eating.”

Photo courtesy of tvol, via Flickr