# Food, Inc.



## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

So, have you seen it? 

Really makes you wonder about everything you eat....and of course, what your dogs eat. I wish we could afford to support local farmers and buy meat that we know has been raised well & fed well. But at about $4-7/lb that would be outrageous. DH and I eat meat almost every night of the week, and obviously we have 3 raw feed dogs who eat about 130 lbs per month. Just not gonna happen. 

Everything we buy is human grade for our dogs. But it really makes you wonder where its coming from and how its been treated, handled & fed in the process. 

Thoughts?

ETA: DH made the comment after we got done watching it..."If our food is like that....imagine the crap they put in kibble"


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Yes I have seen it, and while I don't love the "scare tactics" start to it, all of what they're saying is not only true, but it affects all of us. And that really is scary.

I don't know if you have one of these publications in your area, but it's worth checking out: 
Edible Communities - Local Food Magazines - Eat Local - Locavore - Edible Publications
A lot of local farms advertise through it; it's a great way to find farms you never knew existed. They also tell you what's in season for your region, and give you seasonal recipes.
Try prowling around the farmer's market [be wary of resellers though, we have a lot of those here] this year, you might find eating local to be a lot more affordable than you thought. I spend maybe $30-40 a week on food for me, the guinea pigs and the bunnies. We eat a lot of local/organic greens and veggies.
And check out your library for recipe books. My all-time favorite is Grub by Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry. It's a really great book for anyone who is looking to get off the processed-food bus.


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## candiceb (Jan 22, 2010)

Yeah, I saw it. It was a real eye opener for me, as I was pretty ignorant of how our farming industry worked. Since watching that and other films, as well as lots of reading, I buy dairy and eggs organic, most of my fruits and veggies organic, and I've cut probably 90% of the meat from my diet. There's a local farmer's market on Saturdays that I try to go to often as well. 

I will admit that I don't always feed my dogs the best meats. I buy a lot of bargain meats from the local ethnic grocery store. But I do keep my eyes open for good deals at HEB, the store where I get my own groceries from. The day before yesterday I got about about 6.5 lbs. of grass-fed, hormone-free beef for $15 on clearance. Plus this winter I received a bunch of venison and catfish that family and friends personally harvested. 

I don't support the idea of factory farming, but at this point in my life I can't afford to feed only grass-fed, organically raised meats. The way I see it is that the food my dogs eat now is better than what's in 99% of commercial foods. When I start my career and actually make good money, then I'll make that change for them.


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

All the more reason for me to BEG DH for a couple does this kill season. I don't eat venison, and I could stand to live without eating most meat myself....but for my dogs sake and DH's sake- two does would do them good. As fresh & local as we could get.


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## schtuffy (May 17, 2010)

They showed this at my work awhile back, and I remember sitting there and watching it...the whole time thinking about how it compared to the petfood/kibble industry, because it was somewhere around when I switched Louis to raw. Crazy!


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

I have not seen it, but I have heard about it and the practices of factory farming, how they are kept in dark rooms, etc. etc. and I think it's totally disgusting.
But I've already come to terms with my inevitable impending doom (unless I win the lottery or magically start to love veggies).
At the same time, I've heard that local farmer's meats are *much* leaner, and wonder if my weight issues have something to do with the fatty-factory farmed meats.


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## Cain (Feb 14, 2011)

3Musketeers said:


> I have not seen it, but I have heard about it and the practices of factory farming, how they are kept in dark rooms, etc. etc. and I think it's totally disgusting.
> But I've already come to terms with my inevitable impending doom (unless I win the lottery or magically start to love veggies).
> At the same time, I've heard that local farmer's meats are *much* leaner, and* wonder if my weight issues have something to do with the fatty-factory farmed meats.*


Weight issues won't be solely based on where or how your meat was raised. It's more simply calories in, versus calories out. The only significant change in the food is on a micro nutrient level, and usually lowered levels of EFAs.


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

Cain said:


> Weight issues won't be solely based on where or how your meat was raised. It's more simply calories in, versus calories out. The only significant change in the food is on a micro nutrient level, and usually lowered levels of EFAs.


But if you're eating a leaner cut of meat...overtime that has to count for something.

We buy only 90/10 beef for us and we trim all the fat off of pork & chicken before we prepare it to eat. But I would imagine the quality of that meat, how it was raised and muscle mass has something to do with it? No? 

Of course we have to count calories and burn more than we consume in order to *lose* weight but I would think its safe to say that if we are constatly eating fattier cuts of meat we'd be more apt to gain weight than if we ate leaner cuts


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## Cain (Feb 14, 2011)

Northwoods10 said:


> But if you're eating a leaner cut of meat...overtime that has to count for something.
> 
> We buy only 90/10 beef for us and we trim all the fat off of pork & chicken before we prepare it to eat. But I would imagine the quality of that meat, how it was raised and muscle mass has something to do with it? No?
> 
> Of course we have to count calories and burn more than we consume in order to *lose* weight but I would think its safe to say that if we are constatly eating fattier cuts of meat we'd be more apt to gain weight than if we ate leaner cuts


Well of course if you are eating leaner cuts of meat, you will reduce calories from fat consumption. But a 90/10 beef from a huge feed lot contains the same macro nutrients as 90/10 from free range beef. The latter just contains higher micro nutrients.


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## jdatwood (Apr 13, 2009)

We're going to grow as much of our food as possible when we move as well as supporting local farmers & ranchers

The next step will be raising food for the girls...


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

jdatwood said:


> We're going to grow as much of our food as possible when we move as well as supporting local farmers & ranchers
> 
> The next step will be raising food for the girls...


We have gardens that produce a large amount of our fresh veggies in the summer. Tomatoes, beans, squash, zuchinni, and peppers. We can as much as we can to use throughout the winter. We recently ran out of tomatoes and I am BUMMED!!! The store bought stuff just doesn't compare. 

I'd love to look into farming & producing our own food for our dogs....how to go about that is beyond me. Chickens would be a huge plus as I hear they thin out the tick population!


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

Northwoods10 said:


> We have gardens that produce a large amount of our fresh veggies in the summer. Tomatoes, beans, squash, zuchinni, and peppers. We can as much as we can to use throughout the winter. We recently ran out of tomatoes and I am BUMMED!!! The store bought stuff just doesn't compare.
> 
> I'd love to look into farming & producing our own food for our dogs....how to go about that is beyond me. Chickens would be a huge plus as I hear they thin out the tick population!


You should check out the book Chicken Tractor. It is an amazing book, I picked it up when I was staying on my friends' farm for something to read and I couldn't put it down for hours. It made me see chickens in a whole new light. And yes, they do eat a wide array of insects.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Cain said:


> Weight issues won't be solely based on where or how your meat was raised. It's more simply calories in, versus calories out. The only significant change in the food is on a micro nutrient level, and usually lowered levels of EFAs.


Well I know I'm a fata** XD. <-- I can fix that if I try.
But less fatty meats would help with that total calorie intake lol.


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

3Musketeers said:


> Well I know I'm a fata** XD. <-- I can fix that if I try.
> But less fatty meats would help with that total calorie intake lol.


Another thing that people don't realize is how much soy is in nearly everything they eat. Soy can affect thyroid function in a big way. Check the label of everything you consume - chances are you'll find soy in the ingredient list.


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## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

SilverBeat said:


> I don't know if you have one of these publications in your area, but it's worth checking out:
> Edible Communities - Local Food Magazines - Eat Local - Locavore - Edible Publications
> A lot of local farms advertise through it; it's a great way to find farms you never knew existed. They also tell you what's in season for your region, and give you seasonal recipes.


So, I checked this out. Found a Farmer's Market near by. Yesterday was the last day of the season. And they had grass fed beef available. And I was off. I could have gone.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Of course!! Damn that Murphy and his stupid little laws.

Oh well, I'll try to get to some of the others...may have to switch some days off in the future. I did "like" their FB page though so I'm ready for the next season.

Missed it by one day.....naturally!


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

SerenityFL said:


> So, I checked this out. Found a Farmer's Market near by. Yesterday was the last day of the season. And they had grass fed beef available. And I was off. I could have gone.
> 
> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
> 
> ...


Figures!! That would have happened to me too!


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## Debo & Jinny (Apr 26, 2011)

I loved Food Inc! Food production is one of my big interests. Factory farming is disgusting, yet I still buy factory farmed meat at this time. I don't have any choice if I'm going to feed raw. I buy as much as I can through a raw-feeding co-op, that supports local and/or sustainable farmers. 

Currently, I live in a small house on a 1/4 acre, with 2 dogs, 3 cats & 3 chickens. But, someday I will have a farm & acreage. I will raise some livestock that will feed us & more dogs.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

I haven't seen it but can only imagine. I feel pretty lucky we get our own grass feed beef, I would like to know what they do to beef in the stores, it tastes and smells bad. Grass fed that you butcher yourself is much better. Of course we know the butcher place we take it to and they do a good job. I don't eat lamb (long sad childhood story) but if I did I could get it the same way.Sometimes I buy a pork from someone I know.I need one now so as not to have to buy from the store.

I do have to buy chicken though.I would love to get some chickens but well I know I would never be able to kill them for us or the dogs. I know me and I get to attached. I also grow a garden and can what I can. And Northwoods I have 1 can of tomatoes left and am savoring it. I am hoping to talk my husbands family into doing a little hunting for me this fall for the dogs. If not I know I can talk some of the nice young me from the processing plant where I work in the fall to get something for me. I do feel lucky to live where I do sometimes, I'm just not a town person.


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## candiceb (Jan 22, 2010)

So last night I finally cut up that grass-fed beef I got on clearance at the grocery store. Now I'm no meat connoisseur, and honestly I don't eat steak, but this stuff looked GOOD when I was slicing it up. I just had to take a picture. 










And then right after I took the picture I had to drop the phone and run after Ryder because he took off with one of the steaks, lol. This was after he'd already had one to eat, so I didn't want him overdoing it! 

I have to admit if I had to pic a "favorite" meat to handle for the dogs, it's beef. It's dry, it's easy to handle and not slippery, and this stuff had a really good smell to it, a little different than regular beef in my opinion. Whatever the case, the dogs absolutely loved it.


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## bumblegoat (May 12, 2010)

Grass fed beef looks really delicious! Here is a picture of the trim I used to get - it's very fatty, but the actual muscle meat looks good!


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

Wow that meat looks delicious!! Much better than the stuff we get at the grocery store!!

Last fall we had a cow butchered and split it with my parents and my brother. It was a locally raised cow and its some of the best beef I've ever eaten!!


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