My dear, dear friends and readers, many of you know I'm not a fan of the meats. I do eat a fair amount of seafood, but I try to stick with the most sustainable options available (I've recently had to change my sushi eating habits!). I'm not one to ask people to change their lifestyles on my behalf- on behalf of the planet is one thing, but that has to come from within- but to ask my neighbors, friends and family to become more aware of how their food gets to them isn't that far out of line ... is it?
Let's start with the section of proteins I delve in the most: seafood. Too often, Americans are sold one fish and told it's another. The most common examples of this trend are Chilean Sea Bass (actually named a "Toothfish") and Orange Roughy ("Slimefish," I couldn't make that up). They're being fished into extinction- I remember eating "Roughy" when I was really young, being the fish was super popular in the early 90s. I have yet to see it in a supermarket since.
Another factor that should be paid attention to when selecting fish for your table is whether the fish was farmed or wild caught. Fish farms, more often than not, are horrible polluters. There are several that are heavily policed and remain neutral to the ocean environment. An other caution when it comes to sea life is heavy metals (not Slayer or Pantara, more like mercury). With so much to think about, it may seem impossible to find safe fish, right?
WRONG!
There are guides to help you swim(haha) through the tides(hahaha) of the changing face of the fishing industry. Look to the following online guides to reel in(hehe) the answers you've been fishing for(bahahahaha).
The Environmental Defense Fund: Check here for a comprehensive, no-doubt-about-it list of the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to eating seafood.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium: The largest, most exquisite, most advanced aquarium in the world- this place touts an actual LIVING KELP FOREST and a seafood watch page, so we can all make healthy choices for more healthy oceans.
Now for the other meats. Have you ever driven behind a chicken truck? New Englanders: Do you have a neighbor that sports a chicken coop in the backyard? Chickens are gross animals when left to their own devices, but add humans to the mix and the poultry industry is one mess that would make you think twice about that chicken parm/chicken salad/chicken cutlet you're about to devour.
Even Oprah is fed up (not that it takes much for that to happen, she just has to have the facts smack her over the head).
So, chicken farms- the conventional ones anyway- are gross and the animals are treated like, well, food ... and not beings. This, believe it or not, is not necessarily why I perscribe to a vegetarian diet. Regardless, there are ways to get free-range chickens and free-range eggs, though sometimes they are expensive. BUT, I have investigated in my time at the grocery store. For all the people bitching and moaning about organic prices being too lofty: look at your generics ridden recepts. Everything is expensive. What this economy is really doing is creating a level playing field for all types of groceries, organic and conventional.
My favorite cage-free egg option comes from Nellie's Nest Cage-Free Eggs. At my local Hannaford supermarket, Nellie's eggs cost the same as generic large and extra large eggs. As for Hannaford as an organics producer, check out their very own Organic lines, aptly named "Nature's Place." Shaw's and Alberton's offer their "Wild Harvest" line. The options are everywhere and they encompass all manner of foods, from veggies, to meats to the things you can't eat- cleaning and personal care products, paper products, etc.
Look to this site, "Happy Meat," to really understand the delemma most humans are facing. To meat, or not to eat? That's a hefty question. Sustainability is possible and the best way to ensure it is to eat locally.
Visit the Northeast Organic Farming Association web site to find organic farms in your area. Get to know your farmer. Get to know where your meals are coming from. I bet you they'll be a lot easier to stomach once you do. I recommend the Twist of Fate Farm for all your local, organic meat needs. They're at just about every farmers' market in the area and their web site is great. Eating local isn't just about the environment, it's about your community, about the place you call home and preserving it for the future. It's common sense.
That's all for now, guys. I'm tuckered out ... and feeling kind of hungry to be honest. I'm thinking of hitting up one of my favorite local joints, The Bridge Cafe on Elm St. Their food is pretty awesome and with that chill in the air, I'm thinking a heaping portion of tomato bisque is just what I need! Be well, eat well, love often and in overwhelming portions.
Love,
Say
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