| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 10:20:59 AM
I have been going to a slaughterhouse (at an undisclosed location) for a long time now to get my dog food and bones. Recently I have been getting beef hearts. 2 will last 1 week for my 3 dogs for their morning meal with a good nice bone for the evening meal. The bones I will cut off as much of the meat as I can and believe me, there is usually alot of it. I put it in 1 lb. packages and that's what the 3 dogs get between them. Not each but 1 lb for the 3 dogs. If I didn't care what kind of meat my family ate, I could make meals for us with all that meat. But there's no way I would do that. Anyway, there is alot of meat on those bones that they just throw away.
I go sometimes once a week but it's usually every other week. And they have been saving me the hearts. But today when I pulled in, there was a man outside talking on the phone. I went in and the guy got me a box of bones. Then asked what else I needed. I always get a few pounds of their yummy bacon so asked for that and for the hearts. He said he couldn't do it today. Had to throw them out because of that guy. An inspector, I think. He said they are not set up to keep the beef or pork parts like that. But that he will save them for me next week. Man, that was really close!
But it is such a shame that in this country, it's illegal to do what I am doing. It's free for me to get these bones and hearts. It's alot of work, but I know my dogs are eating what they were designed to eat. Raw meat. But when it comes down to maybe being thrown in jail for it... I don't know. It's sad. And this meat could feed alot of hungry people.
Does anyone else do this? I really feel like I am a criminal now.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Sep 03 2011 : 8:05:45 PM
Hmmm. If we rely on factory farms, they must be regulated. If we know our neighbors and their safe-food handling practices, we can safely buy bones and tongues and other parts that would otherwise be wasted.
If we raise and slaughter our own meat, we are in control of the process, sanitation, health of the animals. Too bad everyone doesn't have enough land to be able to do this!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com [ or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| sherrye |
Posted - Sep 03 2011 : 4:02:36 PM
same here. i have a respect for my butcher. the meat i buy is wrapped for customers. they never pick up the heart and liver etc. so we buy it pre-wrapped for 25 cents a pound. so it is food grade meat we get. we also had to sign a waiver for produce. we have no priors and do not hold them responsible for the produce we take. yet there is a huge amount of waste with a lot of hungry people out there. so we do try to pay it forward as we can. we are blessed with so very much. i feel honored to be able to share the bounty with others. i like feeding real food i can recognize to my animals. as kris said it is better for them. yes we are careful and responsible farmgirls. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Sep 03 2011 : 1:48:41 PM
Winnie, you said it soooooooo much better than I did, thanks...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Sep 03 2011 : 07:27:32 AM
Thank you, Winnie, for all your great information and coming from where you are, I can see your point. I see how this particular slaughterhouse is run and they do need to be more regulated in their practices. As they all do. I agree there are some unsafe things going on. And that is what's causing alot of sick people. And animals. There have been so many recalls with beef and turkey and with dog food too lately that I just want to stay away from all that. And with produce. You can never be too safe when it comes to buying from other people. I need to consider that with my own food that I raise and grow here. Safe handling and cleaning is a key factor in staying healthy.
So thank you for weighing in here.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Sep 03 2011 : 06:18:42 AM
I want to weigh in here from the perspective of being and Infection Control Nurse for many years. Regulations become set because of known illness threats to consumers based on reported deaths and problems. We know that raw meat of any kind can be a source of foodborne illnesses due to the normal pathogens that live in feces in all animals. Some examples are the E-coli,Staph-Aureus, Salmonella just to name a few well known bacteria. In addition we have had recent documented illness from Mad Cow disease which is extremely dangerous to both livestock farmers and consumers. By accidental contamination from feces, contaminated meat with Mad Cow disease, or improper regrigeration, many people become ill and actually die every year from these sort of bacteria. So, industry has tried to put in place rules and practices to try and protect innocent people from potentially lethal illness. Children, elderly,and people with long term chronic conditions like diabetes, Emphysema, heart disease, auto-immune diseases like Lupus or Rheumatoid arthritis etc. etc. all are at greater risk when they become seriously ill with anything including foodbore illness. I really don't think that safety regulations were put in place to make your life more difficult, but rather to try and protect you from a situation that could be very dangerous and at the minimum make you violently ill requiring hospitalization. So, while it may be inconvenient to track down free supplies for dog food, and regulated slaughterhouses are forbidden to sell parts directly to consumers, the intent is to try and protect the public from pathogens that nobody can see but which can make people sick and possibly die from such an event. Since not everyone lives on a farm and can produce their own meat and milk and food, the rest of the people must purchase their food from others and so regulations are set to try and protect people. Each year, we have deadly outbreaks of foodborne illness and loss of lives even with regulations in place. And while some are related to factory farm raising practices, some have been traced to careless handling practices in the slaughterhouses. So, I applaud those of you who manage your own livestock and butchering and have the local resources to feed your animals a diet that you choose, but we need regulations and accountability in the meat industry to protect the rest of us who rely on markets for our food and depend on them to use safe food handling practices to try and protect us from serious foodborne illness!
I am taking my nursing hat off now and I welcome others to respond to my thoughts because I believe that there are two important sides to this issue aside from the inconvenience and what may appear as not making any sense.
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 5:27:09 PM
This particular place is not USDA so they can get by with a little more than the other place can. The place I take my animals to be butchered can't do this unless it's your own animal. I always ask for the whole thing back except of course the stomach and hide. But I get basically the whole cow back or the pig. Even the head and tail and feet. There's alot of meat in a heart and tongue. Amazing meat. But it really is crazy all the laws and rules when it comes to our own food. We should be able to make our own choices but we can't. And most of these crazy laws are from some suit wearing person in Washington who probably would never set foot on a farm. It's really sad.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| RedHoopWoman |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 2:41:21 PM
This country has gone crazy with it's regulations,it should be between farmer and consumer what is purchased and consumed but government thinks they ought to do all our thinking for us.
I guess they're just going to have to arrest me some coming day because I produce all my own raw milk,produce alot of our meat supply with my rabbits,goats and chickens and I feed my dog whatever is on the menu for us.
I butcher rabbits for an elderly couple who both have heart problems and diabetes and find it very beneficial to thier health so I think despite the possible consequences I'm just going to keep on doing what I'm doing and that they're just going to have to leave me alone or come arrest me because I've been living this way since I was young and I don't plan on changing because someone wishes to impose thier ideals upon me so if they come and get you Kris you tell them to swing by and pick me up too.
"Today's Mighty Oak is just Yesterday's Nut" |
| batznthebelfry |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 1:49:18 PM
Now isn't it funny that a slaughter house can't sell you hearts & bones but then they can legally sell this stuff to companies who freeze dry it for dog treats!!!!!...things like freeze dried livers & lungs....plus cheaper dog foods have scrap meats, tendens, lungs ect in them...so this makes no sense to me what so ever...& to be honest who knows how long those parts sat around before they got to the companies to be processed...yuck!
when I was growing up when we butchered an animal everything got used if possible...even the tongue...hearts, kidneys, liver ect that we wouldn't eat was cut up & frozen for the cats & dogs....all the bones were cut into manageable sizes for either soups or dog bones....hoofs were frozen for the dogs as well.& this was only 30 or so years ago!...if it could be eaten by us or our pets it was used...now its almost impossible to even ask a slaughter house to do this for you as the rules are so crazy.....I will never understand this idea that if its fresh its bad for you cause it didn't come from a store...everyones pockets have to be lined or its against the law....this whole raw milk deal drives me insane...I won't drink milk..actually don't like it unless its raw...I thankfully found a place that I can go & get it for $3 a gallon about 45 mins away.....but they can only do it between certain hours of the day...but at least I have access to it....grass fed animals aren't easy to get up here & if you do find them its so expensive you can't do it on a budget....anyway its such a shame that what was good enough for our ancesters is now a big no-no for us....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
| fiddlegirl89 |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 1:45:28 PM
It drives me crazy...all the regulations like this. I've been planning on calling our local butcher and seeing about getting this kind of food for my dog. I know it would be a million times better than what I get him now. I'm stil going to call!
http://www.custerfamilyfarm.com
My blog: www.crazykcreates.blogspot.com |
| sherrye |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 07:02:56 AM
well i would have to go to jail too kris.LOL we do the produce bins for a chain of markets. tons of food. i also go to butcher for hearts etc. i pay 25 cents a pound for it. i think one reason its not for sale is it belonged to someone. they had a cow butchered and did not pick up the heart etc. we get llama sheep goat elk etc. we feed it to out pigs too. so we are on the down low with the butcher its the same here. they ell to me when no one is around. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 05:38:18 AM
I think raw meat is 100% better any way ya look at it than that hard crap that might have a little bit of the scrap meat left over from downer cows and chickens. I would much rather feed them what I am feeding them now than ever have to buy another bag of that crap. And it is my right to do it. If not from a slaughterhouse where it is free right now, then there are butcher shops all over that I can buy raw meat and bones from. Seems like people just like to knit pick everything that's said any more. If you have ever seen dog poop from a raw meat fed dog, you'd know it. It's very white and crumbles up. Looks almost like chalk. My chickens love it. So I guess we are all screwed. And I use well water too. And eat my own chickens and their eggs. Oh my!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 10:47:49 PM
Funny how it's easier to get a t-shirt made across the globe in China than it is to get a steak raised across the street from you, eh?
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
| farmmilkmama |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 7:47:20 PM
No. Flippin'. Way!!!!
It makes me so angry that they do this. My mom actually ran a raw dog food company for three years before she sold it. She was getting freaked out because of all the rules...and more rules...and more rules...until she said it was ridiculous to even attempt to run it legally because there were SO many rules. I'm sorry you ran into this trouble, Kris. :(
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Farmgirl Sister #1086
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com
www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 5:50:19 PM
One of the main reasons for raw meat/bones are restricted even for dog food is: dogs poop and pee where they want generaly, and not everyone picks it up, and disposes of it properly, and if the meat is contaminated/diseased, it can be passed around this way. But regarding mad cow disease, if the cow is infected, all the meat/milk/bones are contaminated to some degree, so it would not matter which part you ate or feed your dogs...plus, you would not be arrested, the slaughter house would be fined and possibly shut down and your meat/bone supply would be gone...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| Lieberkim |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 4:25:26 PM
I too want to feed my dog a raw diet. Haven't got it all going yet but we're trying. I think these laws are ridiculous. I know they say they are trying to protect us but really??? These laws protect us???? I'd rather the government stayed out of my life.
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
| rksmith |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 4:06:50 PM
I agree that these laws are ridiculous!!! You should NOT feel like a criminal for what you are doing at all. I have and I would do it if the opportunity was available where I live again. I can understand the idea of "protecting" people and keeping unscrupulous slaughterhouses (or any other business/individual) from taking advantage of people HOWEVER I also feel that people need to take responsibility and do some research on who they do business with. The unscrupulous ones would eventually get caught up with. I think that all of these restrictions on what we can/can't eat/drink or buy/sell (in regards to food mostly but other stuff as well) is overstepping the bounds of government authority. If the inspectors and FDA/USDA were truly doing their jobs we wouldn't have all of these preventable food born illnesses that are so common these days. Personally I think they should all go jump off a cliff and leave people alone. But that's just me. AND if you do go to jail over this (which I doubt, but you never know these days unfortunately) I'll certainly help you out (one way or another >:) )
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
| mydakota |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 11:01:27 AM
I totally agree with you about the waste in this country. It is appalling really.
I know when I got my goats I was angry about how restrictive my states raw milk sale laws were. Then I started coming to sites like this and found out that my state is not nearly as restrictive as some states are. Here, on-farm sale of raw milk is legal. You cannot advertise it. You cannot have more than 9 does with a bag on your property. You cannot sell it off the farm. But you can sell it. I think it is so ridiculous that they make it so hard to buy raw milk.
HearthCricket Farm. Where the door is always open, and the coffee is always on. |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 10:45:30 AM
I do know why there are certain laws about this. I have asked for the tounges too but they flat out said NO to that. Because of mad cow disease. And there is no way I could eat that meat. they sometimes get the bones out of the trash cans. That's when I am desparate and almost out of dog food. But it's so sad that so much food in this country is just thrown out. I would not want the slaughterhouse to be fined or shut down becuase of giving me bones.
I will have to take them some good home made wheat bread next time I go. Good idea, Connie. I have thought about that but always get busy and forget.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 10:39:49 AM
They wouldn't throw you in jail, Kris, but they would fine the slaughter house. But not enough to worry about, honestly. Just on their best behavior today, next week you can get your cow parts :)
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
| CMac |
Posted - Sep 01 2011 : 10:34:52 AM
If you got thrown in jail for that I bet the farmgirls would post your bail! It is crazy the laws and rules are so narrow we can't even buy raw milk if we want it. I understand the "reason" for them but the fact that they are applied across the board makes no sense to me. At least the guys at the Slaughter house are reasonable thinkers. I'd be sure to take them some cookies or something next trip!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
