A local entrepreneur invited guests to the Larchmont Public Library on Thursday, March 10 for a free seminar on the benefits of grass-fed beef, followed by a chili tasting made with beef from his company, FarmEats.
FarmEats is a Westchester-based, grass-fed organic beef company founded approximately two years ago by Drew George, a Larchmont native.
The company’s mission statement says that they are “committed to sustainable farming methods and raise our animals naturally and stress-free. We do not use growth hormones or routinely use antibiotics. Our beef is 100 percent grass fed and finished, with no grain and no confinement, ever.”
During his presentation, George asserted that in comparison with conventional beef, grass-fed beef is not only more humane for the cattle, but it is also significantly healthier for the consumer.
To illustrate this, George presented a hypothetical example that he called “The Tale of Two Cows” to highlight the differences between conventionally raised and grass-fed, free range beef via the cattle’s quality of life, diet, drug use and method of slaughter.
According to George, as opposed to being allowed to roam free through fields and graze all their lives, conventionally raised cattle are confined to feeding lots when they’re about a year old, which can be as small as 23 square feet.
He said that while conventionally raised cattle eat mostly corn and soy, they are sometimes also fed candy, chicken coop waste and plastic pellets, while grass-fed cattle have a diet of plants naturally foraged by the cows. Additionally, conventionally raised cows are given ample hormones and antibiotics, which are later ingested by consumers of the meat, while grass-fed cows are given minimal to no antibiotics and no hormones.
Finally, he added, while conventionally raised cattle are sent to slaughterhouses which sometimes process upwards of 400 animals per hour, grass-fed cows are usually taken to smaller plants, where the killings are deemed more humane by animal welfare groups.
Because of these differences, George said that the meat provided by grass-fed cattle is lower in saturated fat, but contains more essential fatty acids like omega-3 fats. He also said that grass-fed beef is richer in vitamins B12, A and E in addition to also being richer in zinc, iron, potassium and creatine.
George said that the inspiration to start his business came when he realized it was too difficult to find these locally sourced, humanely raised farm animals in New York.
“I realized that most folks do not know where their food comes from, the health consequences of choosing what to eat, and how to cook grass-fed beef,” George said. “I offer cooking tips and recipes for all FarmEats beef, and raise awareness of healthy choices of the foods that we eat.”
Customers can order steaks online in cuts ranging from $9 to $25 on the FarmEats website, or purchase meats at farmers markets in Bronxville, Hastings, Chappaqua and Irvington. All the cattle for these steaks come from the Sweet Tree Farm, located upstate in Carlisle.
FarmEats considers itself to be part of the farm-to-table movement, which concerns itself with providing locally sourced food for restaurants and markets. Both Sweet Tree Farm and The Double L Ranch, the butcher that prepares FarmEats’ steaks, are family-owned and operated.
