The Shocking Truth About Grass-Fed Beef | Cloe Parker DSH #758

Summary

Digital Social Hour: The Shocking Truth About Grass-Fed Beef

Episode: Cloe Parker DSH #758
Release Date: September 26, 2024
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Cloe Parker, Parker Pastures

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Introduction

In episode #758 of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly engages in a revealing conversation with Cloe Parker of Parker Pastures. The discussion delves deep into the meat industry, uncovering the realities behind grass-fed beef, industry practices, and the path to genuine, nutrient-dense meat.

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I. Understanding Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished Beef

Cloe Parker clarifies a common misconception about grass-fed beef, emphasizing the importance of both grass-fed and grass-finished practices.

• Cloe Parker [00:14]:
  "Grass finished means they spent their entire life, even the end of their life on pasture."

She explains that merely being grass-fed for part of an animal’s life doesn't guarantee the quality and nutritional benefits consumers expect.

---

II. Current Issues in the Meat Industry

A. Meat Packaging and Color

The conversation begins with concerns about the appearance and preservation of meat in grocery stores.

• Cloe Parker [01:17]:
  "They use something called modified atmosphere packaging, or carbon monoxide is kind of like the main ingredient, and there's a couple different gases. It'll keep that dark red color."

This practice masks the true freshness of the meat, misleading consumers about its quality.

B. USDA Grading System

The effectiveness of the USDA grading system is scrutinized, with Cloe offering a rancher's perspective.

• Cloe Parker [02:45]:
  "When I'm looking at an animal out in the pasture, I'm like, is this animal plump? Is this like I look for something called bubble butt? So I want them to have kind of almost like bubbles around their tail."

She prefers natural indicators of health and quality over standardized grading, highlighting the limitations of the USDA system.

C. Market Control by Major Companies

A significant portion of the beef industry is dominated by a handful of large companies, limiting consumer choices and controlling market prices.

• Cloe Parker [06:32]:
  "85% of beef is controlled by four companies."

This consolidation not only affects pricing but also the diversity and quality of available meat products.

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III. Health and Nutritional Concerns

A. Use of Hormones, Antibiotics, and Potential mRNA Vaccines

Cloe raises alarms about the use of growth hormones and antibiotics in feedlots, and the emerging threat of mRNA vaccines in livestock.

• Cloe Parker [05:27]:
  "Hormones are definitely used a lot because it just helps with that growth. Antibiotics as well... there's a whole list of all the things where I'm like, I don't want to eat that."

The potential introduction of mRNA vaccines further exacerbates concerns about food safety and long-term health impacts.

B. Nutrient Density of Grass-Finished Beef

Grass-finished beef is touted for its superior nutritional profile compared to conventional beef.

• Cloe Parker [03:43]:
  "Grass finished is where the nutrients are, because meat is super nutrient-dense."

She emphasizes that grass-finished beef not only offers better health benefits but also richer flavor profiles.

---

IV. Animal Welfare in Feedlots

The harsh realities of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are discussed, highlighting the distress and poor living conditions of cattle, chickens, and pigs.

• Cloe Parker [12:37]:
  "Feedlot is usually like a huge one with tons of different pens of animals. They're in a tight space and they're fed a ration of usually corn, some hay... to get them fattened fast."

She underscores the physical and emotional toll on animals, questioning the ethical implications of such practices.

---

V. Environmental Impact and Regenerative Practices

Parker outlines the environmental benefits of sustainable ranching practices, contrasting them with conventional methods.

• Cloe Parker [09:39]:
  "Cows can be really healing to the land. They can reverse degradation, they can sequester carbon."

She advocates for regenerative agriculture, where cattle are managed in a way that restores and enhances the ecosystem.

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VI. Parker Pastures' Approach and Offerings

A. Product Variety

Parker Pastures offers a diverse range of meat products, ensuring that consumers have access to high-quality, nutrient-dense options.

• Cloe Parker [16:31]:
  "My personal favorite's always ground beef... another popular one is our NC ancestral blend of like 10% heart and liver ground beef."

She highlights the importance of utilizing the whole animal, promoting sustainability and maximizing nutritional benefits.

B. Raising Practices

Cloe shares insights into the meticulous practices at Parker Pastures, including the avoidance of growth hormones and antibiotics.

• Cloe Parker [06:02]:
  "No growth hormones, no antibiotics. And I'm doing everything in my power to stay away from the mRNA vaccine."

Her commitment to natural and ethical farming practices sets Parker Pastures apart in the industry.

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VII. Plant-Based Meat Movement

The rise of plant-based alternatives is critically examined, with Cloe expressing skepticism about their nutritional value and environmental claims.

• Cloe Parker [19:53]:
  "It's another way to get people off of what's actually healthy and nutrient-dense."

She argues that real, sustainably-raised meat provides superior health benefits compared to processed plant-based products.

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VIII. Consumer Guidance

Cloe offers practical advice for consumers seeking high-quality meat:

1. Know Your Source:
   "Google and do your research... make sure they're grass fed and grass finished." [22:10]

2. Taste Difference:
   "If it’s rich in flavor, then that means it's got a lot of nutrients." [22:10]

3. Support Local Farms:
   "The safest way to go is to buy directly from a farmer." [15:05]

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IX. Conclusion

The episode concludes with a strong endorsement of Parker Pastures' offerings and a call to action for listeners to prioritize nutrient-dense, ethically-raised meat in their diets.

• Cloe Parker [27:35]:
  "Let's get nutrient-dense food. Which also means it's going to be flavorful, it's going to be good, delicious."

Sean Kelly encourages listeners to explore Parker Pastures for high-quality meat options, underscoring the importance of making informed and health-conscious food choices.

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Key Takeaways

• Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished: True quality requires animals to be grass-finished, living entirely on pasture.
• Industry Practices: Modified packaging and market consolidation by major companies undermine meat quality and consumer trust.
• Health Implications: Conventional meat often contains harmful additives, while grass-finished beef offers superior nutrition.
• Animal Welfare: CAFOs subject animals to poor living conditions, raising ethical concerns.
• Environmental Benefits: Sustainable ranching practices can restore ecosystems and sequester carbon.
• Consumer Empowerment: Educate yourself, know your meat source, and support ethical farming for better health and environmental outcomes.

---

Notable Quotes

• Cloe Parker [00:14]:
  "Grass finished means they spent their entire life, even the end of their life on pasture."

• Cloe Parker [02:45]:
  "When I'm looking at an animal out in the pasture, I'm like, is this animal plump?"

• Cloe Parker [05:27]:
  "Hormones are definitely used a lot because it just helps with that growth."

• Cloe Parker [09:39]:
  "Cows can be really healing to the land."

• Cloe Parker [19:53]:
  "It's another way to get people off of what's actually healthy and nutrient-dense."

• Cloe Parker [22:10]:
  "If it’s rich in flavor, then that means it's got a lot of nutrients."

---

For more insights and to explore Parker Pastures' offerings, visit their website or contact them directly to support sustainable and health-focused meat production.

Transcript

[A]

Spent on grass.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

Versus, like, okay, well, what's. Where is it at the other 50% of its life. But most people think, like, grass fed means, like, it's on grass its entire life, but unfortunately, it's not the truth.

[B]

I thought that, to be honest.

[A]

Yeah, but it's. It has to be grass fed and grass finished. That means grass finished means they spent their entire life, even the end of their life, on pasture.

[B]

All right, guys, got Chloe Parker here today from Parker Pastures. Thanks for coming on.

[A]

Yeah, thanks for having me. This is awesome.

[B]

Yeah. We're gonna talk about the meat industry.

[A]

Let's do it.

[B]

A lot of stuff going on there.

[A]

Yeah. There's a lot of disgusting things going on with our meat. It's crazy.

[B]

Yeah. I go to grocery stores now, and I can't even buy most of the meat.

[A]

Yeah, No, I will avoid that at all. I mean, it helps that I have a lot in my freezer, but. Yeah. Just the things. You just don't know where it's coming from. The fact that. The fact that always grossed me out is it's all raw. Like, our meat's all frozen versus that's all raw. So it's, like, who knows how long it's been sitting out for, right? Yeah. There's a whole. There's a whole list of all the things where I'm like, I don't want to eat that.

[B]

Yeah. Even the coloring. Sometimes it looks off. Like, when I go to whole foods and I look at the coloring of the meat, it's, like, kind of dark.

[A]

Yep. Yeah, they will. They use something called modified crap. It's map. Modified atmospheric packaging, or it's. Carbon monoxide is kind of like the main ingredient, and there's a couple different gases. And if they package it with that, it'll keep that dark red color. And there's some crazy comparisons of, like, when it's packaged with that versus when it's not. It'll be, like, gray and oxidizing a lot faster. So that's another thing where it's like, well, it might not be as fresh as it looks because of that packaging.

[B]

Wow. That's crazy. What do you think about the meat grading system, the USDA prime and the choice and all that?

[A]

That's a great question. I mean, I think it definitely has some, like, benefits to it. Honestly, our. I don't grade any of our meat. I mean, we're kind of going off of, like, when I'm looking at a. An animal out in the pasture, I'm like, is this animal plump Is this like I look for something called bubble butt. So I want them to like have kind of almost like bubbles around their tail. And like I'm looking for that to be super marbled. And that's more of what we're kind of going off of is like an animal that looks healthy and is fully finished. So I think the meat rating system definitely has some say, but I'm just, just coming from like a rancher's perspective. That's kind of what I'm going off of when I'm like, okay, that animal is ready to be harvested. That's going to be really good beef.

[B]

Yeah. I was talking to a butcher in San Diego, he owns a butcher stop and he was saying he'd rather eat Creekstone Choice than Costco Prime. So I thought that was interesting.

[A]

Yeah, that is because he was saying.

[B]

The source matters a lot.

[A]

Totally. Yep, it does. Because yeah, there's so many different ways that take cattle for example, can be raised. But how they're raised, where they're coming from affects not only the quality of the meat, but the nutrients of the meat as well as the flavor of the meat. Like even just the label grass fed, it just means their 50% of their life was spent on grass.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

Versus it's like, okay, well what's. Where is it at the other 50% of its life. But most people think like grass fed means like it's on grass its entire life, but unfortunately not the truth.

[B]

I thought that to be honest.

[A]

Yeah. But it's, it has to be grass fed and grass finished. That means grass finished means they spent their entire life, even the end of their life on pasture.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And that's definitely where the like nutrients are in that meat, because meat super.

[B]

Nutrient dense and you rarely see grass finished anywhere.

[A]

No. Yeah, it's less than like, I think it's less than 5% of all beef in America. Yeah, it's a very, very small percentage.

[B]

Yeah. I've never seen it at Costco, at restaurants. I almost never see it. Why do you think it's so rare? Is it more expense, way more expensive?

[A]

Well, I mean, there's a few different reasons. Cuz most animals like they'll like say calf is born on usually a ranch, it's going to spend three to six months with its mother and then it's usually weaned. And normally it'll either continue being on grass or it'll go to like they call it a backgrounding yard. So kind of where they're going to be given corn or hay and then they'll usually be back on pasture for a little bit. And then the final stage of Most cattle, like 85, 90% of cattle is in a feed yard. And that's just kind of the system we have. And, like, it's weak. America raises a ton of corn, like the size of California and corn each year. And then that's cheap feed that can go to cattle. We can get them fattened fast and then you have that beef. So it's just the system is so broken. And that's why it's like, yeah, most, but versus if it's grass finished, grass fed, like, it takes way more time. It's just different. So it's just not really the norm. But grass finished, grass, grass fed, grass finish is where the nutrients is. That's where the flavor is. That's where like the health benefits are.

[B]

That makes sense from a business point of view why they would prefer the other route because it's quicker turnaround, more money.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Corn has GMOs in it. They don't care.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

That's nasty. And people are eating that. And I heard some cows are being injected.

[A]

Have you heard about this with like the MRNA vaccine?

[B]

Yeah. Vaccines, hormones.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, hormones are definitely used a lot because it just helps with that growth. Antibiotics as well, because it's like they're in a feed yard, they can get sick, they're in confinement. And then the MRNA vaccine is. Don't. I don't think they're injecting anything yet, but they're testing it and trialing it, and that's going to be a whole other can of worms. And I'm like, oh, boy.

[B]

Do you treat all your cows as naturally as possible when it comes to the injections?

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. No growth hormones, no antibiotics. And I'm doing everything in my power to stay away from the MRNA vaccine.

[B]

I love that. Because that gets in the food.

[A]

Yep. Yeah. It's crazy. What. I mean, it's like what it does to the human body. And then what if we're eating that? Like, what is that gonna still do to our body?

[B]

That's nuts.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I, I'd imagine they're going to pressure farmers into getting some sort of vaccines in the future.

[A]

Yeah, there's. It's definitely seems to be rolling out that way, which is like, control the food, control the people. So I don't know.

[B]

That's nuts. Did you see a bunch of chickens died like a month ago, like millions.

[A]

Yep. Yeah, it's definitely got. Because we're. It's interesting because they're kind of rolling out the bird flu, tying in the MRNA vaccine. And it's all like this thing where I'm like, this doesn't make sense. And the other crazy thing is like the beef. You look at the cattle market of like live cattle, it's at a record high, but beef prices are kind of like a. Like a low. And 85% of beef is controlled by four companies.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And they're all processing companies, not all US based. Some ones in Brazil, like, they're all over. And so they can afford to lose a bunch of money on beef to push all the small producers out and then really control that entire market. So there's just a lot of interesting things happening. And I just find it ironic because beef, especially, like take beef liver, it's one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Like, you can attack that, but it's like, well, that's where all the nutrients is, versus, like you take corn or some other product. Like, there's not nutrients, there's not the health benefits. There's also not the environmental benefits of like, cows can be really healing to the land. Like, they can reverse degradation, they can sequester carbon, all those things. So it's just interesting how everything's aligning and that on it.

[B]

Follow the money, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's Super concerning that. Four companies control 85%.

[A]

It's wild.

[B]

Has it always been like that or is that recent?

[A]

I mean, in the last. It kind of started in the 19, I want to say 70s, and they've kind of built up over that period. But yeah, now we're at I think 85, 90%. They're trying to get that last little bit of control.

[B]

Wow. Yeah, it makes sense because they're in all the grocery stores. They got mass distribution.

[A]

Yep. And they use all kinds of different logos and labels. So you don't know that it's from one of four companies.

[B]

Right. And they buy out companies, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then change all the ingredients.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

So even if you're like a healthy mom and pop, they're going to buy you out and then remove all the healthy ingredients to make more money. Crazy.

[A]

It's definitely about the money.

[B]

That is nuts. How long have you been doing this at Parker Pastures?

[A]

My entire life. Yeah? Yeah. My parents started it when I was super little. And so I've kind of just grown up ranching and like, having meat in our freezer and selling meat. And then after I graduated high school, I kind of went away, worked on some other ranches. And then my mom actually was diagnosed with cancer. So I was like, I need to come back. And I was running our ranch and meat company and I was like, wait a minute. I actually like this. Like, I feel like this is what I'm supposed to do is provide people with nutrient dense food. Because our food system is so corrupt and so broken. And so I took over and ever since just been. Yeah, it's like I want to put good nutrient dense food back on the table, but also raised in a way that's like healing to the environment, the earth, not degrading it like most food is.

[B]

I love it. They tried telling us meat was bad for you a couple of years ago.

[A]

Yep. I mean they're, they're still pushing it. And it's like, yeah, if cat. It's all. There's a saying. It's not the cow, it's the how like cows in them of themselves. Like they're not good or bad. It's like how they're managed. And like if they're managed in a way where they're overgrazing or they're like staying in that same area and grazing it again. Again, or whatever example you want to use. Like, yeah, that can cause problems to the land. It can cause deserts to be created, or they can be managed in a way that is healing, regenerative, restorative, whatever word you want to put on it. But the concept of just like, I like to take the idea of like there was millions upon millions of bison roaming across the plains and the wolves were keeping them on the move. So they would graze an area of grass and then they'd be on the move and that grass could regrow and recover. Put those roots back into the ground, bring that carbon back into the ground. And then when it was fully recovered, then those bison would come again and graze that. And like that's what we like, we want to replicate nature. Like nature has a good model.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And so like for example, we use like electric fence and we're moving them daily or every other day or however often.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

But we're keeping that like same mentality of like bison and wolves just a little bit different approach.

[B]

I didn't know that went into raising bison. That's crazy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So you got wolves too?

[A]

I mean there is some in Colorado, but we just, it's like just the idea of like keeping an ant, a group of animals in a smaller space and getting, keeping them on the move. Just like the bison and wolves, like, similar idea because like that's how that we had all that top soil and the land was abundant.

[B]

Makes sense. Rogan's big on bison.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah. Do you like eating bison?

[A]

I mean, I'm. If I had to choose, it's always. I'm always beef.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But, yeah, definitely bison. Bison. Same thing. If cattle, like, most of them are finished in a feedlot at the end of their life, they're fed grain. So it's definitely being aware of where you're getting it from. But, yeah, bison can be a really good source of protein and nutrients for sure.

[B]

Yeah. So feedlots are just what, like, slaughterhouse? What is that?

[A]

Feedlot is feedlot or cafo. Confined animal feeding. So it's usually like multiple. They're like a big one is going to be tons of different pens of animals. They're going to be in a tight space and they're going to be fed a ration of usually, like, corn, some hay, like, whatever that. Whatever protocol they are on to get them to gain weight as fast as possible. And then once they're reached whatever poundage or whatever ratio they're going off of, then they'll go to the butcher or slaughterhouse. So it's mostly just like a tight area.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Where cattle.

[B]

Sounds traumatizing for the animal.

[A]

Yeah, it's really bad for cattle. And it's even worse for, like, chickens and pigs. Like, they won't even see the light of day and they spend their entire life in one of those cattle. Usually it's been just a little. Little bit of their life.

[B]

So that's concerning. I wonder if the animals know what's going on.

[A]

I think they do, more so than we think.

[B]

Yeah. Because I see videos, like, pigs looking upset.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

For the slaughterhouse. And I wonder if it's real or just propaganda.

[A]

No, I think. I mean, pigs are very. They're similar to humans in, like, they definitely can, like, feel those. I don't know if I'm. Emotions is the right word.

[B]

Yeah. Maybe energy.

[A]

Yeah. But there's definitely, like. I. I know what you're talking about. Where it's like that just. They don't look good. Like, that doesn't. And then you look at, like, the meat or you even taste it. It's like, it's not. Doesn't have flavor. It's. It just doesn't seem good. Because the animals wasn't. The animal wasn't living a good life.

[B]

No. There's not a spiritual component in food. People don't even realize.

[A]

Yeah. It's so true.

[B]

It's like, yeah, they're not eating locally or, like, from a good source, like, it's draining energy out of you.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

In my opinion.

[A]

No, I 100 agree. Yeah.

[B]

Damn. That's concerning. Yeah. I gave up pork, to be honest.

[A]

Yeah. I, I. We have Pastures pork. I work with somebody, and they raise it for Parker Pastures. And I'm like, I know how those animals are raised, so I'm like, okay. I'm okay to eat that. Same with chicken. But otherwise, else, I'm like, no, I. No, because. Yeah, just how they're raised.

[B]

Yeah. Chicken eggs that are not pasture are actually bad for you, apparently.

[A]

Yeah, they. Yeah, just don't.

[B]

Because they inject the chickens nuts. It's a scary time. And most people buy their meat at grocery stores, so they're not even aware that this is going on.

[A]

Yep. I mean, it's convenient to just go to the store, but. Yeah, it's like, there's so many hidden secrets. And, like, you take meat or vegetables or anything, it's like, I mean, in 2020, 50 of organic labels weren't compliant.

[B]

Wow. So it's like 50%.

[A]

Yeah. It's like, well, what is happening to our food? Like, if the labels aren't even compliant, what does that even mean? Like, we says organic, but is it?

[B]

Yeah. And now they're spraying stuff on the vegetables. Did you see that?

[A]

Yeah. That's so crazy. Oh.

[B]

At Whole Foods, they're literally spraying. People thought it was water, but it's not.

[A]

Yep. Yeah. I was looking. I've always wondered about that. And then I saw that I was looking into it. I'm like, dang.

[B]

Now I have to buy all my vegetables from a farmer.

[A]

Yep. Totally. That's, like, the safest way to go. I don't know what else you do.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, it's tougher in Vegas, but.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Hopefully I could find someone for some raw milk, too.

[A]

Yeah, that one's a tricky one.

[B]

That's a tricky one. Legally. Yeah. We just had a guest on, and their baby had eczema, and they were giving it dairy from, like, the grocery store. Switched over to raw milk. Gone in three days.

[A]

Wow. That's wild.

[B]

Just from raw milk?

[A]

Yeah. Now, that stuff is powerful, but if.

[B]

You sell it on your site, the FDA comes knocking at your door and bans you.

[A]

Yeah. The regulations around it are ridiculous.

[B]

Crazy. I used to order from an Amish farm, and they got banned.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

FDA came on their door.

[A]

Dang.

[B]

I mean, I don't know what they're trying to hide.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Raw milk's good for you.

[A]

No, it's so good for you. Which is probably why there's so many people trying to control it.

[B]

Like, well, when big foods in bed, in bed with big pharma, it's a tough opponent.

[A]

Yep, Yep. And that's exactly what's happening. It just gets worse and worse.

[B]

Two of the biggest industries in the country, maybe in the world.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

You're fighting a tough battle.

[A]

Yep. It definitely is. But it's like, who, who else is going to do. It's like, we need food. We need nutrient dense food.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because like, just look at all the health problems. Like how much of that is directly tied to where our food is coming from? A lot of it.

[B]

A lot. Probably 80%.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

What are your top selling cuts and steaks and everything?

[A]

Definitely. I mean, my personal favorite's always ground beef, but definitely ground beef. Like a New York strip steak or ribeye steaks. Those are classics. Or another one that's definitely popular is our NC ancestral blend of like 10% heart and liver ground beef. Because, like, I personally can't eat organs, especially liver. It's just too strong. I'm like, I know the nutrients are there, the health benefits, all of that. So this is just like a good way to mix it in so that it doesn't taste livery. It just tastes like ground beef. Whether I'm making a burger or whatever. Yeah, yeah. But the thing is like a whole cow, like, there's so many different cuts from one animal. Like it, it's usually like 40% of ground beef, 10% steaks. Then it's kind of like 30ish percent of like roast or short ribs or stew meat, fajita meat. And then you have your, the bones and then the organ. So there's so many different.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Cuts from one animal. It's like everyone loves steaks. And like, steaks are amazing. But there's some other cuts that have like, ground beef's a great cut because it's easy to cook up.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But it's got a ton of nutrients. So it's always like trying to think about how to use that whole animal and get that diversity of all the different cuts.

[B]

I always wondered what part of the cow was the ground beef. Do you know?

[A]

Yeah. I mean, there's a couple different ways. Like sometimes they'll just like an entire cow will just be ground beef. But usually like for us it's, it's called like the trim. So it's like this, you have your like steaks, they kind of come from the like the back. And then your roast can either be Ground into ground beef or you can keep the roast. So the ground beef is kind of just like the whatever isn't your classic cut is usually ground into ground beef. Is a kind of a good rule of thumb.

[B]

Okay, yeah, that makes sense. Are you on the carnivore diet?

[A]

Pretty much. I mean, yeah, it's like I pretty much just eat meat for the most part. Like, yeah, that's where the, where I feel best. I have a freezer full of it.

[B]

You got to send me a photo. Your freezer, you keep bringing it up.

[A]

Well, I mean there's like multiple freezers of meat. So like I can kind of. My favorite part is just going into the freezer and I like to rob the freezer. Whatever I need.

[B]

People probably love coming to your house for barbecues and stuff.

[A]

Yeah, it's always, always good meat. There's always a running joke that it's from Walmart when in reality it's like, no, it's just from right out in the pasture.

[B]

I would never eat meat from Walmart. Oh my gosh. That's like just disease waiting to happen.

[A]

Oh yeah. Yep.

[B]

Oh man. Let's see. Anything. Any new launches, Products coming out soon? Any partnerships?

[A]

The. I'm excited. I partnered with a ranch that does grass fed, grass finished bison. So I'm pretty excited about that. Just had a. Have a little more diversity and then we'll have pork, pasture raised pork and grass fed and grass finished lamb in the fall. So those are all kind of exciting products. Just a little something different than the beef.

[B]

Yeah. What do you think of the plant based meat movement, like beyond meat?

[A]

I think it's very interesting that some of the, the four companies that control 85% of beef are invested in those. And I think it's just another way to just kind of get people off of what's actually healthy and nutrient dense. Yeah, I mean I get the environmental side of like, yeah, cows, like somebody coming from that point of view of like, I want to eat healthy, I want to do what's like good for the environment. But in reality it's like eating beef raised in a way that was healing to the environment is like a better thing you can do than eating plants that probably killed hundreds upon thousands of insects or birds or whatever. So I don't know, I guess I don't try to think about it too much. Just try to think about real meat because like that has one ingredient versus those have like 30 or 40.

[B]

Insane.

[A]

It's crazy. It's like, how is that even food?

[B]

It's Not. And they marketed it in a way where it was healthy. That was the part that annoyed me because I believed it at first. You know what I mean? A lot of people did. And then you read all the, all the seed oils and whatever else is in there, it's like, wow, this is actually bad for you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's not even neutral. It's like bad for you.

[A]

Uhhuh. Yeah.

[B]

Crazy.

[A]

It is.

[B]

And the vegan diet's a tough one because if you're not getting the greatest source, it's actually really bad.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like all the heavy metals and everything.

[A]

Yep. Yeah, there's definitely some of our customers who were vegan and then like for health reasons had to start eating meat again. It's like, yeah, it's hard. Like you can't get the nutrients that you need. Or also, it's like plants in our body break down versus different than meat. Like meat, it's easy for our body to convert into the nutrients we need versus plants have all those chemicals and things that are protecting them when some. An animal or whatever eats them. Like they're trying to protect themselves. So it's just like, what. What's going to be best for your body to break down? Where are you going to get the most nutrients out of? Yeah, like, meat is a really good one.

[B]

It's hard to beat.

[A]

It is.

[B]

Do you guys ship everywhere?

[A]

Yep, everywhere in the United States.

[B]

Okay. For people watching this in Canada or something, what are some tips to get in touch with someone like you?

[A]

Yeah, Canada is definitely tricky because you have to be in your province. You need to find somebody. But usually if you can like Google and do your research of like, okay, where's. Are they grass fed and grass finished? Could you go and visit the place? Like, I just ask all the questions. Do they do growth hormones? What do they feed the cattle in the winter? What are other things? Yeah, and just like I think usually when you're knowing your source versus just to the store, usually a better option because it's. There's less mystery around it and you can usually get a higher quality product. And like, one thing I like do is like take a. It's like if you go to a restaurant versus if you eat our beef, you'll taste a flavor difference and flavor and nutrients are directly tied together. So if it's rich in flavor, then that means it's got a lot of nutrients. So you're usually pretty good to go.

[B]

Wow, that's good to know. Good. Rule of thumb, I didn't even think about the winter. So yeah. When there's no grass, what do you feed it?

[A]

Yeah, we try to go elsewhere. We have a few different ranches that we work with and just so they can be on pasture.

[B]

Oh, so you move them?

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

That's crazy. That must be a process.

[A]

It's. It can be, but it's not. It's usually not as bad as you could think, think. But yeah, it's like they just go up, go on the cattle semis, take a little road trip, usually not too far away, and then it's usually green grass, wherever.

[B]

Dang. I did not even think about it. I just take it for granted that it's on my plate.

[A]

Yep, yep. There's a lot of. There's a lot of parts that go into it, which is why it's like. Yeah, it's easy to go to the store and grab something. Yeah.

[B]

So how long's the life cycle? Because I know there's a lot of criticism on how they're shortening it, especially for chickens. So for cows, what kind of time frame are you dealing with?

[A]

Yeah, that's a great question. I mean most. If you're kind of taking the commercial approach, usually it's going to be like 18 to 20 months. With grass fed grass finished, it's usually more like 20 to 24 months or even past that. So yeah, we want like, we want that animal to live out it's full life, but also like get. It needs to fully develop.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Once they can fully develop, then they can put on that fat which will create that marbling which creates like that buttery.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Rich flavor.

[B]

The wagyu.

[A]

Yep, exactly.

[B]

So about two years. Wow. That's shorter than I thought.

[A]

Yep. Yeah, I know.

[B]

Chickens are like months now. It's crazy.

[A]

I think there's like six weeks.

[B]

Holy crap.

[A]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's kind of. It's wild.

[B]

That is concerning. That's like a baby.

[A]

Yep. And the crazy thing is if they go over that six weeks and they don't get harvested in time, they'll like die because they're so fat and so big they can't even walk.

[B]

Oh my gosh.

[A]

So it's like that and then we eat that. It's like. That doesn't seem like a good idea.

[B]

Yeah, I had to stop eating chicken at restaurants actually because I know they're not using the highest quality. So.

[A]

Yep. Yeah, chickens definitely the ones where I'm like, I will stay very far away from that, like beef because cattle have the four stomachs and like usually they are on pasture for most of their life. Like, it's usually. If you're gonna go for a meat, like, usually beef's like the safest option.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Mostly because of like just how the animals can convert that, whatever they're eating. I mean, obviously you want to stick with like grass fed, grass finish all the things. But it's like if you have to make a choice, it's like beef usually is the best option, but versus like chicken, pork. It's like usually they're fast growing, who knows what they're fed. It's just. And they don't have like the nutrient profile that beef does. Even like, if it's not ideal beef, like it still has a lot of nutrients.

[B]

That's good to know. I always thought chicken was a safer play, but recently I'm learning it's not.

[A]

Yeah, it's really not. Or the fact they like bleach. Most chickens at processing.

[B]

Bleach.

[A]

Yeah. They'll wash them in like a bleach solution.

[B]

Why?

[A]

Just to clean them. It's kind of just like a protocol of like once. Yeah, they'll just like rinse it. I don't know if they soak. I think they just like rinse it and bleach and disgusting.

[B]

That's getting in the food.

[A]

Yeah. So it's like there's just some things with chicken where it's just. I mean, they're just foul.

[B]

Yeah, that's concerning. Can you even eat out, like at a restaurant?

[A]

Yeah, I will. I mean, usually I'll go with beef and then I just judge it against what I have.

[B]

Have you ever been shocked at a restaurant where the beef was actually really good quality?

[A]

Not unless it was at a restaurant that had rb.

[B]

I love that. Yeah, that's. We'll end it there. Anything else you want to close off with or promote?

[A]

I think if. If you're looking for a source of good meat, like it's going to be a rabbit hole. You're gonna probably learn some things you don't want to learn. But like, if you're looking for a source of like chicken and pork and lamb and like all the things, you just want to go to one place.com, like all about nutrient density. It's like, let's get nutrient dense food. Which also means it's going to be flavorful, it's going to be good, delicious.

[B]

So perfect. Yeah, we'll link it below. Guys, I've been eating it. It's amazing. Definitely try it out and I'll see you guys next time. Thanks for coming on.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Peace.