Photo form GreenIrene
I would like to start off saying that I would really like feedback from this post, actually I would like it to be interactive even, because this is something that I am really curious about. I have been reading lately about how our food affects our carbon footprint. I recently had the need to look up locavore is what brought this up I think, and a locavore is a person who tries to eat all of their food from local sources, to help reduce their carbon footprint. They probably have other reasons too, I don't know, but that is the biggy.
In this research I found out that the best way to reduce your food CF (carbon footprint from here on out) is to not eat meat as it creates the most gases, etc when being produced. Well, pshaw, is what my family would say to that! There is absolutely no way you are getting my carnivorous crew to not eat meat! So, how does a greenie like me, cut my food CF? (Just a funny side note here, spell check doesn't like locavore and greenie, but accepts pshaw, what's up with that?)
We do our own hunting, but that meat really does not last as long as you'd think. And the grocery store meat, well don't even get me started...I buy it when I absolutely have to, but I am very particular and only buy stuff that is on sale and that I know where it has come from, hopefully.
But on to how I have lost my mind. Yesterday a truck drove in my driveway and I bought a crapload of meat off of it. I know, I can't believe I did it either. Tom just about killed me. I have never done such a crazy thing.
The company is Pacific Prime and I don't know what the hell happened to my brain while the guy was here, but actually it all worked out okay. I got a good deal, but Tom got us an even better deal. See, I had asked and read and looked, but you know how the big bad biker is, if not every label says "Made IN America" he won't touch it. He called the guy back and left a message for him to come and pick up his chinese tasting meat, since the guarantee was only good for taste. God the man slays me!
During that time we made some calls and did more research. It was exactly as I thought. You pretty much never know where your meat is coming from. If it is labeled, you best hope it is labeled correctly. King Soopers gets most of their beef from US, Mexico and Canada the old man was horrified to find out, and pretty much every single package I have ever brought home is labeled US. I don't think I get that lucky, even the butcher on the phone joked about the box in the back saying US but having a different product in it, it was being reused.
The meat from Pacific Prime on the other hand is all labeled correctly from each place, is very high quality meat and above all, is all natural with no extra crap in it like I would get at the stores. The other thing is that it is simple stuff too, easy to defrost and prepare a very healthy meal for the family. Especially now that Tom got all that money off I will be feeding the family for at least the same price.
So back to my food CF. I am wondering if that is what was in the back of my mind when I lost it yesterday with this salesman, that I normally would have chased off the ranch. Although some of these meats, specifically the seafood are imported, the majority of the food is US we found out after going rounds with the company. So my question is this, does a company like this, one that brings things to your door, help you reduce your overall CF? I have to keep in mind the packaging, and yes there is quite a bit of it, but none of those styrofoam trays and yucky pads; just recyclable boxes and the plastic the meat is flash frozen in.
But, the big thing for me is that this will cut my trips to the store drastically. With working at the food pantry, we will fill in with fruits and veggies and breads there; Lord knows there is plenty to go around. Tom can pop into Costco for milk and cheese and we are pretty much good to go. Therefore, you have taken one F350 truck off the road for at least one hour of driving for five trips let's say. That's quite a little impact, I'd think.
Now not everybody lives as far away from the grocery store as I do, etc., but I am curious to know your thoughts.
So weigh in on this subject folks. Have you chased these people off before? What about your food CF? Where do you get your all natural meat from? Does anybody have a good Colorado source they'd love to share?
3 comments:
I don't have a good Colorado Source. We do our grocery shopping once every two to three months and freeze in an Energy Saver Freezer.
We buy at a Military Commissary and try to combine that with a day that we have to drive to the base anyways because my husband has to get lab work or have a routine Dr. appointment.
The Commissary I believe is really currently run by Safeway stores, so their meats come from the US, Mexico and Canada too.
We have cut down on the amount of meat we are eating in this family, primarily because it's gotten expensive.
Cutting your trips into town is good. I've been moving closer and closer to the locavore mentality over the past few years. My favorite method of buying local is still the Farmers' Market. I buy there and then freeze whatever I don't cook. I learned to make jam this year; salsa and marinara sauce to can are next on my "Locavore Bucket List."
We do what we can. I still buy citrus from Florida and Texas. I won't buy Peruvian asparagus, though. I'd rather wait until next spring and buy it locally - and fresh!
Locovore in Colorado is hard. Not as much grows here as elsewhere. You can buy from a community supported agriculture food shares type place, like Grants Farms, and they do sell meat shares and that sort of thing. But it's super expensive. I would like to move to a vegetarian diet, but dang it is hard. We like meat. The next best option, in my humble opinion, is to replace at least one dinner a week with vegetarian fare, choose organic/local/free range meat from the store, and always choose a vegetarian option when dining out. I think hunting is a great alternative, but it's not sustainable. If you can hunt, eating that is best. But not everyone can eat game - there's not enough of it. And I'm not willing to kill anything myself, so that doesn't work for me.
Let me know if you want to share a lamb, or cow. I'm totally in. (-:
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