Killing Chickens vs. Processing Chickens (part I)

Mobile poultry processing on Martha's Vineyard

Two weeks ago I was visiting one of my closest friends who lives on Martha’s Vineyard. Unlike the Kennedy’s, Wall Street Executives and Barack Obama, my friend and his lovely family are not millionaires living it up on the island. It turns out that most of the people that live there year-round are middle class families trying to survive in a community that inflates its cost for the summer crowds. The cost of living there is so high that local folks get an “Island Discount Card” that provides a 10% discount at the grocery stores and other daily amenities.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that I did not visit Martha’s Vineyard to wine and dine with hollywood celebrities. In fact, beside spending time with my friend, his wife and their one-year old son, I traveled east to see his farm and kill his chickens.
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The Grass-Fed Manifesto (part 4)

The truth will see you free (and prevent heart, blood and weight ailments.) As I’ve discussed in the past, the importance of eating animals that are raised and fed pasture their whole lives is imminent. I have no desire to repeat myself on this issue, rather I want to use a recent New York Times blog post to reiterate the credibility of my claims.
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Bring Me the Meat! (weekly menu 13)

For all my talk about meat, I have to admit that I haven’t been eating it nearly as much as I did a year ago. This is both good and bad. Though the bad reason is unknown to anyone else but myself. Specifically, I’m convinced that my stomach digests meat well and I remember eating local, whole foods and feeling better than I do these days. I’m starting to think that I need to eat more meat but not too much, hopefully a sustainable amount.
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CRX: The Bird That Built a Nation

So much of this slow and local food renaissance being promoted all over has to do with knowledge.

Know your food. Know your farmers. Know your greater food community.

So…it’s a must: know your chicken. Meet the behemoth Cornish Rock Cross Jumbo Broiler.

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The Grass-Fed Manifesto (part 3)

The Grass-fed Manifesto strikes again! As a vocal advocate for grass-fed and pasture-raised animals, a recent op-ed article got my brain a churnin’ – in a good way of course! In this third part to my ongoing essay secretly titled, “Grazing Animals and its Discontents,” I want to discuss the environmental and ecological benefits to animals in the food system, our food system. This is to be distinguished from the industrial food system.
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