Organic Meat - where to get at lowest cost?

little_lil

scorpio_biker wrote:

I agree with little_lil about Devon Rose (but then I would, she's my sister and I introduced her to the company).

The meat is very tasty, and because it is you don't need as much. And being family run the company is also very friendly and helpful.

This womans a liar, never heard of her




(hello sis :hello: :smileyhea )

[Deleted User]

I received my first ever devon rose order yesterday and I am trying the smallest regular fortnightly box. We had the plait last night and it was excellent

I roasted the chicken today and it was probably the most succulent ever and enough for 3 meals for two of us plus stock. I used to get super, additive-free chickens locally and they were massive but the downside was the sheer amount of fat that was produced. They had obviously been fed high fat food to produce the heavier weight. The devon rose chicken had hardly any fat so it gets a very high score from me

I still have masses of meat and reckon it will feed us daily for the whole two weeks. This company gets a big vote of approval from me and they have gained a regular customer. IMO the best value real organic meat
:dance: :dance: :dance:

gritts

Mmmmmmm delicious. You probably will never be buying 2 for £4 chickens in Asda ever again.

competitionscafe

There are other ways to be moneysaving without going for the cheapest option - yes, organic / free-range is more expensive but I would rather have an organic roast chicken (which will do at least 3 meals) once a month than have a battery farmed chicken once a week. Also lots of cheaper cuts (oxtail, beef shin, mutton, pork belly , pork cheeks, lamb breast, chicken thighs instead of breast, etc..) mean you can still enjoy meat eating and organic on a reasonable budget - these cuts may take longer to cook, but are often tastier too. Plus it's probably not healthy to eat red meat every day so you can cut back on costs by eating fish 2 or 3 times a week (mackerel, herring etc are both cheap and tasty), and a vegetarian meal 1 or 2 times a week. You can also make a small amount of meat go a long way with stir-fries etc.

[Deleted User]

I never did gritts. I have always had respect for animal welfare. We ate veggie when I couldn`t afford organic meat. If I want to stretch the meat further then I add beans or a lot more veg. Healthier anyway

My neighbouring farmer kept hens in a small dark barn. After producing eggs for 18 months they were eaten and you should have seen the state of them. If you`re deluding yourself about cheap food then you could do with looking at the actual source

rainbowkanga

Bought 5lb of organic beef mince for £5.99 at Ludlow market yesterday.....seemed a great price

funky-footprints

i know quite a few farmers (and have posted this on an other thread) who sell at farmers markets on 2 stalls , one being organic where the whop thier prices up and the stall next door that isnt organic, all thier product will have been farmed the one way ..non organic, but thier story and label sells. They are able to do this as there are ways to slip though and not all farmers have had the correct checks when going organic. My mother in law will only buy from the organic stall and quite likes to be seen paying above price and carrying the organic bag. she then tells me how you can taste the difference with the organic food ..its utter tosh, i would far prefer to buy my meat from a source i know and trust than by going on a label.

My mother in law actually brings much of her own food when she comes to our home, as we dont do organic here, last time she bought 2 organic chicken that she paid £15 each for, they were smaller than pigeon and barely fed a table of 6 adults and 2 children. I would rather pay above price for free range than organic anyday, and then it would be from source, never a farmers market or supermarket.

HappySad

competitionscafe wrote:

There are other ways to be moneysaving without going for the cheapest option - yes, organic / free-range is more expensive but I would rather have an organic roast chicken (which will do at least 3 meals) once a month than have a battery farmed chicken once a week. Also lots of cheaper cuts (oxtail, beef shin, mutton, pork belly , pork cheeks, lamb breast, chicken thighs instead of breast, etc..) mean you can still enjoy meat eating and organic on a reasonable budget - these cuts may take longer to cook, but are often tastier too. Plus it's probably not healthy to eat red meat every day so you can cut back on costs by eating fish 2 or 3 times a week (mackerel, herring etc are both cheap and tasty), and a vegetarian meal 1 or 2 times a week. You can also make a small amount of meat go a long way with stir-fries etc.

competitionscafe you took the words out of my mouth. This exactly what I am moving to do. I am moving to be healthier with less chemicals + better for the envirnment + animal welfare & hay the meat taste a lot better too. I am now eating red meat 1-2 a week, chicken once a week & the other days veggy & fish. Quality rather than quantity.

I have little knowlege about meat & don't know a cheap cut from a expesive cut. I don't know about any cuts & what you do with a different cut. I don't even know what meat looks like when it is off!! The supermarkets must love people like me who have not got a clue about thay are buying. I will order the MEAT book from my library & have a good read.

I am glad that some farmers welcome visits. This will be a good to see what happens & my whole family can learn about this too.

So am I wrong in assuming that if it is organic it therefore is soil association approved?

thriftlady_2

competitionscafe wrote:

There are other ways to be moneysaving without going for the cheapest option - yes, organic / free-range is more expensive but I would rather have an organic roast chicken (which will do at least 3 meals) once a month than have a battery farmed chicken once a week. Also lots of cheaper cuts (oxtail, beef shin, mutton, pork belly , pork cheeks, lamb breast, chicken thighs instead of breast, etc..) mean you can still enjoy meat eating and organic on a reasonable budget - these cuts may take longer to cook, but are often tastier too. Plus it's probably not healthy to eat red meat every day so you can cut back on costs by eating fish 2 or 3 times a week (mackerel, herring etc are both cheap and tasty), and a vegetarian meal 1 or 2 times a week. You can also make a small amount of meat go a long way with stir-fries etc.

You've described the way I shop for, and use meat and fish to a tee.

We have meat at the weekend-cheap and tasty cuts such as you describe,or a free-range chicken.We eat fish a couple of times a week,again things like mackerel,herrig,coley,and the other 3 meals are based around cheese,eggs, beans and lentils.

The River Cottage Meat book and Hugh F-W's other books are a fantastic resource for cooking the cheaper cuts of meat.

zar

HappySad wrote:

So am I wrong in assuming that if it is organic it therefore is soil association approved?

I think I am right in saying that the majority of organic food sold in this country is certified by the soil association, 70% according to this website, but there are a few other authorities that can also give certification. You can tell which by the "organic certification code":

Soil Association Certification Ltd (Code: UK5)
The Soil Association has been promoting organic farming and horticulture since 1946, long before there was a legal definition of organic. Soil Association Certification Ltd was set up in 1973 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the association. It has its own standards which are higher than those of the UK Organic Standards.


Organic Farmers and Growers Ltd (Code: UK2)
Organic Farmers and Growers started as a marketing cooperative in the 1970s, later becoming a certification body when organic farming became legally defined and controlled. OF&G Standards generally conform with those of UK Organic Standards.

Organic Food Federation (Code: UK4)
Apart from a few points, the OFF Standards conform with those of the UK Organic Standards.


Organic Trust Ltd (Code: UK9)
The standards generally conform with those of the UK Organic Standards.

Biodynamic Agricultural Association/Demeter (Code: UK6)
The standards conform with those of UK Organic Standards with additional requirements based on Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamic principles.

Scottish Organic Producers’ Association (Code: UK3)
The standards generally conform with those of UK Organic Standards.

Irish Organic Farmers’ and Growers’ Association (Code: UK7)
The standards vary slightly from those of the UK Organic Standards.

Quality Welsh Food Certification Ltd (Code: UK13)
The standards generally conform with those of UK Organic Standards.

Ascisco Ltd (Code: UK15)
This was set up by the Soil Association in 2003 for those who, while able to meet the minimum UK Organic Standards, are not in a position to meet the full Soil Association standards.

CMi Certification (Code: UK10)
This company provides certification for food processors and suppliers of organic produce.

extract from organic poultry - source

Are regulations regarding animal welfare part of all EU organic standards?
Yes. Aspects of animal welfare are enshrined in all organic livestock standards. Organic farming is the only farming system in the EU defined by regulation. (Regulation 2092/92). The regulation lays down minimum rules for organic livestock production. For example, livestock must have access to the outdoors and the number of animals per unit area must be limited. Medicinal inputs and feed supplements are restricted and much of the food that the farm animals eat must be provided on the farm itself.
A division of DEFRA, interpret the EU regulations and set the standards which govern organic production in the UK. These standards are the legal minimum to which certification bodies in the UK must certify organic foods.

Do all organic certifiers have the same animal welfare standards?

No. All organic certification bodies have to meet the minimum requirement but some bodies, like the Soil Association exceed the minimum in a number of areas. The Soil Association’s livestock standards are very detailed and run to over 80 pages compared to the basic UK standards which comprise of about four. The castration of pigs, for example, is not allowed under the Soil Association standards, whereas the EU and basic UK standards do permit this practice.

source - soil association