Food quality in this country is abysmally and insultingly low
Do they really think im going to put up with this garbage?
(a rant)
Do they really think im going to put up with this garbage?
(a rant)
These eggs from @HandsomeBrkFrm have weak shells and pale yolks that break when you try to separate them
And they are the most expensive ones at the *niche expensive health food store*
Thing is, they *are* way better than normal eggs. yet still suck.
Why?
And they are the most expensive ones at the *niche expensive health food store*
Thing is, they *are* way better than normal eggs. yet still suck.
Why?
Pork might be even worse.
Even at top tier farms that ive visited, the pigs eat a trash diet, with seeds of unsavory origin
the pork fat literally smells like PUFA. and if you find good pork, it's rarely butchered well
yet this pork is still 100x better than "typical"
Why?
Even at top tier farms that ive visited, the pigs eat a trash diet, with seeds of unsavory origin
the pork fat literally smells like PUFA. and if you find good pork, it's rarely butchered well
yet this pork is still 100x better than "typical"
Why?
Can't forget the beef though.
i (rn) live in the richest state in the country. there is no store-- chain or local-- where i can buy beef that is not pale bright red, aka TRASH
the last "pasture raised" steak i got at whole foods smelled like fish.
Why? pufa in the fat
i (rn) live in the richest state in the country. there is no store-- chain or local-- where i can buy beef that is not pale bright red, aka TRASH
the last "pasture raised" steak i got at whole foods smelled like fish.
Why? pufa in the fat
To get good beef, i have to order it online from one of a handful of producers that actually sell good quality. it is shipped in styrofoam an dry ice, which is painfully wasteful and i hate doing it
(no offense force of nature guys, but meat does not belong in the mail)
or...
(no offense force of nature guys, but meat does not belong in the mail)
or...
I can order (also online) from a more local amish farm 3 states away, and pick it up behind a stranger's garage nearby every two weeks.
The process is clunky, but you can at least get ~decent~ beef
The process is clunky, but you can at least get ~decent~ beef
Eggs can be purchased the same way. but most "local eggs" are not much better than grocery store eggs.
out of ~10 egg stands near my parents house in rural NJ, only 1 is good quality
they still feed them the same garbage flax-meal feed, have yellow yolks, thin shells, etc.
out of ~10 egg stands near my parents house in rural NJ, only 1 is good quality
they still feed them the same garbage flax-meal feed, have yellow yolks, thin shells, etc.
chicken is a real problem.
i worked on an organic chicken farm and i have stopped eating chicken since bc of the abysmally low standard in the production of "high quality" chicken
amish chicken tastes like fish too-- sally fallon mustve told them to use flax and fish oil feed
i worked on an organic chicken farm and i have stopped eating chicken since bc of the abysmally low standard in the production of "high quality" chicken
amish chicken tastes like fish too-- sally fallon mustve told them to use flax and fish oil feed
pork as well.
i have no solution to the pork problem. there is no where i know of that has excellent quality pork that is actually able to supply in any reasonable quantity
i am a man without a pork supplier, and it's infuriating
i have no solution to the pork problem. there is no where i know of that has excellent quality pork that is actually able to supply in any reasonable quantity
i am a man without a pork supplier, and it's infuriating
so how did we get here?
the easily available food is so beyond the pale that it's not even worth mentioning
and the hard-to-find, "good" food, is also mostly garbage but is so good in comparison that it seems solid
why?
the easily available food is so beyond the pale that it's not even worth mentioning
and the hard-to-find, "good" food, is also mostly garbage but is so good in comparison that it seems solid
why?
1. methods
good farmers simply don't know what to do. there are literally a handful of farmers who know enough to teach everyone else. joel salatin maybe chief among them
many other farmers, even with good intent, have wrong info. like thinking omega-3 rich diets are good
good farmers simply don't know what to do. there are literally a handful of farmers who know enough to teach everyone else. joel salatin maybe chief among them
many other farmers, even with good intent, have wrong info. like thinking omega-3 rich diets are good
2. quantity
good farmers, if they do manage to make a good product, will sell out their entire stock bc it's so rare
they don't like raising prices bc most people think it's unreasonable, so they are either always sold out or cheapen their methods to produce more
good farmers, if they do manage to make a good product, will sell out their entire stock bc it's so rare
they don't like raising prices bc most people think it's unreasonable, so they are either always sold out or cheapen their methods to produce more
i heard a story about a bacon producer from TN who went through this exact lifecycle
Great bacon (pork + butchery, hard to find), sold out, so started sourcing additional mid pigs.
bacon not so great, prices still high
Great bacon (pork + butchery, hard to find), sold out, so started sourcing additional mid pigs.
bacon not so great, prices still high
3. relative quality
ranting like this will get a lot of hate
"be grateful for what you have"
"it's still better than the grocery store stuff"
so what? just bc your standards have shifted into the gutter doesn't mean mine need to be brought down too
i want *optimal* food
ranting like this will get a lot of hate
"be grateful for what you have"
"it's still better than the grocery store stuff"
so what? just bc your standards have shifted into the gutter doesn't mean mine need to be brought down too
i want *optimal* food
4. demand
to produce food as it should be done will be expensive. not absurdly expensive, maybe 2x current prices on average. which is not crazy (but worth it)
but most people would not be willing or able to spend it.
farmers wont grow food at a price point few will pay
to produce food as it should be done will be expensive. not absurdly expensive, maybe 2x current prices on average. which is not crazy (but worth it)
but most people would not be willing or able to spend it.
farmers wont grow food at a price point few will pay
5. market connection
may seem like a lot of people are into this food on our twitter echo chamber, but IRL the density of such people is ~ 0.
a farmer with good quality products will have to do ecommerce to sell it, which for reasons described is not ideal
may seem like a lot of people are into this food on our twitter echo chamber, but IRL the density of such people is ~ 0.
a farmer with good quality products will have to do ecommerce to sell it, which for reasons described is not ideal
6. low competition
if even one farmer shows up in a region with "good quality" products, there are so few competing producers that they can get away with cutting corners and we will take it gladly.
iron is not sharpening iron
if even one farmer shows up in a region with "good quality" products, there are so few competing producers that they can get away with cutting corners and we will take it gladly.
iron is not sharpening iron
SOLUTIONS
this has been a v long and unscripted rant so thank you for making it this far.
what can we do about it?
this has been a v long and unscripted rant so thank you for making it this far.
what can we do about it?
1. justify higher prices
people need to feel comfortable paying a lot more for food, so farmers can feel free to use expensive methods to produce it.
this requires education and awareness
people need to feel comfortable paying a lot more for food, so farmers can feel free to use expensive methods to produce it.
this requires education and awareness
2. market efficiency
need to make it easier for producers to compete on quality. market must be more transparent, and easier for new players to enter.
this requires a system by which demand can more easily access supply
need to make it easier for producers to compete on quality. market must be more transparent, and easier for new players to enter.
this requires a system by which demand can more easily access supply
3. production "standards"/education
not standards in the sense of USDA. but more people need to talk about methods that are actually good, and more people need to be able to listen and adopt those practices
how can we expect good quality if it's not clear what that means?
not standards in the sense of USDA. but more people need to talk about methods that are actually good, and more people need to be able to listen and adopt those practices
how can we expect good quality if it's not clear what that means?
4. accountability
if the eggs are subpar, then we should be able to let farmers know not to be antagonistic, but so that they can improve
and when they produce better quality, they should be rewarded with more $
if the eggs are subpar, then we should be able to let farmers know not to be antagonistic, but so that they can improve
and when they produce better quality, they should be rewarded with more $
5. more small farmers
i can't count how many people i know who "want to start a farm"
and they would be damn good at it too.
problem: they have no money. what if we as community could invest in farmers who will actually make good food?
i can't count how many people i know who "want to start a farm"
and they would be damn good at it too.
problem: they have no money. what if we as community could invest in farmers who will actually make good food?
Fortunately, there is a solution to *some* of these problems.
It's called @shireapp, and the goal is to expand the market for high quality food.
The eggs are miserable right now; there is no sausage. But these are fixable problems, and Shire will fix them.
It's called @shireapp, and the goal is to expand the market for high quality food.
The eggs are miserable right now; there is no sausage. But these are fixable problems, and Shire will fix them.
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