Strange Question

[Duhlina]

OK, I have a strange question. If cows eat barley, can I eat beef?

[ravenwoodglass]

Yes. Grains the cow eats are not a problem for us.

[domesticactivist]

That said... Pastures beef is all kinds of better for you (and cows, and farmers) than CAFO beef. Look into it!

[Duhlina]

That said... Pastures beef is all kinds of better for you (and cows, and farmers) than CAFO beef. Look into it!

That's why I asked. We just joined a grassfed beef CSA and got our first delivery on Friday. I was talking to the farmer (he delivers it himself) about how he managed through the hurricane we had a few weeks ago and he said he thought he lost the majority of his barley crop. It made me wonder if I could eat the beef if they were fed barley.

That being said....we had our first steak from our delivery and WOW. The difference in flavor was like night and day compared to what I buy at the supermarket. This is grass fed, no hormones or antibiotics beef. Yes, it's a little more expensive than the supermarket but it's SOOOOO much better!!!

[kareng]

If it's fed barley, is that considered grass fed?

[Duhlina]

If it's fed barley, is that considered grass fed?

Oh, I don't know for sure that he feeds the cattle the barley, I will have to ask. He just said his barley crop was ruined.

[pricklypear1971]

Is the barley growing or cut/baled?

It's a matter of opinion.

Some purists count hay (grown, baled on site) as "not grass fed". There's a difference between grass-fed and pastured, too.

To me, the key is if they roam and eat a lot of grass. It's next to impossible to have enough pasture year-round to support a herd. And no hormones.

[kareng]

Oh, I don't know for sure that he feeds the cattle the barley, I will have to ask. He just said his barley crop was ruined.

I thought that's what you were trying to say!