Grassfed Meats

Yeller - Our herd sire

At Harvest Haven Market Farm we raise beef, veal, lamb, turkey, chicken and eggs the natural, organic, healthy, wholesome, safe, nutritious, delicious way.

What makes our meats better? Let's take our beef, for example, looking at the life of an animal raised at Harvest Haven:

On our farm a calf is born in warm weather, on pasture, nurtured by its mother on her milk and fresh grass until it is weaned at 10 months. It is then returned to pasture for the duration of its life, living with the herd, eating grass or hay, supplemented with kelp and natural salt for minerals, and drinking Grander Living Water. Our cattle are not given antibiotics, vaccinations or hormones. Finally, when an animal is the right size, we transport it personally to a small, local facility where it is slaughtered almost immediately. In the process we take care to keep it as calm as possible. After appropriate aging for tenderness, the meat is cut under our direct supervision for sale - chemical-free, tender, high in Omega 3's, and packed with flavour! We offer that difference. (If you don't already know how conventional beef is raised and processed, you owe it yourself to know more about what you are eating. Watch The Meatrix series and read Feedlot Beef.)

But this is not all that that sets our beef apart! The breed of cattle we have at Harvest Haven, the Highland-Galloway, is special as well. It is a wonderfully hardy breed, and therefore healthy (particularly when raised as described above). The healthier the animal, the healthier the meat, of course. It stands to reason that the healthier the meat, the better for you, and the healthier you will be eating it.

The Highland-Galloway cross produces fat outside the meat more than inside, although it produces some marbling for flavour, but not a lot. You want meat, not fat, but you want some fat for flavour. Furthermore, because of the size and build of the animal, the size and shape of the steak is ideal.

We have had a few customers tell us that our beef is the best they have ever tasted, organic or otherwise. When it tastes good and is good for you, what more can you ask? Try it and see for yourself.

FYI: Did you know that grass-fed beef has a better Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio than even wild fish? Or that grass-fed, unlike grain-fed, beef does not have E-coli problems? And did you know that the Omegas are in the fat? Therefore, when you eat our beef, and when you eat the fat, you are actually doing yourself good! Kind of like eating your cake and having it too!

Product Lists / How To Buy

Lamb

What many people do not know is that lamb can be the most delectable of meats, fit for a king's feast, but also great for everyday fare. Harvest Haven lamb is sweet and tender, the result of being pasture-raised in a low stress environment.

We give our lamb the same care and healthy practices as our beef and veal. Our animals are raised without antibiotics, growth hormones, or vaccinations. There is no grain in their diet, which means less fat on the cuts.

The fats in pastured lamb are healthy fats, good for you, like those in pastured beef. Grass-fed lamb contains two to six times more Omega 3 fatty acids than grain-fed lamb, which is a fat that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer while building muscle that burns fat. Pasture-raised lamb is also high in Vitamin E and zinc, a crucial trace mineral that supports the immune system.

Lamb has its own distinctive, mild flavour that you don't want to overwhelm with too many seasonings and over-cooking. Just keep it short and simple. It is excellent grilled plain, and served just with salt and pepper. However, you may use simple herbs like rosemary and oregano, a brush with a clove of garlic, and a squirt of lemon to enhance the flavour. Keep the cooking time short so that your special cut remains tender and juicy. There are many different ways to prepare and serve lamb, from something as simple as lamb stew and curry, to a quick chop or burger on the barbecue, to a wonderfully elegant crown roast.

At Harvest Haven, the fresh lamb season is from August to November, however there is always an abundant supply of frozen cuts. Orders for special cuts or whole lamb can be made before or during this time. Lamb has not been a very common item on the menus in this area, but it should be because it is an outstanding "health food" that tastes great, too.

For more good reading about the pleasures and benefits of eating pastured meats, check out these websites:

www.eatwild.com
www.eatwellguide.org

Mark Benson, Victor and Marilyn Hafichuk

How To Buy