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What’s Your Beef?

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Meat consumption of the average American is skyrocketing. The prediction for 2019 is 222.4 lbs of beef per capita in the United States (up more than 20 lbs since 2014) With the increased demand of meat products throughout the country, many options have become available.  This seems like it should be a good thing, but in reality, results in an overwhelming amount of research necessary to determine where your meat comes from, really. And how it was raised, really. For simplicity’s sake, this post focuses on several standards for beef, but some of the regulations apply to other meat products (especially pork). Let’s begin with country of origin. The United States used to have strict rules regarding products bearing the claim “Product of the USA”.  This all changed in 2015 when the Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL) for beef and pork was rolled back.  Essentially, with the current rules any meat product which was processed in the United States may be labeled as “Product of the US
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Prairie Grazed Meats & The People Who Made It Possible

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In the year of 1916, a man and a woman made their home in the foothills of the Bears Paw Mountains.  After many years, only a few of eleven children remained near.  Like many families of that day, these young Manuel’s made their own way in the big sky country.  Through dusty toil and pastures filled with nothing but grass and wind. We owe much of what we have to the grit and sheer determination  of our first and second generation. New opportunities arose with a new generation.  Reverting back to organic farming and ranching through USDA certifications, opting out of feed lots, implementing cover crops and rotational grazing- these are just some of the practices which have been implemented by our third generation. Meanwhile, in a world that is evolving rapidly, six children have grown up watching these things in action.  The trial and error, the success and failure, the old and the new.  Our fourth generation is diverse in talent, but similar in aspiration.   Aspira
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Location: Havre, MT 59501, USA
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Bless The Hands That Prepared It

"Bless the hands that prepared it" A prayer I have heard from around the dinner table throughout my entire life. In my adolescence, I had always imagined the hands of the person who had labored in the kitchen to prepare a meal for us.  As I grew older, and began to nourish others, I would picture my own hands when I heard the phrase.  For so many years "the hands that prepared it" began and concluded in the kitchen.  Until I made a batch of vanilla ice cream. . . The perfect scoop of frozen custard, infused with whole vanilla beans; drizzled with  blood orange infused olive oil and dusted with raw cacao. My mother and I sat in perfect silence, savoring each bite in slow motion.  After the first few moments of utter bliss, I found words taking formation on my lips. "Thank you, dairy cows who so graciously provided us with this organic milk and cream" My mother smiled at these unexpected words; But we were just getting started. "Thank yo
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Say Yes

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Flashback to the moments I was learning how to say yes to an adventure in the face of uncertainty.  It was just another Hawaiian full moon evening; perfect for a 3 hour hike down a mountainside in the dark? Sure! Four of us set off with some headlamps, hammocks and water. . . Not knowing our final destination.  We just needed to go.  Guided by the light of the moon and the sound of the ocean we made our way towards the water.  The earth below us was unstable and we kept sliding and falling, sliding and falling.  Our downhill path was adorned with spider webs and strange noises coming from deep within the trees.  After walking for more than an hour we stopped to consider turning around. We knew where we had come from; It was safe.  Despite the logic in that thought we kept pursuing the unknown.  Further and further we ventured down the mountain.  Tall trees shot up on all sides of us blocking out the guiding moonlight.  We could see nothing but darkness; but my friend seeing is not the
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An Annabelle Tale

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I sat in the dirt stroking the silky fur on the head of a darling little calf.  My hand was stroking, but my mind was wandering to the day before when this precious calf earned  the title of Annabelle Rae The Stray. Word had reached my ears there was a lost calf near a large mud bog at the bottom of a coulee.  "Just north east of here, where four roads come together at a big mud pit."  I knew the place.  Soon my Subaru Forester was bumping its way down an old dirt road to complete what was quite possibly mission impossible.   Step 1: Figure out which way the calf could have wandered from the pit. Step 2: Actually find the calf, being sure to check all the old cow trails that go deep into the bushes. Step 3: Somehow get the calf to follow me back to my car. Step 4: Manage to get the calf back to the barn. Step 5: Get the calf fed and watered and comfortable. I parked my car and began wandering down a trail for about 1/4 mile.  "Hey baby! Come one!&quo
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The Beginning

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Have you ever wondered enough to wander?  Have you ever wandered enough to wonder? Join me as I travel wherever the wind takes me.  We'll ponder through occasional deep oceans of thoughts, and some light hearted musings as well.  A Montana girl living in upcountry Maui, I happened to wander to a permaculture farm after spending much of my time wondering about sustainability in the food industry.  Not just the restaurants, but also the farms and ranches and CSA's and backyard gardens, etc.   The United States wastes an average of 40% of its food every year.  This is a combined effort of the farmer, processor, chef and consumer.  We waste food, but we also waste energy in the production and preparation of the food that we waste. . . So basically we waste so we can waste? I wonder.  If we were to wonder enough, could we possibly wander towards a more sustainable system?  I think yes.  Let's explore solar power.  And windmills.  Maybe some rainwater collection systems and
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