Organic/Free Range Meat, Poultry and Eggs - Thoughts?

[Eden]

You're totally right - just because something is organic or live stock is free range doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't produced on a large scale "factory farm". As buying organic becomes more the norm I'm sure that to keep costs down and supplies up more large scale organic farming will appear and yes I am skeptical of whether or not you can keep up good farm practices while attempting to produce vast quantities. Some of the bigger companies do use cooperatives made of smaller farms to get enough product (I think Stonyfield farms does this with its organic dairy products) I would though be willing to bet small producers are more likely to do their own slaughtering and dressing or have a local butcher do it than to rely on a large processing plant.

I feel quite fortunate to have great access around here to local food - there is a farm market in some section of town pretty much every day of the week, many of them running year round. For the 4 or 5 times a year that I purchase beef or lamb and the once or twice a month I get turkey I'm happy to seek out good local stuff.