When is local food better than organic? "We're better than organic," says Holly Clark. The grass fed beef she and her husband Tom raise on
their farm near Sequim, Washington is not only local but more healthful. The
rules governing what's certified as organic haven't caught up with the high standards of sustainable farms like theirs.
Which means that cows penned up in feedlots and fattened with grains is considered "organic." The grass-fed beef from Clark Farms is leaner, tastier and more healthful, she explains. Their farm, homesteaded
by Tom's great-great grandparents in 1853, is the kind of bovine ideal that comes from integrating cattle into their farming
operations. Finding the juiciest grass and herbs in fields free of
fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides provides the exercise healthy grazing animals need. They're also replenishing the soil
as they enjoy clean water and fresh air, meandering the grassy pastures. Omega
3s a good place to start Grass fed beef, like pasture
raised chicken or pork, provides more than taste treats. Researchers have documented important nutritional differences between
commercially produced supermarket foods and those grown on small, local, sustainable farms.
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Because it's leaner, grass fed beef has fewer calories. A typical American
consumes 66.5 pounds of beef a year. Switching to lean grass fed beef will save you 17,733 calories a year. You could lose
about six pounds a year without any other dietary changes, according to EatWild, a website devoted to providing comprehensive, accurate information about the many benefits of raising animals on pasture.
Meat from grass-fed animals has fewer of the "bad fats" and two to
four times more omega-3 fatty acids -- the "good fats." Our
bodies can't make omega-3s; they're formed in the chloroplasts of algae and green leaves. Good sources of omega-3s include
seafood, flaxseeds and walnuts as well as meat from grass fed pasture-raised animals. Researchers say people who have a diet rich in omega-3s are 50 percent less likely to have a heart attack or suffer
from depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder or Alzheimer's disease. Omega-3s may also reduce the risk
of cancer. Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are
the richest known source of another good fat, conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. Their meat, milk and butter contain from three
to five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets.
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Often people with food allergies or chemical sensitivities can eat organic,
pasture-raised foods with no difficulty, perhaps because they are free of even trace amounts of the additives, antibiotics,
pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals common in large-scale commercial farming. Give local a chance There are
few worries about food safety when you know the farm where your food is raised. Local food is also fresher, tastier and easier on Mother Earth. Alder Wood Bistro in Sequim and Kokopelli Grill in Port Angeles are among local restaurants that cater to diners who want to eat locally, people with health concerns and
those who appreciate the bold taste of lean, grass fed beef. They're
currently developing pick-up sites in Poulsbo and Kitsap County, Holly said. "We don't want to get too big too fast." Satisfied customers are their primary concern. Most food travels between 1,500 to 2,500 miles from where it's grown to the kitchen
where it's prepared. That distance increased 25 percent between 1980 and 2007. Looks like here on the Olympic Peninsula,
it's shrinking.
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