Not all beef is created equal. Grass fed beef reigns supreme, learn why! (And yes, you can get premium grass fed beef in Ottawa!
What is grass fed beef?
All beef cattle eat grass, right? Well, sort of. After they are weaned, all beef cattle start out on pasture (grass). But they do not all finish there. Most beef cattle are then shipped off to an intensive feed lot, where they are fed a steady diet of grains. For a ruminant like a cow, this is akin to binging on candy and chips – they fatten up quickly and can then be sent to slaughter. Grass fed beef, on the other hand, are not fed any grain. They continue to graze on pasture during the warmer weather and eat hay (dried grass) in the winter. Without the fattening grain, these cattle can take up to a year longer to reach market weight.
So why is it so great?
It is better for the cow. Cows are not meant to digest grain. Gorging on grain can lead to liver issues, heartburn, and a slew of other health issues. Grass fed animals live much more natural and humane lives, grazing on the grass their bodies were built to digest. (However, grain-finishing does not have to be harmful – there are plenty of local farmers who grain-finish their cattle in a sustainable way, in humane conditions. That is one of the benefits to knowing exactly where your beef comes from: you can evaluate the standards of care your beef is raised in! Farm 2 Fork is proud to work with farmers who grain-finish their cattle in a sustainable and humane way.) It is better for your taste buds. Most people who try grass fed beef for the first time are shocked at the difference in flavour from conventional grain-finished beef. The variety of a grass fed cow’s diet makes for a much more earthy, complex flavour profile. Many describe the flavour as simply more meaty tasting. If you haven’t tried grass fed beef, you are missing out (and if you have and already love it, why are you reading this? Get cooking!)
Yes, you can get grass fed beef in Ottawa!
Grab our Grass-Fed Steak Variety Pack to test 3 cuts of grass-fed steak (for, you know, "science".) It is the best grass fed beef in Ottawa (and surrounding areas).
Note: We use the term “cow” here, because that’s the term most people use when they talk about the animal their beef comes from. At the risk of sounding too academic, technically “cow” means a female that has given birth to a calf. Farm 2 Fork beef actually comes from steers. A steer is a male animal under 30 months old. Why does this matter? Well, all the best quality beef comes from steer meat, and we don’t want you thinking we offer anything less than the best.
