Harry's Farmers Market in Marietta, GA or any Whole Foods store

[billg71]

I've been very happy with the meat from my local Harry's/Whole Foods store, the meat is all hormone-free and if you want to spend a little extra grown in a natural environment.

This may be controversial but after reading Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" I haven't eaten industrial meat for at least the last 4 years. I've also been off the high-power BP meds since around that time. "You are what you eat"! I found that the $150/month I used to spend on BP meds got me a lot of tasty meat that didn't screw up my health and made me a good deal happier in the ingesting.....

But YMMV.

Best,
Bill

[Breadhead]

My personal opinion... Whole Foods is way, way over priced!!! They sell my favorite bread flour from King Arthur flour company, a 5lb bag for $8.99. I buy it at Albertsons 2 blocks away for $6.49. However... Recently I started buying it on AmazonFresh.com for $3.49 for the exact same 5lb bag in the same blue bag.

Whole Food's price for Prime grade Ribeye's is $21.99 per pound and Costco's Prime grade Ribeye's is $15.99 per pound.

Whole Foods is for those that believe the hype that farmer's are killing you. Prime grade beef is prime grade beef!!!

[richinlbrg]

billg71 what other changes did you make to get your BP down? More exercise, weight change, anything?

[billg71]

I went on the Atkins diet as well. Although I've fallen off that wagon more than a few times, I climb back on and ride as long as I can. I also have pretty much given up eating anything with wheat in it except for the occasional hamburger bun and avoid HFCS like the plague.

[richinlbrg]

Thanks for the info, billg71!

[_John_]

I haven't tried Whole Foods yet, been through a few while at work though.

As a side note for anyone interested, it is illegal to use hormones in chicken. I find it amusing that they still have to put that on the packaging because so many people freak out.

[billg71]

My personal opinion... Whole Foods is way, way over priced!!! .......

Whole Food's price for Prime grade Ribeye's is $21.99 per pound and Costco's Prime grade Ribeye's is $15.99 per pound.

Whole Foods is for those that believe the hype that farmer's are killing you. Prime grade beef is prime grade beef!!!

OK, without spending a couple hours typing I'll first of all agree with you that Whole Foods is overpriced. I buy nothing there but meat, organic fruits and vegetables that I can't get anywhere else and some spices and sauces that aren't available in the regular grocery stores. The rest of my shopping I do at BJ's, Target or Publix/Kroger as a last resort if BJ's or Target doesn't stock it. I draw the line at WalMart although when Sam was running the business I shopped there often.

And you're right again: according to the USDA, prime beef is prime beef. If it meets visual standards for appearance and marbling and isn't abscessed it's prime beef. But that's as far as they go, if it looks good it must be good.

What you get for that extra $5.00/lb from Whole Foods that Costco doesn't offer is meat from an animal that was pasture-raised(all beef except for veal is, BTW), humanely finished in a pasture, not a CAFO, wasn't shot full of growth hormones to make it larger and antibiotics to keep it alive while it was being fed grain(essentially poison for a cow) while "finishing" in a CAFO in shit up to the knees crowded in with a few thousand other cows into a pen that maybe encompasses an acre. And the Whole Foods beef is much less likely to be harboring E.coli which we all know isn't a Good Thing.

I grew up in rural South Carolina, we raised pigs, cows, chickens and tobacco and had a large garden for veggies. Every one of our animals had a name(except the chickens, who can keep up with individual chickens?), was fed off the land, given decent shelter and treated with respect as we depended on them for our livelihood and sustenance. We sold enough to pay the bills and ate the rest. You don't mistreat an animal you know you'll be eating in a few months, you want that critter to be fat, happy and to only have one bad day in its' life.

You really ought to read "The Omnivore's Dilemma", you might learn something.

Best,
Bill

P.S. The farmers aren't killing us but the industrial food corps that tell them what they can grow and how they have to grow it to make a living are. Their responsibility is to their stockholders, not their customers and whatever they can do to increase the bottom line is OK, never mind the effect on the customers who eat their product.

Although I have a bit of trouble calling someone who runs a full-time business in Georgia and claims to be a "farmer" because he controls over 300,000 acres in Iowa and flies out a couple times a year in a private jet to make sure everything's OK. No shit, I know this guy. Not what I'd call your stereotypical farmer but sadly typical.

[Medusa]

I was stationed in Beaufort SC 79-81 (... Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea; 26 miles from Yemassee...) and lived in Columbia until 2001.

[David Parrish]

Great discussion. Keep #4 in mind: http://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/for...pdated-10-1-14

[billg71]

Thanks for the reminder David. I'll keep the soapbox tucked into the closet from now on.

BTW, the link in #4 is broken, I did a search and here it is: http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_tech...nd_health.html

Best,
Bill

[David Parrish]

No worries and thanks for the heads up! The offending link has been cruelly punished until it started working again.

[Breadhead]

@billg71... I understand your position and completely respect your personal feelings on those issues. What you put in your body and why is your choice.

Costco's merchandizing approach has always been to offer top of the line products in every category and sell bigger quantities for less. I've personally sold them product before. That's why you rarely find select grade meats at Costco. I doesn't meet their quality standards.

That said... I will confidently continue to purchase the vast majority of my beef, pork, chicken and fish at Costco.

[billg71]

@billg71... I understand your position and completely respect your personal feelings on those issues. What you put in your body and why is your choice.
....

Wartface,

Well said and I'm happy to extend you the same courtesy. No offense meant, I hope none was taken. I still suggest you read Pollan's book

My best to you and yours,
Bill

[DSCatering]

Anyone have an opining of Harvest Time in Dallas? I have gotten steaks from them and never had a problem. But would love a 2nd opinion if anyone has one... haha...

[Northern lights smoke]

No offense to where you want to shop but I would recommend buying local from farms anytime you can. The cost is usually better than stores, they tell you how they grow and raise their food and will ship it directly to you. The income directly helps the farm Immediately. For produce just Google CSA in my town and you will get a box of produce weekly or bi-weekly all summer. Do the same for meat farms. Know where your food comes from!

After I got out of the corporate world I went back to farming, which I grew up doing. I ran a CSA for over 500 families. We delivered 3 days each week across our State. Retired in 2012, we could no longer find help to Continue. Please support local farmers!

PS. Do read Michael Pollans books! Sorry for my soapbox rant.