It's pretty well known that small family farms struggle to survive. The profit margin is often small, and many young people prefer to head for urban areas for an easier life. As more land has been consolidated by huge corporations and more cattle readied for market in feedlots, the situation has become more dire. However, the direct marketing of a product factory farms cannot provide has turned a profit for many a grass fed beef farm.
To be successful, every entrepreneur needs to think outside the box that tradition built and to find a product that will rise above competitors. When small landowners found that competition from giant corporate farms was threatening their survival, they needed to find a way to change the way they did business. Some very smart people are farmers, and many of them are happy to share good ideas that have made them profitable.
If the product on offer is truly superior, the fact that it might be more expensive does not deter consumers. Many people are concerned about the quality of food produced on 'factory farms' or by 'mono-culture', and they want to patronize little local growers to get healthier meat, eggs, and produce. This is why Farmers' Markets are becoming more and more popular across the country.
Research has validated the belief that home-grown produce and pastured meats are healthier than the usual mass-market fare. Chemical residues in picked-when-green produce and hormones and antibiotics in animals destined for human consumption concern many people. Especially when truck farms, orchards, and meat producers use few or no chemicals to grow and protect their crops and animals, the food is fresh, nutrient-rich, and flavorful.
Research has shown that cattle raised on lush pasture and never fed grain actually have essential fatty acids in their meat that feedlot steers do not have. One such nutrient, which is known by the initials CLA, helps the human body break down saturated fats found in red meat. Today, with the concerns over genetically-modified grains that are used for animal feed, people are even more interested in meat raised on pasture.
A savvy farmer can save money by raising cattle on grass and then creating and supplying a market for his output. The elimination of the costly, labor and time-intensive, and hazardous-to-your-health raising of grain (farming is among the least healthy ways to make a living) means a larger profit margin. Improving pasture and controlling grazing makes the land richer year by year, ensuring future success.
It takes more land and time to raise cattle naturally, and those who run feedlots are focused on getting large numbers of animals to market in as short a time as possible. For this reason, the grass-fed cow and pastured poultry growers do not have to compete as they did before. Raising consumer awareness of the differences in method and product keeps the market for natural meats growing.
Of course, some grass fed beef farms have gone national. One Colorado family markets its meat to several national grocery chains. Many gourmet restaurants now feature this premium meat on the menu. And another thing to consider: if you have a farmer like this in your area, you might be able to buy direct, taking the meat from the farm straight to your freezer.
To be successful, every entrepreneur needs to think outside the box that tradition built and to find a product that will rise above competitors. When small landowners found that competition from giant corporate farms was threatening their survival, they needed to find a way to change the way they did business. Some very smart people are farmers, and many of them are happy to share good ideas that have made them profitable.
If the product on offer is truly superior, the fact that it might be more expensive does not deter consumers. Many people are concerned about the quality of food produced on 'factory farms' or by 'mono-culture', and they want to patronize little local growers to get healthier meat, eggs, and produce. This is why Farmers' Markets are becoming more and more popular across the country.
Research has validated the belief that home-grown produce and pastured meats are healthier than the usual mass-market fare. Chemical residues in picked-when-green produce and hormones and antibiotics in animals destined for human consumption concern many people. Especially when truck farms, orchards, and meat producers use few or no chemicals to grow and protect their crops and animals, the food is fresh, nutrient-rich, and flavorful.
Research has shown that cattle raised on lush pasture and never fed grain actually have essential fatty acids in their meat that feedlot steers do not have. One such nutrient, which is known by the initials CLA, helps the human body break down saturated fats found in red meat. Today, with the concerns over genetically-modified grains that are used for animal feed, people are even more interested in meat raised on pasture.
A savvy farmer can save money by raising cattle on grass and then creating and supplying a market for his output. The elimination of the costly, labor and time-intensive, and hazardous-to-your-health raising of grain (farming is among the least healthy ways to make a living) means a larger profit margin. Improving pasture and controlling grazing makes the land richer year by year, ensuring future success.
It takes more land and time to raise cattle naturally, and those who run feedlots are focused on getting large numbers of animals to market in as short a time as possible. For this reason, the grass-fed cow and pastured poultry growers do not have to compete as they did before. Raising consumer awareness of the differences in method and product keeps the market for natural meats growing.
Of course, some grass fed beef farms have gone national. One Colorado family markets its meat to several national grocery chains. Many gourmet restaurants now feature this premium meat on the menu. And another thing to consider: if you have a farmer like this in your area, you might be able to buy direct, taking the meat from the farm straight to your freezer.
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