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Part 1: The Striking Contrast of Two Systems

written by

Corbin Steiner

posted on

November 2, 2024

Good Morning from the farm! 

Do you ever wonder if it is worth it? I mean, the effort and cost of buying 100% grass-fed beef directly from a farmer that you trust... for the supposed health of your family and the environment?🤔

Today I want to take you on a journey of comparing two systems of raising beef. My goal is that after reading about these systems, you can decide for yourself — which system aligns with my goals and values?

The Modern Cow 🐄🌽

I will say right up front that it is not my intent to criticize or demonize how the industry raises cattle. It is a system that focuses on efficiency and cheap food to meet the demands of the consumer. It is good to remember, however, that cheap food comes with some pretty significant hidden "costs"...

This is a system that is based on inputs, chemicals... and killing things. 

Most beef cattle are actually raised on pasture for around the first year of their life! However, the management of the pastures is where some of the problems start.

This is because many cattle are grazed in just one or two pastures all summer long (rather than being frequently moved to new pasture) resulting in overgrazed pastures and health issues. 

This starts the cycle...

  • There are weeds growing in the pasture (since it was overgrazed) so we'd better kill them with a chemical herbicide... 
  • The grass doesn't produce very well because of the overgrazing, so we'll apply synthetic nitrogen...
  • There are too many flies because the cows aren't moving away from their manure, so we'd better kill the flies by applying insecticides to the cattle. Also, make sure you switch up which ones you use so the flies don't develop resistance...
  • The cows have parasites from grazing the grass too short so let's give them a de-wormer...
  • The de-wormer kills the dung beetles so now the manure isn't getting cycled back into the system as well and the flies have better breeding opportunities.
  • Give the cows several vaccines while they are pregnant to boost the immunity of the calves so that they don't get sick
  • Vaccinate the calves with multiple vaccines and boosters


Following their time on pasture, the cattle are moved to a feedlot or CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) where they are fed a diet high in grains and byproducts - such as an ethanol byproduct called corn gluten.

These feedlots house thousands of cattle all in one location with some of them being in the tens of thousands! (there are small feedlots, but the majority of beef in the US is from the large ones)

Feedlot.jpg

Now you have MORE inputs, chemicals... and killing things... 

  • The animals are more prone to disease since the grain makes their stomachs acidic and they are in close quarters — so make sure to give the vaccines and antibiotics they need to stay healthy.
  • The grain production requires lots of killing — insecticides, fungicides, herbicides....
  • You have to apply synthetic fertilizers to grow the grain. Some of the applied fertilizers leach into the runoff water causing algae blooms and the dead zone in the gulf of Mexico.
  • The farming practices tend to degrade the soil — resulting in a need for more fertilizer...
  • You have to haul all of the feed to the cattle, using diesel fuel.
  • All of the manure has to hauled away from the feedlot, using diesel fuel.
  • The manure tends to be overapplied to the surrounding land so it doesn't have to be hauled as far — resulting in more water quality issues...
  • The degraded soil doesn't soak in water as fast — resulting in more flooding.
  • There is less water stored in the soil making the land more vulnerable to drought.
  • The methane and CO2 that the cows emit go into the atmosphere adding more greenhouse gasses — since there isn't a healthy pasture acting as a "carbon sink".

Following its time in the feedlot, the beef is processed and available at the supermarket for you to buy at a GREAT PRICE!

But what is the TRUE COST???

Next week I'll share part two about a system that is based on working in-sync with nature to promote LIFE and HEALTH — In the soil, the environment, the animals, and YOU!😀

Until next time,
~ Corbin
Prairie Creek Pastures

Corbin-Head-shot-150px.jpg

PrairieCreekPastures.com

100% Grassfed Beef

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Good morning!  I go way back – thousands of years actually. I was a huge part in the success of society; making the youth grow strong with my rich nutrition, helping digestion with my enzymes, boosting people's immune systems, and preventing allergies with my special compounds. People even let me sit at room temperature so I could work with other good guys to make probiotic rich superfoods like kefir, yogurt, clabbered milk, cultured buttermilk, cultured cream, and raw cheese. Everyone who interacted with me came away better because of our relationship!💪 But then something happened... In the mid 1800's some dairies were moving into big cities. The problem was that the cities didn't have pastures or clean water. The cows were kept in deplorable conditions and also fed byproducts from alcohol distilleries that made the cows sick. People started getting sick from me - some even died.😔 Their solution? KILL EVERYTHING in me by pasteurizing! And it has continued to this day... Now, when you set me out at room temperature, I rot instead of fermenting. Without enzymes, absorption of my nutrients is like trying to eat saltines without water. People's bodies react to me because my proteins are unrecognizable. It's demoralizing being rejected.😢 BUT I HAVE HOPE! People are starting to come around to the idea that RAW LIFE is better than STERILE DEATH. That what has nourished them for thousands of years might be a good idea. That maybe I do have something to offer them!  I feel like I'm becoming a celebrity with the number of people that are finding out about the raw me!🥳 GO RAW MILK! Raw Milk - Nature’s Superfood According to the Raw Milk Institute (RAWMI) "In many ways, raw milk is similar to breastmilk: both are completely natural, fresh, and unprocessed milks.  They both contain a wide variety of essential nutrients, fats, proteins, anti-inflammatory and digestive enzymes, bioavailable vitamins, and minerals, all in a natural form which is most easily utilized by the body." Raw Milk Helps Lactose Intolerance  "In addition, raw milk facilitates production of lactase enzyme in the intestinal tract, allowing many people who are lactose intolerant to digest raw milk with no problems." Conventional medicine will tell you that raw milk does not help with lactose intolerance. However, one of their often cited studies is based on a very small sample size of 16 people as well as using a testing method that is questionable in its accuracy. Personally, we've had numerous people report that while they are unable to drink pasteurized milk, they are able to drink our raw milk just fine without any discomfort or reaction! For ones who have been off of dairy for years, this is a major breakthrough!  In one survey of 155 raw milk drinkers who had been diagnosed with lactose intolerance by a healthcare professional, 76% reported that they did not have any symptoms when drinking raw milk!  In addition to our milk being raw, we've also chosen to select cows that have the A2A2 gene. The difference between A2A2 and A1A1 is a gene mutation that some cows carry that developed several thousand years ago. When A1 milk is broken down in your gut, it releases a potentially harmful opiode BCM-7. A2A2 milk on the other hand does not release BCM-7 and is the original milk that humans have consumed for thousands of years. Many people who struggle with the A1 gene in milk handle A2A2 milk much better. Dr. Sina McCullough also notes that for people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, A1 milk can elicit a immune response similar to eating gluten due to A1 milk looking similar to gluten to the body. As a final comment, I wanted to mention that while many people do have success with our A2A2 raw milk, there are some people whose bodies are still not able to handle even our milk.   Raw Milk Reduces Asthma, Allergies, & Fevers  Numerous studies have shown benefits to drinking raw milk in reducing Asthma, Allergies, and Fevers. According to RAWMI:  "One study of over 8,000 children showed that raw milk consumption is associated with significantly lower rates of asthma and allergies. Another study of over 4,000 children found that consumption of raw milk was associated with a strong protective effect against eczema. 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You are getting many times the nutrients in your milk when you get it from a farm that practices regenerative grazing like we do! It gets even better when you keep the milk raw instead of pasteurizing it. Raw milk contains compounds that encourage the growth of large numbers of lactobacillus and bifidobacterial in the gut. These help to build a balanced gut microbiome as well as increasing the absorption of essential nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, folate, and B12. Sign me up!🙋‍♂️ Safety of Raw Milk It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfectly safe food.  According to RAWMI, "An analysis of foodborne illnesses from 2009-2015 showed that the top food categories commonly linked to illnesses were chicken, pork, and seeded vegetables. Pasteurized milk is not perfectly safe, either, and is implicated in foodborne illnesses and outbreaks every year." 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The best way to verify the safety of your milk is to make sure that you are getting it from a farm that has a high standard of cleanliness!  As a verification of our milk's safety, we follow a routine testing protocol that verifies that we are continuing to produce clean, safe milk.  Finally, at the end of milk bottling, the crew will often drink some of the milk - not as a test of safety - but because they love it and trust it completely!  Raw Milk as Medicine Interestingly, raw milk has been used as a cure for many diseases by reputable doctors in the past.  Dr J.E. Crewe MD, one of the founders of the Mayo Foundation, successfully used raw milk in his medical practice for over 15 years. I also recently learned from RAWMI that, "From 1893-1999, the American Association of Medical Milk Commissions  (AAMMC) certified clean, safe raw milk for human consumption and even medical therapeutic use. This certified raw milk was recognized to be of therapeutic benefit for infants, children, and adults.  This milk was used effectively in hospitals around the United States and was used to treat a wide variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, renal disease, liver disease, hypertension, edema, asthma, arthritis, tuberculosis, and diabetes." Wow, wouldn't that be amazing if hospitals treated patients with raw milk again!💥 So there you have it! My story going back thousands of years and how I'm making a comeback again today.  Which version of me will you choose? My RAW LIFE amazing self that has nourished your ancestors for thousands of years?  Or my unrecognizable STERILE version that has been pushed for the last hundred plus years because of dirty farming practices in the 1800's? If you are ready to give me a try you're at the right place! Click the link below and let's meet up. I don't think you'll be sorry!😀🥛 Shop Raw Milk!Sincerely, Your FarmerCorbinPrairie Creek Pastures

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  • 12011 Miller Rd
    Tremont IL 61568
  • 309-431-1846