So many parents are experiencing an onslaught of health concerns for their children, from the prevalence of video games to the highly-processed, heavily synthetic “convenience foods” that are found in nearly every aisle in the grocery store.
While there is no “magic” bullet, one area we can address is the presence of pasture-based foods like meat, dairy and eggs in our diet. In a recent article in Mother Earth News, a number of harmful conditions were linked to our modern diet and it’s deficit of omega-3 fatty acid:
“A growing number of researchers focus on one specific omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. This unique essential fat is fundamentally important to humans and all life, and it is critical to brain function. A shortage of DHA is linked to a wide range of brain malfunctions, including:
• Attention-deficit disorder
• Dementia
• Depression
• Low IQ
• Manic depression
• Memory loss
• Schizophrenia
• Violent behavior”
Pasture-based foods (beef, chicken, pork, eggs, milk, etc) are scientifically proven to have higher levels of omega-3’s, and more importantly, the healthier ratios of omega-3’s to omega-6’s. We often talk about the “cost” of food, but the list above represents the hidden cost of nutrient-poor, cheaply priced, foods that make up most of our pantries. What are we really saving when we “pay less” at the register? Sunbird Farms is just one small representative of thousands of small, pasture-based farms that offer reasonably priced, nutrient-dense pastured products. If you are overwhelmed by all the challenges associated with healthy eating, one simple way is to look for pasture-based foods.
Healthy eating!
-SF
Hi SBF!
I concur! I have been trying to convince my coworkers (nurses) that fat is healthy for you, as long as it was produced properly with nature in mind. I suspect the “Fat scare” of the 1980s thru 2000s has probably been relatively bad for our collective health. Every cell in our body requires fat but of course we need healthy fats not the fats from poorly treated, poorly fed, stressed out animals.
We began our own journey of raising our own protein appx 13 years ago starting with eggs, moving to milk and now we are producing our own pork, chicken, and soon we will have home raised organic beef for the first time but mostly just for family and the occasional friend. We are toying with the idea of full time farming once we find an appropriate and affordable starting point as our 5 acres is not enough for pasturing all the animal varieties we have now but I am actively searching for table birds for that purpose.
I have a question regarding your bird operation. I noted that your farm has tried a few french breeds. My question is specifically about the Bresse/ Goulaise which we raised for the table last year and noticed the difference in taste and texture even without doing the milk/grain finish. Over time you determined that the white bresse was too commercial a breed for your purposes due to vigorous breed selection and that the black was a better representation of a free-ranging bird for slow food production. I am curious as to why, if the only major difference in the various breed color is simply that and if the white has been too selectively bred, breeders/growers have not considered crossing in those blues, splash, black and white to achieve a better bird for free ranging? We are not limited to the French food management practices nor should we limit ourselves to those traditions if they do not produce a better, more vigorous, and healthy bird. I do not have a strong understanding of bird breeding practices and welcome suggestions on books or blogs that may clarify the answer as well as your personal opinion.
Thanks for your time and Merry Christmas!
Natalia