By Shidonna Raven, Chef Editor
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Image / Photo Source: Unsplash, Rhett Noonan
As gardeners we speak a lot about plants and organics. Today we have a word or two on meats. There are several types of meats on the market that the Organically conscious can purchase and are label accordingly. Again, we are going to get into labeling more soon. There are also grass feed red meats such as beef that is better than other alternatives. While we do not have any livestock and do not plan on having any in the distant future, we thought it worth noting. I focus as gardeners remains plants.
As the child of a hunter I always marveled at the mystic of hunting. Hunters are highly connected to nature and must be very precise and skilled in order to hunt and hunt effectively. We mention game here because it is an excellent source of wild meat free of the hormones and chemicals found in farm raised animals or livestock. Depending on the size of a game a hunter can have his animal processed and prepared for consumption, producing a considerable amount of meat. While wild game can not be sold because meat that is sold for consumption must be certified, he can certainly share his game with you. If he is an avid hunter, he just may be willing to do so because he typically hunts not just for the meat but for the sport of it. There is something that takes you back to your instinctual roots when it comes to hunting. A hunter provides real food. Again, depending on the animal he hunts he could bring in a considerable amount of meat for the year.
There is a lot to consider when handling and cooking wild game. It will be less fatty than farm raised livestock. And there are different ways of preparing different game. You can not cook a rabbit like you do chicken. Rabbit must first be boiled to remove the game from the animal so that it is edible. Most hunters will know a considerable amount about their game of choice and can give you some pointers on handling and preparing your game for consumption. So, if you are game, wild game is an excellent way to obtain food that is organic and not full of the hormones and chemicals that can be found in the meat at your grocers. You should remember that this food is not certified.
As a child my father brought home many types of food from frog legs to deer. I was not nearly as adventurous as a child than what I became as an adult. As I began to travel and be exposed to other cultures, I found that my adventure level for food went up. There are a few things I am still unwilling to try. But, for the most part I try to taste it at least once. Just because your adventurous does not mean you will like it. But, it is also important to note that you just may not like the way it was prepared. I was not a big fan of cactus and thought escargot was okay. But I did enjoy ostrich and turtle. We seem to eat the same few animals. Yet there is a full array of animals and plants available to us, which is why we decided to plant a Korean “lettuce like” plant. We hope to learn more about this plant. At least the name since none of us speak Korean. We will keep you posted.
Have you considered hunting your own food source? What do you think would be the benefits of consuming wild game as oppose to farm raised livestock? How can you learn more about wild game and its sources? How might we certify wild game making it more available to the non-hunting consumer? What other ways can you learn about preparing wild game? As always you are the best part of what we do. We have been receiving a lot of positive feed back and encourage you to leave your thoughts here so that the readers can also benefit from your comments and questions.
Have you considered hunting your own food source? What do you think would be the benefits of consuming wild game as oppose to farm raised livestock? How can you learn more about wild game and its sources? How might we certify wild game making it more available to the non-hunting consumer? What other ways can you learn about preparing wild game? Share your comments with the community by posting them below. Share the wealth of health with your friends and family by sharing this article with 3 people today. As always you are the best part of what we do. Keep sharing!
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