On the heels of a recent comment from my last posting, here is a piece that appeared on NPR about natural, locally raised meat co-ops. There’s also a mention of Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

From NPR:

Every month, Lara Tavarez receives a 10 to 20 pound bag of assorted frozen meats without setting foot in a grocery store.

Tavarez participates in the meat-lovers version of a fruit and vegetable co-op, buying a share in a local farm and getting a monthly delivery of lamb, beef, pork and chicken — straight from the farmer that raised them. Her farm is just a couple of hours outside of Boston.

While the meat from co-ops is more expensive than that from the supermarket, Tavarez says the taste and peace of mind are worth it.

“The idea that you know the farmer and you know where your meat comes from is profoundly reassuring on so many levels — in terms of health and how the animals were treated, and from an ethical perspective, and from an environmental perspective,” she says.

And Tavarez is not alone.

Kate Stillman and her husband run the farm that Tavarez joined. They say that keeping up with demand is a struggle. This year, they have sold more than twice as many farm shares as last year.

“The response has been unbelievable,” Stillman says. “I mean, people are really enthusiastic. The e-mails are really hysterical. I’ve had people tell me we make their lives better — which, you know, it makes you smile, makes you feel good.”