An Easy Guide To Finding Local Quality Meat Sources

Sourcing quality meat is one thing, but sourcing quality meat locally is a whole other obstacle. But, with this handy dandy guide, hopefully, your quest for local quality meat becomes a bit more feasible.

Finding A Source

The hunt for quality suppliers is endless! For a list of quality online sources, click here.

A great way to find new distributors near you is following a local raw feeding Facebook group. But be warned... Facebook groups, especially raw feeding groups, are breeding grounds for DRAMA. You can customize Facebook groups only to notify you when friends post to ensure minimal Karen drama.

You can also google "farmers near me," and you'll have a whole list of people to reach out to. Using websites such as Eat wild, Farm Match, and Local Harvest is great for finding quality farmers near you. It also never hurts to reach out to dairy farmers as sometimes they will have a stillborn calf or a cow that passed away naturally.

What I Look For

The three main pillars to look for are...

Quality

The quality of the meat is everything! It matters what the animal you are feeding ate. Most smaller farmers will go the extra mile to ensure that they raise quality animals.

Sustainable Farming

The world is on fire, and one of the many ways we can help save it is less plastic, repurposing, and regenerative farming. Did you know that regenerative agriculture has carbon 111% lower than conventional beef? This means regenerative farming has a negative net carbon footprint.

Transparency

Transparency is the essential factor. Look for companies who aren't afraid (or refuse) to tell you where, why, and how they get their products from with delight.

Questions To Ask

Often there is a bulk amount of organs and bones leftover that they will sell for very low or sometimes even free! Make sure to ask my fair share of questions to ensure that the meat is quality.

Great questions to ask the farmer:

Are your animals grass-fed & finished?

Are the animals born at your farm, and if not, where?

Does your property use any herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers?

Do you feed any GMO feed or hay?

How old are the animals when butchered?

The farmer should be more than happy to answer these questions. They will often call you as it is easier than typing their process out since they are busy people.

Email Template For Contacting Farmers

Here's an email template for you to use for easy farmer hunting or to give you an idea of what to send.

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Hello,

I feed my dog a balanced raw food diet and use many offcuts customarily thrown out, such as tripe, trachea, spleen, kidney, liver, lungs, and more, and I wondered if you could sell any of these cuts to me?

Thank you for your time!

[Your Name & contact information]

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Finding local reliable meat sources can be tricky and frustrating, but you are set for life once you build your list. By following the tips & tricks above, finding a supplier should be a breeze. I hope you learned something new today & Always Keep Exploring!