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A couple of years ago I moved back to Eugene, Oregon after being gone for 17 years. One of the first things I did was search for where to find local, pasture raised, 100% grass fed grass finished meat and dairy. What I found was a bounty of local farms and small businesses that sell these high quality, nutrient dense and sustainable for the land foods. I am also a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine which often includes dietary advice and guidelines for living an optimally healthy lifestyle. Read on for a list of local places where I often go myself and where I direct patients too here at Wellbalanced.  

Top 5 Places I love (in no particular order)

Longs meat market: instagram @longsmeatmarket Some of the best selection of highest quality and selection of meats in town including grass fed grass finished, Knee deep farms beef, Carleton farms pork and Anderson ranches lamb. They also sell a variety of grass fed organ meats and take special orders. 

Helios Farms: instagram @heliosfarms High quality grass fed meats and amazing selection of raw dairy products CSA (community supported agriculture). 

Little fall creek farm: Instagram @littlefallcreekfarm Family owned, high quality pasture raised pork, poultry and sourdough baked goods. Farmstand Market open Sundays 10-4 and Wednesdays 3-7.

Fair valley farm: Instagram @fairvalleyfarm Woman owned first generation multi species, grass fed and pasture-based farm CSA including poultry, pork, beef and lamb.

Oregon Valley farm: Instagram @oregonvalleyfarm Grass fed and finished beef, pasture raised pork and chicken. 

Is grass fed beef better than grain fed?

The way cows are fed is known to have a major effect on the nutrient composition of beef. Grass fed and grass finished meat has as much as five times the amount Omega 3 fatty acids and CLA than grain fed beef. Omega 3 and CLA are both linked to health benefits and are considered anti-inflammatory Grass fed, grass finished cows are raised to roam freely and just eat grass. As a result these cows are healthier and are typically not fed any antibiotics at all throughout their lives. The meat is also higher in vitamins B, A, E and other antioxidants and is a leaner meat. Grain finished or grain fed meat on the other hand is typically cattle raised in feed lots being fed corn, soy and dried grass to fatten up cows and marbalize the meat. This process uses antibiotics as well as the cows are not raised in a healthy environment and this is what we end up consuming. Grain fed beef also contains less nutrients than grass fed grass finished and has more of the harmful omega 6 fatty acids which are linked to increased inflammation. 

Get local and go try some farm fresh foods today. Click HERE to enter our April 27th 2022, local grass fed give away! You could win a 50$ gift certificate for Longs Meat market in Eugene, OR.

Written by Kileen Swenson Lac, Acupuncturist and Herbalist at WellBalanced Center For Integrative Medicine