Blog – Wild Meadows Local

Rising Beef Prices: A Farmer’s Perspective

I visited a local dairy farmer this past week to talk about buying hay to feed our cows next winter. We spoke of many things, including one topic on the top of many farmers minds recently – beef prices. Is it going to…

The Food Pyramid

This past week, new US health guidelines were released, where real food was the focus. While we are obviously in Canada and it isn’t necessarily directly relevant to our food policy, I think it’s telling to compare what…

Why Changes Proposed By The CFIA Matter To You, The Consumer

Today I’ll write about new cattle traceability rules that are proposed by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), how they may affect small farms and why it matters to you as consumers. It’s a nuanced topic and there is more to it than I can effectively write here, but I’ll try to give you an outline of what is happening.

From Pasture to Price Tag: Understanding the Rising Cost of Meat

I consider myself very fortunate that I rarely go to the grocery store (we have one in our backyard, and for the things we don’t have here, Rebecca is usually the one who goes). When I do find myself there, though, I…

Food Debates Are Getting Wild – Here’s Why It’s A Good Thing

You have some people who won’t eat anything that comes from an animal, and others who eat almost nothing else. Both groups say they feel great and insist the other extreme is sick; they just don’t know it yet. These strong opinions show how deeply food choices shape how we see ourselves and others.

Cloned Meat? Never on Our Farm!

Over the past week, I’ve received quite a few messages about Health Canada’s recent announcement. They have deemed cloned meat, specifically beef and pork, as safe. This means there will be no labels identifying it as cloned and no warnings to consumers…

Reuniting the Herd and Preparing for Winter in Ontario

This year, we had two groups of cows, one at our farm and another at a rental farm. This past week, the group that spent the grazing season at the rental farm finally came home. Bringing everyone back together always creates a bit of commotion as the pecking orders need to be re-established.

Our Commitment to Nose-to-Tail Eating at Wild Meadows Farm

At Wild Meadows Farm, we always look for ways to make the most of every animal we raise. Our newest product, beef stock, is a perfect example. We make it with meaty soup and shank bones from our cattle. Over the years, our bone broths have grown in popularity, and we hope this new product finds a place in your kitchen too.

How We Wrap Up the Grazing Season Each Fall

As the days get shorter and colder, we are winding down our grazing season. The grass we have left is in areas where we’ve either had chickens on pasture over the past few years, or bale-grazed last winter. This is a…

The Peanut Trap and “The One Bad Day” – Lessons from the Farm

Back in the days when I loaded my truck with coolers of orders and made deliveries myself, one of our customers gifted me a children’s book called The Peanut Trap. I remember reading it to our oldest daughter when she was just one or two years old. It’s been in our bedtime story rotation here and there, but as she’s grown older, it’s been set aside for more “big kid” stories.