Author Topic: Should you eat that bacon? (Read 3130 times)

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 16, 2012, 12:59:18 PM »

Quote from: Phar Lap on July 16, 2012, 12:46:22 PM

Did you ever teach in college/grad school?...I am betting yes

Yes, I teach a graduate-level class on Pricing and Revenue Management from time-to-time at the University of Houston.

pizzablogger · « **Reply #21 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:14:54 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on July 16, 2012, 12:57:05 PM

I’d have to take some exception to this. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but it doesn’t happen often in my experience. I’ve been to many pig farms, and I’ve never seen it. In most of the places I’ve been, pig feet never touch dirt. They live on a cement grate and the waste falls through the grate, and they are washed regularly. Visibly sick animals do not get processed into food for humans.

Your descriptions of the grow areas are correct (I've only been to one). As I mentioned, I did not mean ALL farms, but the regularity of washing the grates can be an issue. Craig, did the farms you visited know you were coming beforehand? What is the guideline for a "visably sick animal"? Is the guideline possibly worse than what a normal person may feel comfortable with....if they were allowed to make a decision themselves (not that we should even entertain the red tape involved in that process on a large scale)? If an animal is sick, but is able to walk on its own power and be herded to processing, then what?

Quote

It is absolutely not accurate to say that most Americans are eating sick animals on a daily basis. I also doubt it is accurate to say that animal B is necessarily cleaner than animal B (we don’t eat cows, by the way, we eat steers and heifers).

We eat steers and heifers...correct sir. If you were to tell me that all grain fed steers or heifers is a healthy animal by the time it gets to the processing plant, I would have to disagree with you.

It was very interesting to speak to Mr. Salatin at Polyface Farms during a drop by visit to the farm (you can just drop by there). His view of the healthiness of animals and what is going on inside too many (not ALL) CAFOs was very interesting. He might be the one who mentioned the somewhat well known phrase of if the walls of many commericalized animal operations were made of glass, people would eat much less meat. It's not so much the largest operations like those found in Colorado and out West, but the small to mid level operations that were taken issue with...and they supply a meaningful amount of the meat we eat. --k

pizzablogger · « **Reply #22 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:23:38 PM »

BTW, before this potentially devolves into a many paged back and forth, if I am ever in your area of Texas I would very much like to go hunt for a Wild Boar, butcher it and eat it in various forms with you are yours. That would be a meat-tastic event I would enjoy very much. --k

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #23 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:30:43 PM »

Quote from: pizzablogger on July 16, 2012, 01:14:54 PM

Craig, did the farms you visited know you were coming beforehand? What is the guideline for a "visably sick animal"? Is the guideline possibly worse than what a normal person may feel comfortable with....if they were allowed to make a decision themselves (not that we should even entertain the red tape involved in that process on a large scale)?

In some cases yes, and in some cases no, but I was never there to check-up on them. There are QC inspectors who monitor the suppliers. In many cases with pigs and almost always with cattle, the buyers are out working with the ranchers and farmers as well. Chickens are generally the only animals that you are contracted to buy from the time it is born.

I can't speak to what criteria is set for rejecting an animal, but I can say that the companies I have worked for take food safety and quality very seriously. Personally, I am comfortable buying meat sourced from the large US agribusinesses.

CL

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:31:36 PM »

Quote from: pizzablogger on July 16, 2012, 01:23:38 PM

BTW, before this potentially devolves into a many paged back and forth, if I am ever in your area of Texas I would very much like to go hunt for a Wild Boar, butcher it and eat it in various forms with you are yours. That would be a meat-tastic event I would enjoy very much. --k

I can (and would love to) make that happen - but don't think they will be clean. Caked in mud is more likely. Darn tasty though.

CL

scott123 · « **Reply #25 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:33:05 PM »

Quote from: pizzablogger on July 16, 2012, 01:23:38 PM

BTW, before this potentially devolves into a many paged back and forth, if I am ever in your area of Texas I would very much like to go hunt for a Wild Boar, butcher it and eat it in various forms with you are yours. That would be a meat-tastic event I would enjoy very much. --k

Spoken like a true vegetarian

pizzablogger · « **Reply #26 on:** July 16, 2012, 01:39:24 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on July 16, 2012, 01:31:36 PM

I can (and would love to) make that happen - but don't think they will be clean. Caked in mud is more likely. Darn tasty though.

CL

Well I don't expect that they will be giving baths to each other out there in the scrub....unless there is some strange stuff going on in Texas.

-k

SinoChef · « **Reply #27 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:51:04 PM »

Great thread. I agree with everybody.

The bacon wrapped turkey reminded me of this nasty thing....

Bacon-wrapped, cheese-filled, battered and fried hot dog.

http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/post_135

Jet_deck · « **Reply #28 on:** July 16, 2012, 02:55:46 PM »

Quote from: TXCraig1 on July 16, 2012, 12:59:18 PM

Yes, I teach a graduate-level class on Pricing and Revenue Management from time-to-time at the University of Houston.

Sadly, I think we have only scratched the surface of this guys endless list of talents.

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #29 on:** July 16, 2012, 03:52:06 PM »

Hey Craig,

I have a jet boat and me an the guys over on the Vintage Jet Boats forum are trying to figure out how to section/customize my windsreen....would you mind coming over an "handling" this for us?!

You can spare 5 min. ,right?

Thanks!
Bob

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 16, 2012, 04:15:41 PM »

Quote from: Chicago Bob on July 16, 2012, 03:52:06 PM

Hey Craig,

I have a jet boat and me an the guys over on the Vintage Jet Boats forum are trying to figure out how to section/customize my windsreen....would you mind coming over an "handling" this for us?! You can spare 5 min. ,right?
Thanks!
Bob

Sure thing. I'll get right on it.

Where in NC are you. We lived in Charlotte for a while. Loved it. My wife worked for Bass Pro Shops (does it get much better than that?). I traveled all over NC and SC selling processed pig parts. Great little part of the world.

CL

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #31 on:** July 16, 2012, 04:40:51 PM »

Durham, Craig...yes it is great here,many different choices for weekend fun and all within easy reach. Been here 22 years now from Aurora, Ill....yes, right next to Naperville!

I once had a courier business delivering emergency repair parts for Digital Corp.....24/7 so I too have been all around this beautiful State and beyond (my service area was anywhere within a 4 hr. radius of the Capitol City).

btw, IS there anything you can't do? Wait! don't answer that....lets keep it the way it is...for everyone to enjoy!!

Bob

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 16, 2012, 04:48:45 PM »

Quote from: Chicago Bob on July 16, 2012, 04:40:51 PM

Durham, Craig...yes it is great here,many different choices for weekend fun and all within easy reach. Been here 22 years now from Aurora, Ill....yes, right next to Naperville!

Ironically where I was just before NC as well...

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #33 on:** July 16, 2012, 04:54:03 PM »

Does this mean I'm going to end up in Texas now?

Actually, if it weren't for the heat there I would not mind it a bit. My older sister has lived in Houston now for about 25 years....small world sometimes.

TXCraig1 · « **Reply #34 on:** July 16, 2012, 04:58:33 PM »

Quote from: Chicago Bob on July 16, 2012, 04:54:03 PM

Does this mean I'm going to end up in Texas now?
Actually, if it weren't for the heat there I would not mind it a bit. My older sister has lived in Houston now for about 25 years....small world sometimes.

Yes it it.

This year has been pretty mild in Houston.

CL

Tscarborough · « **Reply #35 on:** July 16, 2012, 05:32:14 PM »

I lived right in between ya'll, in Pinehurst for years. I really liked the weather in Nawth Karolina.

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #36 on:** July 16, 2012, 05:41:29 PM »

I remember you saying that recently Tom...was gonna ask if you were a golfer. Took this yankee a looong time to understand what the heck these people were say'in...you're funny.

Used to go down to "The Rock" when the NHRA still had Rockingham on their tour schedule...very nice down yonder there...

Tscarborough · « **Reply #37 on:** July 16, 2012, 05:53:27 PM »

I gave up golfing, no time and even less talent. My dad built golf courses though, and the new clubhouse and lake Pinehurst and renovated the Carolina, etc. I was just on G-maps checking out the old 'hood and noticed that our lake has a name: Blue Pond. We just called it "the lake". There is a golf course now where we lived, they used our old house as the clubhouse for a few years, then tore it down. It was a 100 year old 6,000 SF 2 story log cabin with a fireplace in every room, damn shame they tore it down. Pinewild was the name of the "farm" and is now the name of the course.

I also loved the coast and spent a lot of time in Wilmington (Carolina Beach, actually).

Chicago Bob · « **Reply #38 on:** July 16, 2012, 06:09:52 PM »

Man, that is sick about the house. 6,000 sq.ft. Wow! Was it post an beam? Did they at least hang a nice photo of it in the new Clubhouse? Was that house located right by the lake...please don't tell me "right outside the back door"

That place must have been awesome...

Tscarborough · « **Reply #39 on:** July 16, 2012, 06:31:16 PM »

It was at the top of the hill about 1/4 mile from the lake (right where Pinewild Project LP is). There was a nice curvy dirt road, downhill all the way from the house. We kept a ski boat and a couple of john boats for fishing. Us kids (3 brothers and a sister) spent so much time down there that Dad ran a phone line to the pier (which is still there) with a loud ringer. That lake was full of bass and we were the only ones that fished it. I caught a lot of fat sows on fly there, 7-8 pounders. The only thing that sucked about living there was the 2-1/2 dirt driveway from Linden road where the school bus dropped us off to the house. Pinewild drive looks to be about it, although much straighter (It used to cross all three streams that fed the lake). We also used to jump trains from there into town; the track was so old they would only let them do about 10 MPH.