You might be interested in this place, Andrea for when you run out, want something different, or want dairy, eggs or meat products other than ground beef and chicken breasts:

http://www.freshfromthefarm.ca/

We have the same aura of guilt surrounding our meat consumption around here, and this place offers the same kind of relief. It's a bit of a trip for you, but we can always turn it into a Saturday playdate - it's not that far from us.

The people there are just lovely too. Always smiling, and they love little kids!

Andrea,
As you know, our family is vegetarian. We are lacto-ovo, though. Miss M just turned 2 and I recently switched her from whole milk to 1%. The problem with living out here in the boonies is that the organic milk (which I have used so far b/c I hate the thought of my daughter drinking bovine growth hormone) only comes in pricey, 2 litre plastic jugs. $5.60 a jug whether it's homo or 1%. My kid likes her milk. We were easily spending $25 a week on milk just for her. The price for a 4 litre bag of non-organic 1%? $6.50. Practically 1/2 the price and a whole lot less plastic left behind. I've switched her from organic to non-organic until the Christmas trip to visit the relatives is paid off. And, like you, I hate that I am forced to make these kinds of decisions.

Sounds like a good (and expensive) compromise. Am sure you've already considered a mini-coop of sharing the bulk and diversifying the cost -

it's hard to be sustainable in an unsustainable environment. Hat's off.

that's a lot of meat! Tht'd feed me for a long time!

It's going to feed us for a long time, too. Probably July. But that's ok.

Marla--thanks! I'll keep that one in mind.

MH, It's insane.

Jen, hey, if you want in on some organic free-range meat, let me know! I'm sure it would still be fine after shipping it across the continent.

Did you have to put it in an extra freezer?

My parents caught us about 20 lbs of halibut this past summer & we still have a lot left. (In fact we're having some tonight. Halibut in coconut milk, yum.) It takes up about 1/2 the room in our existing fridge/freezer... I've thought about going in on 1/2 a cow from a local ranch but I don't know where I would store it!

BTW I've had free-range chicken once or twice (not from a farm, just the usual store) and I thought it tasted a lot different. Did you notice that too?

I am so with you.
We eat less meat now that we try to stick with the organic stuff. It is worth it of course but I wish it were easier to make the right choices.
We also are onto organic milk.
It is tougher financially with four kids to pull it off.
During the summer we have a farm share for produce and that helps a bunch.

Good for you!

It might interest some of you who want affordable 'organic' food that there is at present a consultation process sponsored by Agriculture Canada, the provincial Agriculture and Agri-food departments, etc. I am pasting in an address, which will bring up an agenda for one of the public consultations.

http://www.agr.gc.ca/pol/consult/index_e.php?s1=subscribe&page=round2

I have the agenda bookmarked because I have to go to it to make a submission from our local Community Health Centre.
*Anyone* can register for this discussion. And a series of requests that organic food be priced competitively (read 'Milk board') would get a hearing. You can also comment online, etc. Might be worth taking a look?

Mary G

We shop at the organic store. We spend (hold your breath) upwards of 300 USD PER FREAKIN' WEEK
on groceries! It's killin' me, but I can't shop any other way.

I guess I am very very lucky. My FIL Grows Organic Beef . So I get it a good, no great price. The last time I ate meat from the grocery store. I was sick for days. Now (yes Ilive int he country) We grow our own poultry,,,just for us. I cannot go back.