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May I suggest Seven Sons Farms. We raise grass-fed beef near Fort Wayne Indiana but we do deliver to Hammond, IN which is only about 25 min. from downtown Chicago.

If you would like to learn more about our farm and how we produce our products please visit: http://www.sevensons.net

We also raise all-natural pastured chicken, turkey & pork.

Hope this is helpful.

- Blaine (the 2nd Son)

Blaine,

Do you sell your meat fresh? I've been trying to find a source for fresh, never frozen grass fed beef for a while now.

Is the tallgrass stuff sold at Fox & Obel previously frozen? I didn't think so. They have a nice selection of cuts.

I was under the impression that it was previously frozen, but I have never asked directly at the meat counter. I'll have to look into that.

Today I saw ground buffalo meat at Target in Mundelein, and I *think*, I'm not sure, that the label said grass-fed. I will check in the next day or two and update this post.

Hi -

I am also reading omnivore's dilemma and am completely disgusted learning about grain fed beef. Before I read this book - I actually went to a seminar on grain fed animals and the havoc it is causing the environment. The US had so much corn (genetically modified corn) they didnt know what to do with it - when they found they could feed it to livestock - and make them fat quicker, and then finish them quicker, to get bigger and more meat for our increasing consumption - they started just raising cattle and feeding them grains. It's easier and cheaper - however, the people consuming the meat are getting the short end of the stick, not to mention the poor cows on feed lots living only half the lives they could - not able to move around and feed on what their stomachs were made to feed on - GRASS. So with all the corn they eat, they get bloated, to combat the bloating they are given antibiotics. Did you know 84% OF ALL ANTIBIOTIC consumption in the US is in livestock? gross. And we wonder why our daughters are reaching puberty at age 8.

Bottom line - grass fed beef tastes better, and is as healthy as eating fish (in proper portions of course). I cant find it for the life of me in chicago. Sure fox and obel has SOME sometimes - and then occasionally i can find it frozen.
Higher end restaurants sometimes carry it - but well...that can happen only so often.

Has anyone been able to find a new source for that in this area? Personally - i think it even tastes way better than a prime cut of steak. it is BEEFIER. also - did anyone know that the steak in argentina is all grass fed - that's why it's so good. They did start feeding some cattle grains - but guess what? That's only for shipments to the US! They dont, and woudlnt eat grain fed beef - their taste buds KNOW the difference!

"Did you know 84% OF ALL ANTIBIOTIC consumption in the US is in livestock? gross. And we wonder why our daughters are reaching puberty at age 8."

I'm really not trying to start something, I'm honestly curious. Do antibiotics cause early puberty. I'm all on board with grassfed beef and am pretty anti-corn after watching the documentary 'King Corn," but I thought all the soy/plastics/phytoestrigens were causing the puberty issue, not antibiotics and therefore corn fed beef?

One can also get corn fed beef that is free of anti-biotics and hormones. Whole Foods has it (none of their meat has either).

I know Whole Foods grass fed brand these days is "American Grass Fed", it comes from Missouri. It is absolutely a fresh product - and a store pretty much has to buy a whole or half a cow - so certain cuts (most notably tenderloin) sell out quickly. So call ahead and get them to set what you want aside for you.

Tallgrass beef is now being sold at the Shop & Save markets (Des Plaines, Niles and Schaumburg). They also have Amish chicken and "natural" lamb and pork that purports to come from smaller farms, but I haven't had a chance to research the brands.

Another source of grass-fed beef is

http://www.nicklesdistributioninc.com/about_us.htm

Steve has set up a number of pick-up locations, at least in the Western suburbs, after the Farmers' Market season is over. (Today was the last day for the Hinsdale market.)

He's working somewhat like a CSA, but not charging in advance for the season. I assume that means he will have to stay there to collect money for the items ordered by phone or internet. He also offers to deliver any order over $50. I'm not sure that's good idea, costwise.

He is offering brief Saturday pickups in Naperville, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, and Wheaton for pre-ordered items.

He also offers a few items from Randy Ream's Elburn Market, and the line of pickled stuff from That Pickle Guy, who makes really great pickled things, including giardinera and lots of different pickles. WF in Willowbrook has some of his products.

http://www.thatpickleguy.com

Mike

I've seen Tallgrass beef in some local stores, but never bought it before this past week because of its higher price. Well, Tallgrass might be trying to increase its market share, because I noticed it on sale at competitive prices in the last couple of weeks. I bought a piece of Tallgrass boneless chuck for $3.99 a pound a few days ago; Dominick's regular boneless chuck was selling for $4.49 a pound. I think Tallgrass ground beef was on sale as well, though I didn't buy it.

Interesting. I've had the grass fed beef at Craftsteak in NY and have generally preferred the cornfed beef. The clerk at Fox & Obel said she preferred the cornfed beef also, so I didn't buy the grass fed. But I would like to try it sometime soon.

I think the best way to try this is to get two friends and go Harry Caray's, which has grass-fed, wet-aged and dry-aged steaks. Order one of each and you can do a head-to-head comparison. (I bet if you tell them that's what you're doing, you can get them to send out the steaks nicely divided for sampling. Ask them not to tell you which is which until you've done the tasting.)

Grass fed beef does taste different, and from what I understand it doesn't grade the same as corn fed (the way the beef marbles is different, and grading is based on marbling, right?). You might like one better, you might need a bit of time to decide, after a few tastings, since it's not what you are used to.

This is exactly correct.

Grass-fed beef has a quite different taste than corn-fed beef. It's a bit more assertive and, I find, almost gamey.

I got hooked on grass-fed beef back in Virginia - local farmers like Double-H, Mount Air and Polyface to name a few - raise delicious beef that's, IMHO, rather reasonably priced. When moving out here to Chicago I assumed that I'd be able to find whatever I wanted meat-wise (just given the size of the market), but have found that it's rather difficult to find. The Tall Grass stuff is good, and I've got a lot of respect for them getting their business going, but I haven't found it to be as delicious or tender as the grass-fed stuff I got back in Virginia.

As an aside, heritage pork (Berkshire, Tamworth, etc.) was a lot easier to find as well.

It's odd that moving from a small town to a huge city I've got more options food-wise than I ever imagined (comparing Charlottesville, Virginia's two Indian restaurants to the selection in Chicago is comical), but yet quality meat is hard to find.

-Dan

It is my impression that they serve this at Prairie Grass Cafe (sorry if this was said already).

I tried his beef at an event at Sunset Foods in Highland Park earlier this year. I wound up interviewing him about his grass fed beef movement too here: http://chewonthatblog.com/2008/01/29/grass-fed-beef-revolution-an-interview-with-bill-kurtis/

I had the opportunity to work with Mr. Kurtis a few months ago. You can talk to him about working in news, or about documentary work, and he's engaging enough - but start talking to him about beef, and watch out because that's when he really turns it on. He is truly passionate about Tallgrass and ranching, and a total class act as well.

dansch,

You can find Berkshire Pork at August grocery in Wicker Park, Ask for George.
Otherwise PM me, we can find you what you need.

Awesome. To be honest, I completely forgot about that place. Really cute little shop... I actually almost rented the third floor loft above August when I first moved here. The guy (and his sister?) that ran the place were super sweet. If only I had rented that place I would have uber-convenient access to Berkshire pork!

-Dan

I don't know if this has already been discovered, but I just found this website I'm kind of excited about (really more for chicken than for beef)

Eat Wild

Now I have to figure out a "meat" icon for my Farms & Orchards map...

If you are on the southeast side of Chicago you may want to consider Seven Sons Farms. This farm makes deliveries to Chicago several times each year. More info can be found on their website http://www.sevensons.net

i know a farmer in joliet that has beef. & it is good stuff.

And that farmer is ????

his name is jerry, i call him jolietjerry. i think he told me mid feb for next side of beef.
his t-shirts say nobody beat's my meat