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Sep. 25th, 2008 10:28 amSo. I had a concept spring up in my mind when at a talk about Kashrut at the Havurah camp last month. There have been problems with the kosher meat supply in this state (and others) - usually it's not too easy to find; and sometimes it comes from a large-scale commercial enterprise, a number of states away.
My thought was this: what if there were a farm for kosher meat in Massachusetts? It doesn't have to be the biggest and it doesn't have to be the sole source of kosher meat. The meat could be done on a co-operative basis, farm-share style, likely with Thursday deliveries at drop points. The cows would be free-range, organic I hope, primarily grass-fed with some corn and hay backup for completely snowed-in days. I am thinking cows, chickens and sheep. It does not have to include a dairy although it would be cool.
I can see several things that would be necessary for something like this:
1) Land. It takes a lot of land for grazing cows. One cow slaughtered per week could mean over a couple of square miles of range, which is not going to be easy to find in Massachusetts.
2) People with expertise. I know very little about farming and am not enamored of the idea of farming. A shochet (ritual butcher) would be needed too.
3) Money. See 1) and 2) above. They will not be cheap, as such.
4) Legal help. You need a lawyer for everything. This also refers back to 3).
I might be missing a few things.
The goals of this, that I can think of anyways:
1) provide high-quality kosher meat that's local.
2) be a foundation for part of a thriving kosher community in the state.
3) provide a good living for somebody willing to farm.
4) A place that would be willing to purchase the meat not taken by farm shares, which would be mostly the non-kasherable stuff.
I am thinking that if a standard grown cow is about 1,000 pounds of meat, and close to half of that cannot be kashered, then about 200 people could have some 2.5 pounds of beef a week, with occasional options for a chicken or some mutton if those animals are kept too. Double shares and family options could be available.
Right now this is nothing more than idea. Does anybody have any feedback on this? Flames excepted I mean.
This is left public in case you want to point people at it.
My thought was this: what if there were a farm for kosher meat in Massachusetts? It doesn't have to be the biggest and it doesn't have to be the sole source of kosher meat. The meat could be done on a co-operative basis, farm-share style, likely with Thursday deliveries at drop points. The cows would be free-range, organic I hope, primarily grass-fed with some corn and hay backup for completely snowed-in days. I am thinking cows, chickens and sheep. It does not have to include a dairy although it would be cool.
I can see several things that would be necessary for something like this:
1) Land. It takes a lot of land for grazing cows. One cow slaughtered per week could mean over a couple of square miles of range, which is not going to be easy to find in Massachusetts.
2) People with expertise. I know very little about farming and am not enamored of the idea of farming. A shochet (ritual butcher) would be needed too.
3) Money. See 1) and 2) above. They will not be cheap, as such.
4) Legal help. You need a lawyer for everything. This also refers back to 3).
I might be missing a few things.
The goals of this, that I can think of anyways:
1) provide high-quality kosher meat that's local.
2) be a foundation for part of a thriving kosher community in the state.
3) provide a good living for somebody willing to farm.
4) A place that would be willing to purchase the meat not taken by farm shares, which would be mostly the non-kasherable stuff.
I am thinking that if a standard grown cow is about 1,000 pounds of meat, and close to half of that cannot be kashered, then about 200 people could have some 2.5 pounds of beef a week, with occasional options for a chicken or some mutton if those animals are kept too. Double shares and family options could be available.
Right now this is nothing more than idea. Does anybody have any feedback on this? Flames excepted I mean.
This is left public in case you want to point people at it.
