What's the Difference?

Here at parable farm, as in hundreds of other family-owned farms across the country, a grass roots movement is underway. Animals are being taken out of their crowded feedlots and cramped cages and returned to their natural habitat--open pasture. From birth until market cattle, bison, and sheep are being allowed to breath fresh air and graze on lush grass. Chickens, turkeys, and pigs are free to feast on greens and forage for insects. As in nature, their rate of growth is determined by the quality of their food and the richness of their environment--not a pharmacopoeia of drugs.

Here is a list of differences you can read about in Jo Robinson's book, "Why Grass Fed is Best" or on her website www.eatwild.com:

CHICKEN

PASTURED

COMMERCIALLY RAISED

Clean Air	Air Hazy With Particles*
Killed by Slitting Throat	Killed by Electric Shock Which Inhibits Bleeding Clean*
Carefully Hand Eviscerated	Mechanically Eviscerated Which Spills Feces on Carcass*
No Injections During Processing	Routine Injections (Tenderizers, dyes, etc.)
Cooking Loss—9%of Carcass Weight	Cooking Loss—20% of weight
No Chlorine Baths	Up to 40 Chlorine Baths During Processing
No Irradiation	FDA Approved Irradiation (Label not Required)
75% More Omega-3
400% More Vitamin A

BEEF

PASTURED

COMMERCIALLY RAISED

500% More CLA
300% More Vitamine E
300% More Omega-3
200% More Beta Carotene

ALL MEATS

PASTURED

COMMERCIALLY RAISED

No Vaccines, hormones or antibiotics	Vaccines, Growth Hormones, Routine Medications
Small Groups/Low Stress	Large Groups/High Stress*
Fresh Air and Sunshine	Limited Air & Practically No Sunshine*
Plenty of Exercise	Limited Exercise & Space*
Fresh Daily "Salad Bar" of Greens	No Fresh Greens or Bugs*
Short Transport to Processing	Long Transport to Processing*
Low Saturated Fat, Lower Calories	Higher Saturated Fat, More Calories
No Transport for Chickens/No Stress	High Stress from Group Transportation
Naturally Occurring Vitamins	Synthetic Vitamins Because of Grain Diet
Consumer/Farmer Relationship	Consumer/Producer Alienation
Rich, Delicious Taste	Poor Flat Taste
Edible	Should No be Eaten

*Also applies to nearly all "Certified Organic" chickens and beef