Mel (& Paul) Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 probably do - although if you think of the space they have and the care they get then I guess you are paying for that (and possibly something for his fame ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 ...but they wasted £8000 worth of meat didn't they? - probably just a couple of carrier bags full then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Met him at the Christmas Good Food show. Nice enough bloke, one wonders if he's doing the whole farm thing for the right reasons though. His meat is astoundingly expensive though, those pigs must sleep in gold sheets! I met him and chatted to him at the rescue launch and I 'm sure he's genuine. He's passionate about what he is doing and is trying to take meat production backwards hence the cost. It's expensive not to intensively farm . He doesn't live a grand life at all. Sorry abit serious but I really believe in that kind of farming and what it stands for. You pay alot for rubbish food these days. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I am rapidly coming to the same conclusion We have gone organic on the veggies and I am just looking into the meat side of things. Hubby isn't to keen on meat anyway and I think that by cutting back on the meat portion side going organic shouldn't cost too much more if anything. I just need to do a bit of research first. I like the HUgh Fearnly Whittingstall approach of accepting responsability for the welfare of the animals that are sacrificed so that we can eat. I don't like the 'don't think about it attitude.' I've only just realised all this though I I have a few changes to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clare* Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I had my winter warmer hamper last week and I did not think it was bad value. It cost £30. Had 2 packs of different sausages,quite a lot of sausages in fact. Mince,braising steak,diced beef,steak and kidney,diced pork,pork chops and a bacon hock. I ordered 2 hampers as the delivery was £10 for one but the same for two and a friend and I have split it. Downside, we were missing a pack of braising steak and diced beef I emailed Thursday and have just got back in tonight and have not had a reply so will have to call there expensive 0870 number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Send an email and fax too. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I am rapidly coming to the same conclusion We have gone organic on the veggies and I am just looking into the meat side of things. Hubby isn't to keen on meat anyway and I think that by cutting back on the meat portion side going organic shouldn't cost too much more if anything. I just need to do a bit of research first. One way of saving money when you go organic on the meat side is to buy different cuts of meat - ie the cheaper less popular cuts. Hugh's meat book has load of great ideas. Free range and organic meat, especially the rare breed stuff is so much better than supermarket watery pap, that a little really does go a long way. Boned and rolled shoulder of pork is much cheaper than leg and much moister when roasted. Use every last s"Ooops, word censored!" of left over roast meat to make extra meals - cottage/shepherds pie from beef and lamb, fry onions, apples and mushrooms, add chopped cooked pork, bit of mustard powder, lemon juice and lots of cider and wonderful meal with pasta. You can get at least 3 meals from a good free range chicken. Roast, chicken curry with left over meat, and then make stock from the carcass and use this and the bits of meat left on the bones to make chicken noodle broth. Brisket makes a wonderful pot roast and is a really cheap cut. Try skirt and shin for beef casseroles instead of stewing beef. Shin needs a long slow cook but the results are far superior to the best stewing beef. If you are splashing out on steak for grilling, then try cheaper rib eye instead of rump or sirloin - really tasty and well hung organic beef should be really tender on this cut. Boned and rolled breast of lamb with stuffing in the middle makes a lovely roast and you can use the ribs to make scotch broth. I hope you are getting the idea here. Going organic/free range on meat will mean you can eat much better for less than you paid for supermarket stuff. Finally - I don't buy chicken portions unless the butcher is having a special on wings, when they are seriously cheap and I buy loads for stock. If you get whole chickens you can make up portions just as you want and you get the carcass for loads of stock and extra meat that falls off when making stock. Your butcher should also give you big bags of beef bones free for making stock - a good stock makes all the difference to any meat dish. Happy cooking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Good post Mothernhen A lady after my own heart. I am a dab hand and making meals 'out of nothing'. I can easily feed 4 adults a really heart chicken meal, with lots of veggies and throw in a dessert and cream for less than £5 But you have to grow your own veggies to do it! Years ago when money was tight, I could make a pound of mince feed 2 adult and 2 sons for 4 days adding all sorts of things - sometimes even longer. And don't start me on stews - they can last forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Wow, how do you do all that? We spend a fortune on food, and have just started buying most of our meat from a farm shop which effectively means we now spend more as OH goes crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Dont get me wrong BB, I firmly believe in free range meats, and will only buy it now. The Essex pig company is far more expensive that a local company, the somerset meat company, and they have Gloucester Old Spots which are free range. Their meat is superb and nowhere near EPC prices. (when I saw them at the show) Have a look at meatontheweb.co.uk. They raise their own chickens and slaughter on their own premises to minimise stress - the best chicken I have ever tasted! We eat less meat, of better quality now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 We buy organic lamb from the Farmers Market - a mini shoulder cost us £2.54 today. We make a stew with that which feeds us two twice and Lauren and Jake once and then soup for two. Eight portions for £2.54 We buy GOS pork from the Farm Shop and only buy small amounts as I find the taste so strong after 25 years being Veggie. Venison also tastes strong and a small amount goes a long way in any stew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Thanks so much for posting that, definately food for though (sorry, couldn't resist ) My biggest problem is my hubby, he won't eat anything with bones in it and the remotest whiff of grissle or sinew will get him to leave a massive amount as he cuts round it. I did move onto chicken thighs for a while but he didn't like the red meat He's so blooming picky that I need to disguise everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 We picked up our half a lamb on Thursday - organic and local - £40 for the half a lamb and we had the leg roasted last night - LOVELY! really tasty and loads left over. It was really good value, looking at the meat we had on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 I've just got back from the farm shop which Lesley recommended, apart from being well worth the visit to see the animals, I have bought some lovely dark red (hung for 21 days) Dexter beef and some Dexter beef sausages. I would've bought more, but my freezer is only tiny The meat wasn't the cheapest around, but it is reared on the farm and well prepared. I feel much happier buying that, although it doesn't have the organic label, it is as close as i can get without paying a fortune and I could see that the animals were well kept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 yup I agree with you Clare I think animal welfare is more important than organic. My choice would be locally sourced and well looked after before organic - if it can be all three all so much better. I would always go for English fruit and veg rather than organic from abroad (except for stuff we cant grow here - oranges, bananas (I tend to buy the fair trade rather than organic) etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Me too! Motherhen would be proud of me, I made a shepherds pie last week and it lasted Phil, Rosie and for 4 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Did you put the leftovers in their sandwiches too?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 no sarnies here Mel, Phil has lunch with me most days, so we ate it then (I prefer to have my main meal in the middle of the day). Rosie's school does good food, so she has school lunches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Can someone tell me this (it's been bothering me since I saw his pic when I logged on to this forum the other day): Why would Jimmy have an Eglu for his hens when he has just (or is in the middle of) adapting his old staff accomodation static caravans into a huge des-res hen house? I mean, he's got at least 20 hens! If he wants to find the eggs, I'd send my kids round three times a week to find them, and they can be paid in a pound of those excellent sausages per week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Interesting comments about organic. I have been reading something about additive free meats and liked the look of that. It's obviously cheaper too. I hate having to make a decision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 Had the privellige of attending one of Jimmies talks at the NEC last year, and I'm absolutely hooked on his series.I think its so interesting and I can't keep my eyes off it when it has started!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 Just spoken to Jane Howarth and we are getting ready for Jimmy's farm to come on. Have now got my role sorted out in the charity and am rearing to go, will fill you in tomorrow. I'm going to be a busy Buffie BBX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 I had the very embarassing task of trying to prevent myself from crying in the gym tonight when watching the chooks on Jimmy's Farm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 I recorded it because I was watching the football. (Get in Barcelona)! Hope it's not too sad! --Martin-- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Absolutely terrific! Jimmy showed all the viewers exactly where their cheap eggs and cheap chicken products come from. I hope it shocked viewers and changes their buying habits. Well done Jimmy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
