Frequently Asked Questions
HOW IS YOUR BEEF DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PRODUCERS?
Mindful Meats is a different kind of meat company. Our meat is unique, from practices, certifications, breed stock, flavor profiles, animal age etc. It is impossible to compare a Mindful Meats animal to any other Bay Area Meat producer. We are also the first Non-GMO Project Verified beef in the country, as well as being USDA certified organic.
WHERE ARE THE ANIMALS FROM?
All the animals sold by Mindful Meats are from small organic family farms in Marin and Sonoma County. They are all certified organic pasture based dairies. Mindful Meats personally visits each farm weekly to hand select our animals and ensure that the humane treatment of livestock and sustainable environmental practices that lay at the core of Mindful Meats are intact.
HOW DO YOUR ANIMALS LIVE?
Our cows spend their entire lives grazing the sweet, floral grasses of Marin and Sonoma county here in Northern California. They live full lives with over eighty-percent of their lifetime diet coming from pasture. Other than pasture, approximately twenty-percent of their diet is balanced throughout the years with organic silage, alfalfa, and grains. We are proud to say that our cows are sourced from some of the leading farmers in sustainable and humane dairy production. In years of heavy drought, pasture ration is balanced by increased alfalfa, silage and hay. They are never transferred to a finishing lot. The CLAs and Omega 3s are similar to that of grass fed beef since the animals are on pasture their whole lives and are never finished on grain. To learn more about our cow's lives click here.
WHAT DO YOUR ANIMALS EAT?
80% of our animals’ lifetime diet is pasture and dried grasses. When the grasses are dry, brown, and not so nutritious, our cows need a supplement to keep them healthy and happy. Our animals are supplemented with dried or fermented grasses. 20% of our animal’s lifetime diet comes from grains, which they received during milkings. The grain mix may consist of barley, rye, flax meal, rolled oats, rice bran, corn etc. All supplemental feed is Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified.
HOW OLD ARE YOUR ANIMALS?
Are animals are uniquely between 4 – 9 years old, with the average age being around 5 years. Returning to old world practices of rearing, raising, and respecting livestock is a core principle of Mindful Meats.
WHY DAIRY COWS?
Our animals can produce up to 6 – 7 gallons of milk a day. This milk will create cheese, butter, cream etc for many thousands of people. One of our animals contributes significantly more food during its lifetime than that of an average beef cattle raised to 18 – 24 months. Mindful Meats believes in a return to “Old World” farming methods. Where animals and farmers live side-by-side for many years before the animals end. Where an animal is more than just a perfect age to weight gain ratio. Our animals work hard to produce humanity food, and we are here to represent their gifts, without conventional prejudices, to the end.
HOW DOES THE BEEF TASTE?
Mindful Meats beef tastes amazing. Winning almost every taste test, the key words used to describe our beef are: CLEAN, BEEFY, ROUNDED, SWEET, MATURE, EARTHY, and RICH. To learn more about our beef click here.
More questions? Feel free to reach out to our team! We are here to answer any and all questions.