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Post by jayjay on Jan 11, 2008 19:23:32 GMT
Did anyone see this series? It was on over 3 days this week. I thought it was absolutely amazing, all credit to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for bringing this to the attention of the public in such a novel way!
And I will never eat anything but free-range chicken ever again, in fact free range any sort of meat when possible. It's the only way to get it through to the powers that be (i.e., supermarkets) that our food should be 'honoured' by having a reasonable and good life before we kill and eat it. Anything other than that goes against nature, I think.
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Post by Graham on Jan 11, 2008 22:10:46 GMT
I saw it advertised but I didn't watch it on purpose because I knew it would put me off chicken, I remember going to a chicken farm for a visit with school and I didn't eat chicken for years after that.
I really love meat but I hate the thought of how it gets to our plate, I suppose I ought to eat free range meat if I had any conscience at all.
Regards
Graham (reluctant carnivore)
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Post by wendy on Jan 12, 2008 9:05:59 GMT
Yes,I did watch it, but it didn't really tell me anything that I didn't know already. Hopefully it will change a few peoples' minds about what they buy.
Buy your meat from the local farmers' market and avoid the supermarkets altogether. At least you can ask the person selling it how it was reared.
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Post by jayjay on Jan 12, 2008 10:28:21 GMT
I knew about battery chickens, but I hadn't actually seen inside a battery chicken production shed until this series.  I couldn't believe that farmers are only paid 3p each for them, so the mark up in supermarkets, even when sold cheaply, are enormous. The cheaper the chicken, the more horrific the surroundings its raised in. It was followed last night by Jamies Fowl Dinners - egg and chicken meat production in fine detail, which didn't make very nice viewing either, but brought home to me the point that it doesn't have to be this way if we start insisting on free range. |
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Post by Graham on Jan 12, 2008 11:55:33 GMT
Just been to Morrisons and they have sold out of free range chickens but I managed to get a Wye Valley Freedom Foods RSPCA monitored chicken, it cost a bit more than we normally pay but at least I know those nice RSPCA inspectors had monitored its life before I eat it.  |
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Post by wendy on Jan 12, 2008 19:14:49 GMT
Well done, Graham. I sent John down to the market today and our local free-range chicken supplier had sold out despite ordering more in this week. We had to settle for beef this week.
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Post by Derek on Jan 12, 2008 20:34:50 GMT
Get signed up then www.chickenout.tv/sign-up.htmlLike Graham I am a reluctant carnivore, I would like to know that the chicken have been given a decent life if only a short one. Derek |
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Post by jayjay on Jan 12, 2008 22:56:53 GMT
Just did! Thanks for the link, didn't know there was a site you could join. |
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Post by jayjay on Jan 12, 2008 22:59:43 GMT
Amazing that demand has meant that some areas are running out of free range or similar! I think it's great! I hope it continues in this fashion, and that farmers are encouraged into these methods of production... and that the supermarkets don't start buying cheap chicks from abroad.
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Post by wendy on Jan 13, 2008 9:58:53 GMT
Trouble is they can't start extra production overnight and if the supermarkets think that they can make more profit with cheap chicks from abroad.  |
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Post by Derek on Jan 13, 2008 10:33:35 GMT
The supermarkets make more profit out of ethical foods as they work on a percentage markup (thats what I have read anyway). We try and buy fairtrade products but only if the quality is good compared with the standard product. Likewise with organic, we won't buy manky old carrots and spuds just because they have organic on the label. Thanks to Jayjay for highlighting this, it has stirred me up. The links from the www.chickenout.tv site are interesting, particularly the Compassion in World Farming link. www.ciwf.org.uk/supermarkets/index.aspThe supermarkets are taking notice it seems but at the end of the day it is down to the general public. If they will pay more the supermarkets will oblige, it will increase their profits. I think some legislation will also be required to ensure that higher standards of animal husbandry are maintained. I must put my soapbox away and go and wash the camper while it's not raining ;D Derek |
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Post by lizziebythebeach on Jan 19, 2008 18:51:52 GMT
Hi Jay Jay yes I caught a bit of Hugh (love him!!) and Jamey too. Have bought free range eggs for the last year in my local 'village' Chicken I only buy occasionally but when I do it is free range - but am I being sceptical in thinking that from my local Sainsbury it really IS free range? Must be as they couldn't sell it. When I occasionally eat out I will not order egg or chicken based dishes cos I dont know where it comes from. I dont eat out that often. I hate the idea of chicken or pigs being reared in close quarters so avoid buying.
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Post by jayjay on Jan 19, 2008 19:52:24 GMT
Hi Lizzie,
Until I saw the shows, I never thought about the food I eat when I'm out!
Or those horrible broken battery egg yolk yuck quiches they sell in supermarkets - that was on Jamie's Fowl Dinners... did you see that muck? it was almost pink, urrrgghh. I will never buy one of them again in my life. In fact, I have got off my bum and started making more of my own food as a direct result of these progs.
For not much more expense and effort, you buy the best ingredients (including free range eggs & meat) and you get a better taste, it's that simple - and it doesn't cost as much as ready-made and there's twice as much. I think I've been seduced into buying a lot of ready made meals as there's only me and the dog here. Seemed to be easier to buy ready made - I must have forgotten what real food tastes like!
I've gone back to having a baking day, like when the kids were little... except I usually freeze some for later in the week/next week.
It makes you think!
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Post by lizziebythebeach on Jan 21, 2008 16:42:10 GMT
Yes Jay Jay I totally agree with you - buy the best organic free range you can afford and make your own. I enjoy a COOKING DAY when I make stuff for the freezer from scratch so I have something ready to cook at the end of a busy day or when I cannot be bothered to start cooking. Soup is my favourite - in fact I sometimes have more that I can eat! Like you say to buy good ingredients is not that expensive if you are careful and it is better than the ready meal muck that has a list of ingredients so long it takes up most of the label. Glad we are all becoming more aware of the awful plight of the animals we rear and kill for food. I am not a veggie but pretty close.
I too live with just the dog and even her food I am careful about - she isn't though!!!I have more time to cook now that the family have gone and I noticed that my daughter is doing something similar at weekends for her little boy to eat when he comes in from school. Good on yer!!!!
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I couldn't believe that farmers are only paid 3p each for them, so the mark up in supermarkets, even when sold cheaply, are enormous. The cheaper the chicken, the more horrific the surroundings its raised in.
