The real question with antibiotics and livestock

Happy Cows at BN Ranch

There are so many things in our country that if "We The People" knew, we would stand in protest, or that's what we would like to think. We continue to smoke, over 25million of us, even though we know and fully understand the potential outcome. And, that list goes on and on with our addictive and destructive habits. I'm by no means a saint or perfect, but when some things just slap you in the face when you become a little older and (hopefully) wiser you shift your priorities and values. Such is the case with me regarding antibiotics being abused for the raising of livestock. There are numerous reports and leading scientists that warn against the abuse of antibiotics even in humans and the reasons and possible outcomes are as scary as any sci-fi or horror movie you will ever see. But, a large majority of us seem to not be asking the right questions. We get caught up in the "he said she said" bullshit, or we make it a political game to dodge the issues. 

Or we just ignore it. Hell, that's so much easier!

Recently there was an article published in the National Agricultural Library where the USDA commissioned a report on the antibiotics used in the raising of livestock. Here is the link to the article in Mother Jones. Ironically the article just vanished last Friday once the watchdog groups got a hold of this powerful document. For me it's not about the occasional use of anything in particular it's the abuse and cover up and lack of transparency that concerns me greatly. So I ask you to ask yourself this question "if something goes against the natural order of things, is it worth the risk of continuing?" It's really that simple and apparently it is that simple to Sweden because 20 years ago they banned the "routine" use of antibiotics in raising livestock and European Union thought the same as well because they followed suite in 2006.Hat's off to Europe, well done.

Just to clarify I'm not saying we should never use antibiotics in raising livestock, but there is no reason to routinely add small doses of antibiotics their feed for no apparent reason other than the "if they get sick"excuse. Vote with your fork, educate yourself and understand where your food source comes from. Your life just might depend on it.

The photo above was taken at BN Ranch in Bolinas, CA. Where Nic & Bill NEVER use antibiotics and their cattle live free on hundreds of acres of land.

Chopbiscuit on the road: Walking the ranch with Bill & Nicolette Niman

Two weeks ago while in San Francisco expanding my Culinary knowledge along with my waistline I reached out to Bill & Nicolette Niman to see if they had some time for a visit. I have never really had the chance to visit the famous ranch that Bill started over forty years ago so I was really hoping they were up for a visit as well as a tour of the ranch. They were home and told me to come on up, so I grabbed my BFF's (best foodie friend's) Shauna from Sacramento & Chef Eric from NY and off to Bolina's we went.

I've driven Hwy 1 along the California coast many times over the years but never and I mean never with the excitement that I had last Thursday on our way to the farm. I've only met Bill & Nicolette a couple of times, we have some mutual friends and Nicolette & I keep in touch through Facebook so I was so honored that they would take the time for a visit. I'm getting ahead of myself so let me start with the The Niman's:

I could write countless words describing what they have both done for sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry and for the environment. Also, the countless folks like me that they inspire before they even met each other and then 20 more pages on what they have done since they met, wed and had one of the most bright & beautiful little guys I have ever met.

 I would like to tell you what they mean to me.  To me, they are to sustainable agriculture and good living what the Beatles were to music ~they have changed everything. Ok, now don't roll your eyes or stop reading just yet, but they have both in their own ways done more to restore animal husbandry and the restoration of our environment than pretty much anyone you will meet in your life time and have a huge following everywhere they speak and each time they write. They continue sharing, writing & speaking all over the country and beyond. Bill was telling me that he just spent almost two weeks in the UK speaking about his passions and spreading the word. Nicolette in just the last two weeks has attended the 2011 Food Camp @ the prestigious MIT in Cambridge, MA., spoke at Chef Michael 's restaurant Lumiere, (I was able to attend this event) gave a speech at Slow food, Napa Valley's - A Tail of 2 Pigs at the incredible campus of the CIA Greystone, and last but not least, a visit from chopbiscuit. Wow, I'm tired from just typing what they have done lately

As I said before I was really excited for the afternoon but knowing Northern Cali has had a very wet spring with almost 20 inches of rain in a couple of weeks, so I was worried that we would not be able to walk the ranch or even be able to see the operation. So knowing this I was doing my good weather dance and man did it work because not only was it great weather Nicolette commented that it was the best spring day so far this year. I could not agree more, because living in Northern NY we are weeks away  from these kinds of days.
When we finally arrived, Bill greeted us at the door with their Great Dane the wonderful Clair De Lune and followed by Nicolette and Miles with big smiles.

After catching up for a few minutes Miles was ready to lead the charge up the first hill but quickly fell behind because there was so much other cool stuff to check out. We headed to the breeding pens for Heritage Turkeys. As we arrived at the pens, Bill opened the door walked in and Clair was right behind him. My first reaction was to step in front of her and stop Clair from getting to the turkeys but I was about a second too late she bolted in. I was shocked that not only was she excited to be near the turkeys, but the turkeys didn't mind her being in their home. The Toms and Hens just walked all around us and at one point the large Tom was fanning his large tail feathers directly into Clair De Lune's face, it was quite funny. Seeing each breeding pen after breeding pen, (three in total) we saw the same thing: the turkeys were not aggressive or even concerned one bit.

Next we begin walking the ranch and I had to drop back and take a few minutes take it all in. It was almost overwhelming from the beauty and to actually walking the ranch that I have read and heard so much about. It was such a great day and you could smell the ocean and the breeze was great. We walked and talked for hours, watched Miles play in puddles and looked out over the cliffs into the Pacfic Ocean that the ranch drops into. At one point I asked Bill how in the world he ever leaves to go on speaking engagements and such and he looked me and said that if it was for needing "milk money" he would ever leave.

As we approached the first heard of cattle Nicolette & I were hopeful that the now famous female cow "Girlfriend" was in this bunch. At first it didn't look hopeful but in the distance on a hill top Nicolette yelled, "there's Girlfriend" and with that yell we all headed towards her. Now this might not be exciting to some but I can tell you that for me I was really excited because I have read about her in Nicolette's book ~Righteous Porkchop and have seen pictures on line but now was my chance to meet her.

Girlfriend was saved from "going to town" by Nic's lawyering skills. You see, if cows cannot produce calves then they are not much use on a ranch and Girlfriend was not pulling her weight on the ranch so to speak. So after pleading her clemency case she was spared that year and was spared the next year only because she became the perfect babysitter to other calves in the herd. Finally, Girlfriend was with calf and Nic's lawyer skills were not need this season. For the next several years she produced several healthy calves and Bill agreed to allow Girlfriend to live out her days on the ranch. It is quite a story and for a ranch to have a happy ending like this it just puts a big smile on my face. So that's why I was so excited to finally meet her.

We continue to walk and talk, changing from walking with Miles to watching the Niman's walk their incredible piece of heaven on earth. I hope to return one day and even get my hands dirty.. Oh, and one last thing, I don't think I will ever get all of the mud out of my shoes and man does that make me happy, cause every time I look down at my shoes I can be right back on the ranch.

Hot Dogs & Conversation with Nicolette Hahn Niman

Recently I had the chance to attend Dinner & Conversation with Nicolette Hahn Niman hosted by Chef Michael Leviton at his restaurant Lumiere in Newton, MA.. One of the best things about the evening was the fact that it was a small intimate setting with approximately 18 of us including Chef and Nicolette.

We started the evening with a meet & greet. It was good to see Nic again, I have not seen her since our first meeting approximately 6 years ago at a dinner in San Francisco with my friend Merril Gilbert. At the meet & greet I met some incredibly fascinating people including Chef Michale Leviton the owner of Lumiere and who is deeply committed to supporting New England Farmers, growers and fisherman. Leviton is also the National Board Chair for the Chefs Collaborative and I can tell that Chef Michael is one incredibly passionate person.  I also had the pleasure to meet Elizabeth Fitzsimons, who is the the Outreach Coordinator for sustainable seafood programs at the New England Aquarium and Jeanette Limondjian from Barnes & Noble.

Jeanette and I hit it off from the moment we sat down to a family style dinner and what a fascinating lady.  Jeanette (I hope I get this correct) has the kick-ass job of reading galley proofs of young or not yet published writers and if she deems worthy helps get them published. Jeanette's friend was no other than Kenneth Kaplan MSW,M.Arch/H.P. (and I have no idea what all of those letters stand for but if you ask me they mean wicked smart dude.) Kenneth is the Co-Founder of MIT's Collaborative Initiatives and is currently working on projects such as NIRF (National Regional Food System), which is taking the findings from childhood obesity and puts them into action with a food system based on access, affordability & quality.

The Host gave us a very passionate opening bio about himself about his humble beginnings as a cook in San Francisco in the early 80's and how this hippy rancher stopped by one day with some of his humanly raised grass fed beef so Micheal decided to give it a try. Chef Michael then went on to tell about from the moment he first cut into that beef that this was not the normal everyday beef that he was use to cutting or cooking with and was hooked. From the excellent marbling to the superior flavor - it was a cut above most beef I've had. It just so happens that this ranched was no other than the Godfather of Naturally & Humanly raised beef Bill Niman. This sparked a friendship that goes way beyond just Farmer/Chef. 

Nicolette Hahn Niman then began to speak and I realized that this is one of those people that I cold sit and listen to all evening. Nicolette began with a quick overview of her career and what a career it has been so far.  She has been a lawyer for the National Wildlife Federation and worked with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr at his Water keeper Alliance .  Along the way she became Eco activist for both the planet and humanely raised cattle.  Nicole also writes regularly for the Huffington Post, The Atlantic and many others while also speaking around the country promoting her Book The Righteous Pork chop ~finding a life and good food beyond factory farming.  Nicolette is also "The Ethical Vegetarian Rancher" for BN Ranch in Bolinas, CA with her ranch hand Bill Niman.

Nicolette joked that the BN in the name of their ranch stood for Bill & Nic and how Bill jokingly reminds her that she is the Ranch Hand not the Rancher. Nicolette continued to educate us on the power of voting with your fork and how powerful it is to shop at the farmers market and how important it is to know the source of your food. 

Now on to the food: Hot dogs and chili.  Now, this might not sound like a meal created by a Chef like Michael, but this is no ordinary meat used in the making of these dishes. It's no other than... meat raised on BN Ranch.  The Hot Dogs may have been the best Hot Dogs I have ever eaten. In all serious, they were huge and plump with the best part being raised in a way that you can feel good about yourself afterwards. 

What and amazing night. I got to see an old friend,  met some new ones and talked about issues that are really important to all of us - Health, both ours and the planet!

Be Well, Eat Well and play hard!