Village. Wednesday. February 27, 1991 - North Shore News - 54 ode & Producer wants customers to look at entire process “WHY PANIC? Go organic’? is the current: marketing catchphrase among organic produce growers appealing to environmentally concerned consumers. a EWS photo Paul McGrath ORGANIC BEEF may be more expensive than the conventional variety, but Lee Taylor of Rafter K Ranches ({left) says customers are well compensated by the quality of the meat and the en- vironmentally friendly manner in which it is produced. Starting in the first week of March, Greg Harris (rigti) will be supplying Rodear Organic beef in his store, Greg’s Quality Meats, in Edgemont But organically grown goods are not just 10 be found among the fruit and vegetable displays. Organic beef and lamb are avail- able at Capers food store in West Vancouver, and Greg's Quality Meats in Edgemont Village has just started shipping in organic meat that will be cut on the premises and sold beginning the first week of March. Lee Taylor of Rafter K Ranches — the only ranch producing organic beef on the wholesale/ fe! 44 On Rafter K ranches, the animals are raised without the use of growth hormones, anti- biotics, or feed additives. ¥9 retail level in Western Canada and the U.S, under (ie nare of Rodear Meats ~— visited Greg’s Quality Meats last week to explain the organic production process and the benefits it offers con- sumers. On Rafter K Ranches, the animals are raised without the use of growth hormones, antibiotics or feed additives. “It’s quite a cocktail when you start adding up all the chemicals (used in) conventional animal farming,)"’ said Taylor. Because he cannot use antibiot- ics to fortify sick animals, Taylor says it is especially important for organic farmers to subject the animals to as little stress as pos:i- By Peggy Trendell-Whittaker News Reporter ble. To that end, Taylor says he moves cows through the stages of production in a manner that keeps their natural social groupings in- tact. And when the animals are put in the feedlot for their final, finishing weight gain. he has a maximum of 350 animals in his 20-acre paddock — far less, he claims, than conventional farmers who might) put thousands of animals in the same space. As shoppers know, however, meat produced in this fashion does come with a cost attached. At Greg's Quality Meats, owner Greg Harris says the price is be- tween $1ooand $1.50 more per pound, depending on the cut. Taylor says that the use of growth hormones adds {0 per cent to the weight of a calf, which translates to $50 or $60 in value. That’s the conventional farmer's profit margin, he says, which is currently being absorbed by cus- tomers who buy from organic farmers who don’t have that ad- vantage. Taylor encourages customers to “look at the whole process,’’ not just the price tag, and see that they are indeed getting good value in the Curm of healthier farm land and healthier animals. “Consumers are empowered by exercising their choices,’ he notes. “We can in fact make major and significant changes in a relatively short period of inne by purchasing or not purchasing a product." He predicts that costs will go down as more consumers jump on the organic bandwagon, but until that time he advises shoppers to “eat better, but eat less’’ if they are budget-conscious. Lower Mainland = restaurants currently using Rodear organic beef in their kitchens are Capers and Bumbles Burgers (in West Vancouver), Hotel Vancouver, 4ist Avenue Grill, Chateau Whistler, Alma Street Cafe, {sadoras and the Raintree. Lactose: The subtle sugar that isn’t sweet MILK HAS its own special sugar, called lactose. It’s a carbohydrate, as is granulated sugar, but it’s much less sweet. Though sugar int presence ways, Babies and smalt chitdren pro- duce a@ special digestive enzyme, called “lactose” which breaks down lactase sa it’s easily digested. However, with age, less factese is produced by the bods. fooappear. that otha roars who diave historically depended on herding amd dairying hase oa greater ahelty to Hivtose theouchorrt adullhowd do offer cultures, Reset ostaaate onty Fao per teietate last that taste the makes — its variety of we don't milk, it known in a divest Han that theueh Ser ee degrees of tolerance. As well, dairy products vary considerably in the amount of milk sugar they contain, Agtive bacterial cultures are ad- ded co mith to produce fermented milk products. These digest mich of the lactose ino the mifk for food, and ino turn produce lactis ad. fuigtic aeid peal tang to cuttured: products suctecas buttermaifk sour Cream end sogurt. Nad ats aeidits Gorden Rugs the prot Wako ose the Pextitig oad Oreaduets becotios crouhas amd tip dk ioith, STP NEEP ATED wiser vives the ap Tires ily SOT: okay pened for thats wine have difficulty digesting lactose. In spite of the activity of Inquisitive Cook ie ANNE GARDINER SUE WILSON bacteria in) cultured products, varving amounts of lactose re- main. For those concerned with the presence of lactose, recent research suggests yogurt) made with bulearicus cultures bas fess lactose than others. Surprisingly, cheese, though it’s alo made from milk, has fide iactose. Lactose is: found) in the whey portion of the milk, and this portion ais squeezed out during cheese-making. Only the curds are lett tor curing and ripening. Thus, thase who ape hictose im tolonamt can often soll eat cheese. But there are varietigs af cheese made trom the whey of putky such chal ied saris bar ETE Tbs stag tars? TEEN wast, those varieties. hee brewatee uf q ther cintoastepistis Petite, forng ts von trib: te ANY iB ° reteset diituates dissolving in cold water, it forms crystals more easily than other forms of sugar. When less expen- sive ice creams, which tse a high proportion of dried milk solids, feel grammy oor sandy an the tongue, it's often lactose making iis presence felt. Lactose plays an importam part in the browning of baking because of the reaction of sugar and pro- fein in heat. Brushing biscuits with milk befere baking sets the ste for the tops to brown to an ap- pealing amber. ‘the slight celor and carmelved tooo ced the catadensed mth Prom od@oosamdar protsine Yow pesporstbehye cunnes litetone rer atap ited. PMG soluns changes b aE] ded aad and bepress oes whaperatud