better, but less?

that's the question that's on my mind. i'm looking into locally raised beef & chicken. super pricey, to say the least. but isn't it worth it? knowing exactly where your meat comes from? knowing that it's being sustainably raised & humanely slaughtered? couldn't it be as satisfying as our trips to the farmer's market, purchasing directly from the very people who help grow our food?

the quick answer is yes, but no. right now, it really seems that we can't afford it. buying locally raised is even costlier than buying organic/grassfed/free range/hormone free from the whole foods meat counter... something that i never do anymore because of the cost.

the long answer is not an answer, but another question. what if we revamped our carnivorous agenda? jeremy and i don't really eat all that much meat as it is. there are definitely a couple of nights each week that we go without, simply because what we're in the mood for doesn't call for meat. what if we took that fact... and pushed it a bit further? what if we ate really, really good meat, but just less of it overall? would there be a difference in our monthly food expenditure? would the difference be worth it in the long run?

more to come on this idea as i do further research. i've found a website listing local farms that sell at farmer's markets (cheaper) and directly to individuals ($$$).