Free range or not?

[nursecroft]

Originally Posted by Alan77

Same goes for both, IMO. On TV recently, a test was done where organic tomatoes were tested against a non-organic tomatoes and there was no definitive proof that anyone could actually tell the difference.
I've bought and used both and I couldn't tell the difference. Same goes for free-range. I'm convinced most people find it tastes different because they want it to.

As regards free-range, that can be 3 hours a day outside. I used to go regularly to a farm where they had free-range turkeys. That never went outside. I'm not knocking you for trying to be positive, but it doesn't work as simply as people would like it to.

Not only would you not have the land in this country to split between cereals (for both bio-fuels and general consumption), vegetables crops, free range poultry, cattle, etc. It'll never happen (again IMO, because that's all it is).

Well i live in the country and know of lots of free range farmers and have never seen them shut up in the way intensive farmed chickens are. They have much more room in the barns and 3 hours outside is better than none however the ones i have SEEN go out all day. Did you watch Hugh's chicken run? He produced two lots of chickens using both methods and show what each are given in regards to space and mental enrichment. These are regulated and the farms are inspected.

As for land thats ridiculous, there is so much land sitting there not being used, if people bough free range and farmers could make money out of it they would use that space.

[Alan77]

Well, we'll have to agree to differ. I live in the country, too. I see things you clearly don't and vice versa.

I'll leave this thread, now...maybe I'll come back when I've a sense of taste that's as highly developed as yours.

[nursecroft]

You are the first person i have ever spoken to that cant tell the difference between the meaty good quality chicken and the watery fatty industrially reared ones.

Lets not forget the animal welfare issue, if you think its ok for those poor chickens to be crammed in a barn, to trample over eachother, poo on eachother then i think thats very sad. Alot of those chickens die way before they are ready to be slaughtered in horrible ways in disgusting conditions, its absolutely disgraceful and more importantly CRUEL.

I'll stick to my side of the country and feel happy that i dont support the pockets of those that choose to farm animals in that way. I know exactly where i get my chicken from, certainly isnt any supermarkets.

[dandysmom]

Well said, NC!!!

[Kim]

Yes definely NC, I am with you all the way, excellent post.

We recently stayed in the New Forest visiting a relative and I bought some free range eggs from a farm. My son (and he's only 20) cooked some of the eggs, and could tell the difference straightaway and he didn't even know I had bought any eggs! There is a massive difference between good quality free range eggs & meat, as NC says. I think it is sad if your taste buds can't tell the difference. However, for me, the animal welfare issue is far more important.

[Donna]

Originally Posted by nursecroft

You are the first person i have ever spoken to that cant tell the difference between the meaty good quality chicken and the watery fatty industrially reared ones.

I cant taste any difference either

[nursecroft]

Donna!! How can you not taste the difference it amazes me! There is so much more meat on a free range chicken from a farm shop than crappy 2 of a fiver intensively farmed unhealthy chickens stuffed with chemicals.

If you cant taste the difference or even see the difference the animal welfare issue should be enough not to want to buy those hideously abused birds.

[Sweeney Todd]

It's not just chickens that are full of rubbish....I would go mad if mummsy bought meat from a supermarket, It's full of water, chemicals and dye.....

You can tel the difference with any meat, or fish if you by it from a farm shop

[nursecroft]

Yes i agree, its all rubbish but i think chickens and rabbits are particulary badly treated.

[Sweeney Todd]

Is this the first time we've agreed with each other