We have 5 ducks, and they take ALOT of work to maintain. They go through water faster than you can imagine. They, like the chickens and rabbits, need to be “put to bed” each evening, and let out each morning. They are a consistent part of our day, every day.  They take time, energy and money to maintain and keep alive. And all of this for a few potential eggs for our breakfast.

So, when I think about my few measly ducks and compare it to providing beef for a nation . . . well, they seem like a few measly ducks!

BC Ranchers spent the weekend chatting with locals at Save-On-Foods locations around the Lower Mainland. As I watched the twitter hashtag and check the pinterest board, the same conversation kept popping up. How hard these ranchers work, how much effort they put into their cattle and how they love what they do.

Again, bring back the measly ducks (or measly chickens) for a second: we love the eggs we get. We love that we have healthy animals, that are well treated and that gift us with food daily.  The experience of having animals on our property that provide for us, as much as we provide for them, has been an educational and rewarding opportunity for our kids.  They get to see nature at work, and get a better understanding for the cycle of food.

And again, we have just a few measly ducks (and a few little chickens too)

And I think I am pretty awesome for caring for, and collecting food from, these few measly ducks (and chickens too)

And I couldn’t even start to imagine the time and effort and expense it would take to maintain a herd of beef cattle. I walked away with a few key, inspiring thoughts after learning more about the cattle industry.

1. Love your beef.
I learned that in Canada we love our beef. We love it so much it is monitored like a stock on the market. Weather patterns change our buying preferences and the cost of meat cuts increase and decrease depending on demand.  Why does this matter? If you are out looking for meat for dinner and the cost of your favorite cut of beef is too expensive, try something new, switch it up a little and go for a better price. (and if you need help with seasonal recipes, check out the Canada Beef website!)

2. Love the ranchers that love your beef.
Canada Beef is just that; CANADIAN. Like 100% Canadian  It isn’t “just” a brand, or a copywritten name. It actually means that 100% of the cattle is raised and processed in Canada.  I love (love, love) Canada, and I appreciate the time and effort (and love and passion) that Canadians put into making local products, including beef. This takes shop local and buy local to a whole new level!

3. Love the people who love the beef.
I was amazed at the system behind the production of Canada Beef Inc. Previously I had the chance to tour a production plant that prepared all of the beef for BC Overwaitea foods division. The care, and attention that was put into the cleanliness of the factory, and the speed with which the beef was prepared and repackaged for the consumer was amazing.  And to understand the thought that went into reducing packaging waste and providing the end consumer with a premium product was impressive (did you know with the new air tight packaging your beef will last up to one month in the fridge!!!)

The beef on the RIGHT is the same as the beef on the left… BUT it will last up to 30 days in your fridge
(and uses better packaging for the environment)

To me, the passion the people behind a business have shows me what kind of business it truly is.  The troop from Canada Beef, BC Cattlemans Association and Overwaitea Foods were passionate about their work in the beef industry.  They were amazingly committed to the process of the product they were producing and had a huge amount of respect for the cattle, and the ground the cattle grazed on.

And the beef, well, it was mighty good! Especially as we BBQ’d it off the back of the sailboat later that night, in a quiet inlet, while the sun was shining and the seals were watching.

So, the next time you turn on the grill, take a moment to think about where your Canadian Beef product came from (it’s local, trust me) and appreciate the hard work that amazing BC ranching FAMILIES are putting into their cattle. And if you aren’t buying CANADIAN beef? Maybe now is the time to switch over, and start supporting this local industry!

It really is the big picture of buying local and supporting your neighbours, isn’t it?

Please note this is a sponsored post! And I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with Canada Beef to educate you’all about their products and work in the community!