FWIW, in a number of urban centers you can find area farms involved in community-supported agriculture, even if you can't find a store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. If you purchase a farm share prior to the season, and then every week you're delivered a share of whatever produce they've harvested that week. The produce can range from vegetables and herbs to honey and eggs, but depending on the farm you can substitute something if you don't include it in your diet. In my area, at least, a season usually runs from around June to October, and a share for the entire season (which is usually enough to feed about 3-4 people) runs about $400.
Of course, you take the same risk as the farmer that the crops will go pbbth that season, and you get whatever it is that they have so there isn't always much you can do in the way of meal-planning. On the other hand, you're eating locally-produced food in season, you're supporting a family farm which isn't doing monoculture to survive, and you're paying less than you would if a grocery chain was involved.
You can check out
LocalHarvest to see if they have one listed in your area.
rikuHEART
And I totally agree, but even free-range animals are sent to the same slaughterhouses as those that aren't. In the end they're all killed in the same unacceptably cruel way. neutral Interesting tidbit: my understanding is that problem is lessened if you buy kosher or halal meat. In order for its meat to be considered kosher or halal, an animal must have had its throat slit with a sharp knife in such a way that the animal dies instantly. That also reduces the likelihood of mad cow disease, because there's no chance that the brain case is shattered and cerebro-spinal fluid is getting into the meat.
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