Grass-Fed Beef (Stage Four)

FROM PADDOCK TO PLATE

Grass-fed beef (Stage Four)

Download the free Paddock to Plate app and select different produce or producers as case studies.
The From Paddock to Plate book by Louise FitzRoy is a useful resource to accompany these worksheets.

Watch the grass-fed beef “virtual excursion” and then answer the questions below.

MULTIPLE CHOICE:

1. What is the main reason that Warren stopped using herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilisers on his farm?

a) they were getting too expensive

b) tominimise the impact his food production system had on the wider community

c) he had too much land to spray

2. How does Warren package and keep his beef fresh?

a) usingcryovac or vacuum packaging that removes air prior to sealing

b) in brown paper bags

c) by wrapping the meat in newspaper

3. How has Warren added value to his beef?

a) he has created a unique logo and eye-catching packaging

b) he has created cured meat line of goods

c) all of the above

4. What helps Warren sell his beef for a premium price?

a) the sign on his front gate

b) the location of his farm

c) high quality beef and effective branding/marketing

DRAW THE FROM PADDOCK TO PLATE JOURNEY OF BEEF IN THE BOXES BELOW:

DID YOU KNOW?Beef is a nutrient-dense food and is a good source of protein, vitamin B12, iron and zinc.The United States and Brazil are the top beef producing countries in the world.The average cow has more than 40,000 jaw movements per day.The salivary glands of cattle, located beneath the tongue, produce 15-20 gallons of saliva per day.

MATHEMATICS

If a cow initally weighs 400kg after eating lots of grass and then loses 6 percent of her weight in the yards and then gets fed a bale of hay and puts on 2kg, what is her current weight?

Warren divides his cattle into 10 paddocks putting a different number in each: 12, 13, 16, 15, 17, 5, 7, 13, 9, 2 Calculate the mean (average) number of cattle in each paddock. Calculate the median number of cattle in each paddock. What is the mode number? Why?

ENGLISH

What do you think is the main message that Warren is trying to convey in this video? Explain why you have chosen this message and describe the tone, language used, mannerisms and context in which Warren has conveyed it.

Research and find the meaning of “holistic” management? Write it in a paragraph in the context of this video. To assist you, here is a link to the website of Warren's business:

SCIENCE

What is the difference between organic beef production and conventional beef production?

What does fermentation mean? What is silage? Explain how grass ferments into silage. What chemical breakdown occurs? Set up a practical exercise in the classroom to demonstrate how grass ferments over a number of days.

HISTORY

What does “preserve” mean in the context of meat? How was meat preserved before refrigeration? Describe several methods.

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGIES

Explain the grazing method that Warren uses. Why does he use this method?

FOOD TECHNOLOGY

How does Warren add value to his beef? List the products that he has developed. Explain the process of drying meat.

PE/PD/HEALTH

How much exercise do you think a farmer gets? Highlight 10 of the jobs that a farmer has to do and explain why these jobs are good exercise.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Should we be importing goods into Australia that we can produce ourselves? Is this a good thing? Outline some advantages and disadvantages.

PROJECT IDEA

Design a logo for Warren that he can use on his packaging of beef products.

EXCURSION – yippee!

Visit a nearby community garden to find out what produce is currently seasonal.

Visit a farmers’ market and interview the farmers– go to to find your nearest market.

Make sure to read From Paddock to Plate by Louise FitzRoy. It’s full of delicious beef recipes.

“Let the produce speak for itself. If it is fresh, seasonal and sourced locally, then it will taste delicious just as it is.”

– Louise FitzRoy, founder of From Paddock to Plate

RECIPE

Warren’s spaghetti bolognese

1 kg beef mince

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

800 grams tinned whole tomatoes

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup white wine

fresh oregano, thyme, basil

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Put the olive oil in a large pot on high heat. Put the mince in the pot and brown. Cook out the moisture from the meat to intensify the flavours. Add onion and garlic to the pot after the mince to avoid over cooking these ingredients. Then add the wine and cook the moisture and alcohol off. Finely chop the fresh herbs from the garden. Once the mince has browned, add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste and fresh herbs. Break the whole tomatoes up with your wooden spoon. Leave the sauce to simmer on a low heat for half an hour. Have a look and add water if you need to. Then leave to cook for another two hours.

Recipe courtesy of beef producer, Warren Pensini

Gluten-free variation: Use gluten-free spaghetti or rice pasta.

BEEF TIPS

Meat is actually mostly made up of water. A piece of beef is at least 60% and up to 75% water! When you cook a piece of beef some of that water is lost. The less water you lose, the juicier the beef you end up with, so it's important not to overcook your beef.

Cook beef according to the cut of beef you're working with. Each cut has its own particularities and needs to be cooked a certain way to get the best results.

Congratulations! I hope you have enjoyed learning about why it is so important that we know where the beef we eat comes from and how it has been produced.

“THREE CHEERS FOR OUR FARMERS AND THE

WHOLESOME FOOD THAT THEY PROVIDE US!”

Louise FitzRoy

Founder

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