All life is sacred.

We should respect every part of the plant or animal we consume. By respecting our food; where it was raised, how it was grown, the interactions it had during its life, how it was harvested, prepared, stored, cooked and consumed, we gain a whole new appreciation. This appreciation allows us to see the true value of it and look for ways to fully utlise all that we harvest.

On the farm we embrace nose to tail eating. And what can't be consumed, where possible is recycled back into the system. In nature there is no such thing as waste!

Beef Bones are wondrous! Out of these parts of the animal that could be often seen as waste we can get three yields from one simple process:

Tasty slow cooked meat,

Lard for cooking and adding delicious flavour to veggies,

Beef Broth to nourish ourselves and add flavour into any dish where stock is called for.

Just pop in a slow cooker for 24-36hrs and voila!

If you really want to close the loop, throw the bones in your fire to make bone char and reuse the ash back on your garden to add calcium and phosphorus back into the system.

Have a go at making your own beef broth; it's super easy, super nourishing, low cost and most of all DELICIOUS.

Words and video by our Kaitaki Collective Member Phil Varley, Farmer and Grower at Pihi Farms in North Canterbury.