Meat CSAs: The Perfect Gift For The Mindful Meat Eater

Sure, you know about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)–investing up-front in a farm's harvest and regularly receiving a bountiful box of produce.

But now the carnivorous among us can get in on the action by supporting local, sustainable meat production through meat CSA memberships. With animals on everyone's tongues (e.g., the cult of the butcher and our homegrown carnal magazine Meatpaper), why not give the gift of meat this holiday?

The Sonoma County Meat Buying Club offers local beef, pork and chicken–with goat meat added by request. Members can also special-order duck, goat, lamb and organic eggs. There are five pickup locations in Sonoma County and one in San Francisco. (Minimum order: $195 for 7 pounds a month for three months.)

Marin Sun Farms Meat Club CSA offers six- or 12-month memberships, with 10 package options that include steaks, roasts and ground beef, lamb, goat, pork, veal and poultry. Members can also custom-design packages. Choose from fourteen Bay Area pickup locations. (Minimum order: $192 for 5 pounds of sausage a month for six months.)

Members of the Soul Food Farm CSA pick up in San Francisco or the East Bay and can order as often–or as infrequently–as they like with a prepayment of $100. (Minimum order: $25 of your choice of whole chickens, giblets, livers, leg confit or eggs.)

If all you want for Christmas is some bacon, our choice is Black Pig Meat Company's Community Supported Bacon Club. The heritage meat is raised in the Pacific Northwest, then cured for 21 days by pig master John Stewart of Bovolo and Zazu. ($110 plus shipping for 1 12-ounce pack a month for 12 months.)