Berlin Reed – The Ethical Butcher

Berlin Reed

Recently named by Grist Magazine as one of 40 People Who Are Reinventing Green, Berlin Reed is the butcher, chef and writer behind the The Ethical Butcher blog. He says that his practice is driven by personal relationships with small local farmers, a deep love of food, respect for the animals we eat and the environment on which we depend.”

“As a butcher who was vegetarian for more than half my life,” says Reed, “I strive to help people understand the importance of their choices. I hope to empower people to navigate this maze of grass-fed, pastured, free-range labels and misleading “green” marketing to find the most sustainable and responsible choices in meat and fish. As someone in the meat industry, I think it imperative that I form relationships with farmers, I do this through my main project, custom-cured heritage pork and lamb bacon. I cure in everything from whiskey to horseradish to watermelon using only heritage breeds in order to bring much-deserved attention to local farmers who are doing it right and to connect the public with the superior meat they raise.”

I recently had the chance to speak with Berlin about his transition from vegetarianism to becoming one of the most well-known butchers in the U.S and why he thinks “ethical butcher” is not an oxymoron.

The Ethical Butcher

Modern Hippie Mag Podcast

Steve McAllister

In addition to serving as Managing Editor and contributor to Modern Hippie Mag, Steve McAllister is an actor, musician, accomplished author and filmmaker. His most recent novel, The McAllister Code is available as an e-book at www.themcallistercode.com. Find Steve on Twitter, @InkenSoul. Read his reviews and articles here.