Warning: If you are distressed by the concept and/or practice of raising and harvesting animals for meat consumption, please read no further.

Many small farmers in the Palouse raise livestock for meat production and sell directly to the consumer. There are hurdles for the small farmer to be able to sell meat to the consumer.

My co-workers sometimes tease me as we’re stacking the cases of products that arrive on freight days. Surrounding us are towers of yogurt, frozen fruit and veggies and … bread. Yes, bread. Our Co-op bakery makes amazing loaves to satisfy the cravings of whole-wheat addicts like me. But what about those who can’t digest the gluten in wheat (and rye and barley and oats)? That’s where my bread tower comes in.

Last month I introduced you to one of our suppliers of beef for Country Natural Beef, Mark and Tami Rietman; just as I toured their ranch, I have also toured our lamb supplier Anderson Ranch.

A few of our bread enthusiasts have been downright indignant recently to discover that Co-op bread baked a day or two previously is still available for sale and that it costs the same as the loaves baked just that morning.