Experiential Meat Education and Meat Collectives: An Introduction

The Good Meat® Project incubates new, independently-owned Meat Collectives in communities across the nation. A Meat Collective typically organizes and hosts regionally-based, hands-on meat education programs. They offer classes, to consumers, farmers, chefs, and butchers, in whole animal butchery, charcuterie and cookery, as well as humane slaughter. Meat Collectives help students explore ways to produce, source and eat meat in accordance with Good Meat® values, while teaching them where that meat comes from and how to take part in the processes that get it to our tables. Meat Collective classes are taught by local chefs and butchers and the animals used for each class are sourced from local farmers who are responsible stewards of land, animals, and people and who are dedicated to transparency from start to finish. Meat Collective classes are meant to be stepping stones for anyone on a mission to reconnect to their sources of nourishment. To check out other Meat Collectives that exist or have existed around the country, or to learn more, go here.

Even if you don't wish to start a whole new business, that you brand as a Meat Collective, our resources and tools are meant to help anyone who wants to host experiential meat education classes for consumers or others, whether under the umbrella of an existing butcher shop, a restaurant, or an existing farm or ranch. Teaching your community Good Meat® values, and how to find, buy, butcher, and cook it encourages them to be lifelong supporters of Good Meat® businesses. It's a great marketing tool.

Good Meat® Project founder, Camas Davis, has chosen to share her decade of experience running the very first Meat Collective (the Portland Meat Collective) with you. These resources reflect that experience and all the lessons that she learned along the way. Camas and the Good Meat® Project are fully committed to open sourcing these resources. Nevertheless keeping them up to date and maintaining this platform takes ongoing resources. Please consider supporting our efforts by offering a donation in exchange for any or all of these resources based on your personal financial experience and/or privilege. We have offered suggested amounts. If you would like to donate more or less than the suggested amounts, you can enter an amount that feels right for you in the custom amount field below. If you are not in a position to donate at this time, simply enter zero, fill out all the other fields, and then click on Purchase.

Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or require more support in your meat education endeavors. info@goodmeatproject.org.

Head back to the main page to start perusing all of our resources to help you bring experiential meat education to your community and/or business.