For the past five to ten years, phrases like "eat organic", and "eat local" have become the new buzz all over the country. Supporting local farms is becoming a part of a renewed social consciousness. There's also more demand than ever for higher-quality food products of every kind, including meat. Enter Terrebonne Farms and Lick Creek Beef of Southern Illinois.

Terrebonne Farms, owned by Ryne and Karen Tharp, and Lick Creek Beef, owned by Josh Buchheit, produce great meats using organic and environmentally sustainable practices. The best part? Their products are now available at markets close to home, allowing more people than ever to buy locally in Southern Illinois.

Exceptional quality is a major part of the farms' philosophies. Both farms raise grass-fed and grass-finished meat, and have sought to go above and beyond the USDA's National Organic Program requirements, although neither farm is currently "certified organic".

"There's a lot of politics involved in going 'certified organic'; lots of politics and lots of money," Buchheit says. He added that word of mouth advertising has been crucial to their marketing since the 'organic' label is informal. "Really, there are farmers all over who are raising livestock and growing produce organically, although they're not certified. Their reputation for delivering a quality product is all they need"

Relationships are a big part of what both farms are striving to attain, be it networking with other like-minded farmers or connecting with the consumer directly. While Terrebonne Farms does not raise of all its cattle from start to finish, Tharp purchases some cattle from other local farmers that use practices that align with his philosophies on quality and environmental stewardship. "We want to work with other farms to create a larger market for sustainability in Southern Illinois."

Both Tharp and Buchheit approach raising their livestock (Tharp raises beef and lamb; Buchheit raises beef) with intensity and craftsmanship, in hopes of creating a superior product. Raising animals start to finish has many advantages. It allows a farmer to have complete control over the quality of their meat-the types of food the animals eat, whether or not the animal will be injected with growth hormones or antibiotics, etc.

Raising the animals also allows the farmer to breed selectively, picking the characteristics that make for better animals, which in turn, produce a higher-quality meat. Such practices take time and patience. "We've been raising sheep from start to finish since 2000, and we're finally getting the specific characteristics in our lambs that we really want," says Tharp.

Likewise, Buchheit has been carefully and thoughtfully breeding his cattle since 1994. "Taste is important, and we believe that some marbling is important for a good quality steak," he says. "We're breeding to achieve that perfect balance." It's quite an investment, but one that these progressive farmers are more than willing to make.

Southern Illinois consumers are tasting the fruits of all that hard work. The grass-fed meat does taste great; and it certainly stacks up better, nutritionally speaking, than its grain-fed counter parts. Most cattle are "grain finished" - bulked up with protein enhanced grain feed for the last few weeks or months leading up to slaughter. This quickly adds weight to the animal; it also infuses the meat with more saturated fat.

Grass-fed meat, is naturally leaner and lower in cholesterol. It also contains higher levels of heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and even slow some types of cancer.

Regarding beef, the grass-fed variety can vary in flavor and fat content depending on several factors, including the cattle breed, the farmer's practices, and the individual eating habits of the cow itself. As with all meat, your best bet for a delicious meal begins with choosing the right cut to suit the recipe you plan to make.

The rest depends on your own preferences and nutritional goals. If your priority is sticking to a more stringent low-fat diet, then choose grass-fed steak with less marbling. Choose a well-marbled (higher fat content) steak if you demand a richer flavor and don't mind the calories; you'll benefit from the Omega-3's and CLA, which are found exclusively in the fat.

Lick Creek Beef and Terrebonne Farms use local butchers to process and dry age their meat, which imparts tenderness and depth of flavor. The meats are then frozen and brought to market. Currently, you can find Lick Creek Beef at the Town Square Market in Carbondale, and every Saturday at the Carbondale Farmer's Market. Terrebonne Farms beef and lamb are sold at the Neighborhood Co-op in Carbondale, and at Seafood Specialties in Anna.

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Tips for cooking Grass-fed beef and lamb

• Thaw in the refrigerator, never in the microwave.

• Bring meat to room temperature before cooking

• When grilling or roasting, sear quickly at high heat to seal in natural juices, otherwise the general guideline is "Slow and Low"

• Keeping with the "Slow and Low" guideline, reduce the temperature of your grain-fed beef recipes by 50 degrees (use the lowest heat setting on a slow cooker) Cook to fork-tenderness.

• Grass-fed steaks and burgers are best enjoyed rare to medium rare. If well done beef is your preference, cook the meat in a sauce to ensure moistness.

• Grass-fed ground lamb should be cooked to 160° F until juices are clear

• Always let meat "rest" for 8-10 minutes, covered, after it's removed from heat. This allows the juices to re-distribute. Cutting into the meat during or immediately after cooking causes precious juices to be lost.

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Rib-eye with Garlic-thyme Marinade

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grates

• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (about 15 sprigs)

• 2 rib-eye steaks (each about one pound and about 1 ½ inches thick

• coarse salt and pepper

In a medium baking dish (or bowl), combine oil, garlic, and thyme. Add steaks, turn to coat. Cover dish and refrigerate; let marinate, turning steaks occasionally, at least one hour and up to overnight.

Heat grill to medium-high; lightly oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, letting the excess drip off (discard marinade); season with salt and pepper. Place steaks on the grill; cover. Cook, turning once, until meat is to desired doneness, 12-16 minutes for medium rare.

(Also try with T-bone, strip, porterhouse, and tenderloin)

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Ground Lamb with Orzo

• 1 pound ground lamb

• 1 can (16 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained

• 1 celery stalk, cut into ½ inch pieces

• 1/2 of an onion, finely chopped

• ½ cup orzo (small, football-shaped pasta)

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook round lamb, stirring frequently, until it is light brown; drain.

Stir in tomatoes, celery, onion, orzo, salt, and red pepper. Heat until mixture is bubbling; reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until all liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender.