It's grilling season and I love my meat. I really do. But I have a huge problem with the health, environmental, and animal cruelty aspects of factory farming. So call me a mostly vegetarian who indulges occasionally in carefully chosen fleshy delights.

This nut in cheek post on Grist about eating squirrel got me thinking about how our meat eating habits are mostly cultural. When I traveled in Vietnam every kind of flesh was fair game, including, of course, Fido. I've heard that in France, the finish line for a horse is often a Parisian's plate. And, while I probably wouldn't eat dog, even just to be polite, and I can't quite imagine eating a horse, or a squirrel, I have been known to relish the occasional rabbit in a restaurant.

When I think about animals that are not eaten on a mass scale, I'm intrigued by the fact that it's unlikely they are the victims of industrial scale agriculture. Maybe I ought to exercise the adventurous side of my palate more often. So I set out to find out what "alternative meats" are available to us here in the US. The sources below were picked somewhat randomly so shop around. And, as with any meat, ask how the animals were raised to ensure that they were allowed to eat their natural diets and not raised in crowded, inhumane, unsustainable conditions.

Now to the meat:

Emu is a large, flightless bird that is touted for the health properties of its oil. Some say the meat is also delicious and nutritious. It is raised in many areas of the US.

Ostrich is a lean red meat with a rich flavor. It is low in fat and considered a healthy food by many. There are many producers in the US.

Buffalo or Bison tastes a lot like grass-fed beef and, like grass-fed beef, is healthier than feedlot beef. Readily available online and in many grocery stores.

Wild Boar is somewhat of a misnomer because if it's raised for food, it's no longer wild.

Venison is now raised for food and is the term used to describe any deer meat.

Elk is a rich, dark meat that is milder than venison and sweeter than beef.

Happy Grilling! Whether it's tofu, grass-fed beef, elk, or ostrich...

Image: o2ma