Tuesday, December 26, 2017

"Don’t Tell The Kids, But We Should Be Eating Reindeer Meat"

As noted in our intro to "Santa and CFR › Title 25 › Chapter I › Subchapter J › Part 243 › Section 243.4":
The introduction of reindeer from Russia to Alaska was quite a big deal at the time and a project of one of the most amazing sailors in the history of the northern seas, Captain Michael Healy of the predecessor to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Revenue Cutter Service.

For 20 years Healy was the law from Seattle to Point Barrow and in what was to become the state of Alaska  and the fact he was born a slave and rose to become the first black Captain in the service of the U.S. government was just a small part of his story.

The University of Alaska-Fairbanks has a short history of his and Rev. Sheldon Jackson's efforts to supply Alaskan Natives with a source of food, leather, income etc. when the northern whales and sea-lions were hunted to near extinction.....
From AgFunder:
Livestock farmers in cold climates all over the globe would really appreciate a particular gift this holiday season: for everyone in the world to start eating reindeer meat. 

Finland, Russia, Norway, Alaska, and Canada all have domesticated reindeer populations, but Christmas-related PR problems have hampered their progress in bringing the meat into the mainstream with its cousin venison — though reindeer meat can be found on the fine restaurant menus of Oslo and Helsinki

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has gone so far as to create a separate species name for Santa’s reindeer to differentiate the flying variety from the rest (Saintnicolas Magicalus … yes really).

Reindeer meat is extremely lean with a favorable fatty acid profile. Nutritionists praise it for its high vitamin and low fat content, much of which is healthy fats. In fact, reindeer meat is often compared to fish in terms of nutrition. 

Economically, a roaring trade in reindeer meat could be great for rural economies. Marketplace reported last week that one remote village in Alaska used grant funding to start a herd of reindeer to provide affordable food in an area where a gallon of milk cost more than $20....MORE