Where’s the grass-fed beef? It’s right here.

Believe it or not, it’s almost 2008.

If there’s ever been a year to “go green,” this is it.

Today I’ll humbly recommend one option: Eat local grass-fed beef.

You can learn how to buy and cook health-conscious, eco-friendly grass-fed beef from Snohomish County in my Get Fresh story today in the Food section — where you’ll also find a great column by food writer Jan Roberts-Dominguez on greening up your kitchen.

I’ll admit: I rarely eat red meat. I love it, of course. But it’s pretty high up the food chain and isn’t all that healthy for you.

But grass-fed beef is different. It’s leaner. It’s higher in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also your chance to connect with local farmers while also supporting a more sustainable style of livestock production.

One of my co-workers and her husband recently resolved to eat more sustainably raised meat. They vowed “not to buy any CAFO meat for at least six months.”

CAFO is short for Confined Animal Feeding Operation. CAFOs are usually associated with factory farming and large numbers of animals and the pollution and health problems caused by large quantities of animal waste.

Though beef packaging at grocery stores won’t say if meat is from a CAFO or not, your best bet for avoiding CAFO products is by shopping local and, in many cases, buying grass-fed products.

Yes, you can buy local grass-fed beef by the individual cut if you just want to sample it first. But you’ll save a lot of money — and make eating local more sustainable for your family — if you buy grass-fed beef in bulk.

Sure, it might be hard to afford, not to mention store, a quarter of local grass-fed or

even grain-fed beef by yourself. But you could go in on a quarter with friends and family.

Scroll down to the end of the story — here’s that link again — for lists of local retailers and producers selling grass-fed beef now and in 2008. You’ll also find recipes and tips for cooking this much leaner, old-school style of beef.