Eat Meat?
Posted 3/23/2010 11:16pm by Christy and Chris Kantlehner.
Hello there, omnivores!
If you have signed up to be on the mailing list at White Barn Farm, you may be the type to seek sources of meat that you can feel good about. We are Chris and Christy at White Barn Farm in Wrentham, MA. We grow vegetables and sell them to locals who sign up for our CSA or stop by our Roadside Stand. We don't have any domesticated animals here - not for pets and not for meat. Someday we want to graze some laying hens around the farm - they love to scratch and eat bugs and garden scraps etc - they fit right into the cycle. Anyway, the good news is that we do have farmer friends that can help you be a conscious consumer, in good conscience!! A little word about my philosophy on price: if you think you can't afford pricier meat, maybe we could all just eat less of it. Just like they say at yoga class: "each day try to give a little more and take a little less." Perhaps this is our global economic recovery plan?? At least a health plan?
CHICKEN
Nothing like a good bird, we like to say. A humanely raised chicken may seem to be outrageously priced compared to Perdue's "birds" but I think it is worth the money. Especially since you can roast a whole chicken for dinner (perhaps when you will be around for a while - a Sunday?). Pick it clean to have sliced chicken for sandwiches - go ahead and splurge on the avocado - we're never going to grow them so well here. Then make stock with the bones - throw in some veggie odds and ends, peppercorns, herbs, simmer, voila! You can freeze the stock or use it right away to make a soup or risotto or something. Delicious frugality.
Who's raising meat birds?
Our friend Floyd, who I met years ago at a NOFA winter conference. He is from Barre, MA and operates Burnshirt Valley Farm
He started out focusing mostly on raising heritage breeds of pigs in their natural environment - out in the woods rooting around. This year he is going to raise some chickens and ducks.
The short story is: He needs to order chicks from the hatchery by the end of March (one week). In order to reserve a chicken you need to first send him an email at stackingstones@aol.com. Make sure to include the quantity and type of birds you are interested in and your name and contact info. Then, make it official by sending a $2 deposit per bird (checks made to Floyd Kelley) to 685 Gilbert Rd., Barre, MA 01005. When they're ready, we will coordinate a pick-up time at White Barn Farm, likely during a Tuesday or Friday Roadside Stand/CSA Pick-up session. Floyd hopes to have the birds in the freezer by July. He says, "we will do our best to accommodate requested sizes of birds but the average weight for the birds will be around 5 lb. The Muscovy ducks are a new production project for the farm so please bear with us on our learning experiences to offer a wider array of products."
The long story, including the options - which you will have to specify in your email request, is this:
White Cornish Cross From Hoffman Hatchery
Meat chickens that grow fast and are great for pasture-raised operations. Do not have the leg or heart problems and are good grazers. At 8 weeks the weight is 5 lbs., at 10 weeks the weight is 7 lbs., and at 12 weeks the weight is 8 lbs. Very tasty. $3.80/ lb. Minus $2 deposit
Freedom Rangers From J.M. Hatchery
The Freedom Ranger day-old chicks are hatched in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The breeding stock is imported from the regions of Burgundy and Brittany (France). The genetic stock is derived from the American and European old heritage breed of chicken and was developed in the early 1960’s to meet the highest standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. Currently, the Freedom Ranger genetic stock is used by most non-factory farm production models (alternative) all across Europe and also by small pastured poultry producers in search of a traditionally raised farm chicken - just like the "oldies", healthy and with a succulent flavor and texture.
Since our Freedom Ranger Broilers are a slower growing breed, they are naturally better suited to the higher welfare and all true natural rearing systems (full pasturing, free range, organic, certified, backyard etc.…). In the United States most modern poultry industrial production models use fast growing breeds (hybrid white synthetic Cornish crosses).
Natural instinct and behavior is preserved in the selection and growing methods of our Freedom Ranger breeding stock. It goes without saying that our birds love foraging in pastures, free ranging outside, always looking for natural sunlight and fresh air, as well as ground scratching and dust bathing.
At J. M. Hatchery Inc. strongly believes in traditional, sustainable, and environmentally friendly farming methods, and are convinced that allowing the chickens to do what comes naturally ensures an incredible meal for your table!
$4.25 lb. Minus $2 deposit
Muscovy Ducks From J.M. Hatchery
Muscovy Ducks originated in Brazil and were domesticated in Europe. White Muscovy Ducks are best suited for meat production and make up 90% of commercial production of duck meat. J.M. Hatchery uses breeding stock from France that has been genetically improved (through natural breeding) to produce birds that are 50% larger than other Muscovies. The males can weigh 12 pounds in 12 weeks. The meat is less greasy and with a lower fat content than other ducks. They are known to have a sense of humor, are intelligent, and love to fly.
By Dr. Dennis P. Smith Country Hatchery:
“Muscovy meat is one of the healthiest meats on the market today, being 98% or greater fat free. Many people say that the breast meat of a Muscovy is hard to tell from a Sirloin steak. Famous chefs know this and use Muscovy meat in a number of ways. They have become experienced at cutting and preparing the meat for various delicacies. It is even ground up and used as hamburger in a variety of dishes. Individuals who are required to be on a low-fat diet know that the meat is not only great tasting but very nutritious. And, being so lean, meat from the Muscovy duck is not greasy as is the case with other ducks. Some say that the meat tastes a lot like expensive ham. Others say it is hard to tell from other expensive cuts of meat.”
$5 lb. Minus $2 deposit.
How do you get pork from Burnshirt Valley Farm? Floyd sells at the Waltham Farmers Market once a week. Some of you may have met him at last year's White Barn Farm Thanksgiving Sale at the Episcopal church in town. We are trying to get him to come to this year's Plant Sale . . . .
BEEF AND PORK
Those of you who have been on this list since it started may remember Chris' good friend from Green Mountain College, James Elworthy, a dedicated organic dairy farmer. Some of you have even purchased shares of meat from his farm (Liberty Farm) already. Well, James and his wife, Sarah, are in some awesome new digs in Poultney, VT (home of Green Mountain College, coincidentally). With the help of the Vermont Land Trust purchasing the development rights, James and Sarah were able to buy a 126-acre dairy farm. No more renting out a barn and hauling all manure with a wheelbarrow! The place has a wonderful barn with nice lighting, more space, a working manure scraper system, a vacuum line that brings the milk right to the bulk tank (no more hauling 5 gallon buckets one by one up the stairs) and his herd is up to 30 milkers. The very first calf that they were given at the beginning of their farming adventure had just had her first calf and begun milking when we visited in early March. Full circle!
Anyway, he has beef animals and pigs in addition to the small certified organic herd of dairy cows.
He sells pork and beef to customers in Massachusetts and Vermont. There are regular deliveries to Cape Cod as well as to White Barn Farm in Wrentham, Mass. His father comes from the Cape fairly regularly to visit and help on the farm and when he goes back he brings the shares down. All meat is slaughtered in a USDA inspected facility and is frozen when it arrives to you.
BEEF. Choose 25 or 50 lb share. Beef is $6/lb.
The beef boxes contain a full range of steak cuts, hamburger, ribs, and stew meat. Packages are usually about 1 lb each, so a 25 lb share would probably have 24-26 packages, for example.
PORK. Choose 25 or 50 lb share. Pork is $6.50 lb.
The pork has some really tasty smoked bacons, hams, shoulders, and well as fresh pork chops, ribs and sausage.
James says,"my wife and I work hard at nurturing the soils and ecosystem of our farm and we feel that this fosters animals with exceptional vitality, which equates to healthy food for all of us. If you have any questions or would like to arrange an order, call 802-989-9818 or email elworthyj@gmail.com
Thanks! James and Sarah Elworthy at Liberty Farm"
TURKEY
Brambly Farm is just getting established in neighboring Norfolk, MA. Ted O'Harte is a very experienced and knowledgeable Irish farmer. He is raising a wonderful diversity of birds, including chicken, different ducks, turkeys, and pheasant. He raises heritage breed pigs - you guessed it - outdoors rooting around like they should be. We expect to be offering Brambly Farm eggs at the White Barn Farm Roadside Stand and CSA Pick-Up site. We will also advertise sign-ups for Thanksgiving turkeys raised by Ted (and his family!). Hurray for new farms popping up in suburbia!
RAW MILK & GRASS FED BEEF AND VEAL
Terri Lawton is a young dairy farmer on her family's farm in nearby Foxboro, MA. Visit their website if you don't know about them already. They are doing Foxboro Cheese there, too!
GOAT MILK PRODUCTS & CHICKENS
You've got to check out Rosasharn Farm's beautiful website. I met farmer Anne at the annual Local Food Forum in RI a few years ago. She operates a vegetable CSA and a goat dairy (milk available for pet consumption) and makes cool soaps (I've been using her goat milk based laundry soap). I am including her in this "meatcentric" email because she will be raising chickens for meat this year. She had information about it at the North Attleboro winter farmer's market, although I could not locate it on her website. The flyer said the chickens should be ready in early September and will weigh around 4 lbs. Place a deposit on the chickens by June 1 and pay the rest according to the calculated remaining weight. Anyway, her farm is in Rehoboth, MA and is a good one to know about. You should be able to contact her through the website.
Well! That is all for now. Bless all your hearts for reading down to the end of this info-packed email!!!
We are proud to be able to support other small farms doing good things. We hope you appreciate this sort of info and decide to try some good meat directly from a small farm. It is amazing how obvious the quality of good meat is, once you know. Thanks again!
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Chris and Christy at White Barn Farm
www.whitebarnfarm.org
If you have signed up to be on the mailing list at White Barn Farm, you may be the type to seek sources of meat that you can feel good about. We are Chris and Christy at White Barn Farm in Wrentham, MA. We grow vegetables and sell them to locals who sign up for our CSA or stop by our Roadside Stand. We don't have any domesticated animals here - not for pets and not for meat. Someday we want to graze some laying hens around the farm - they love to scratch and eat bugs and garden scraps etc - they fit right into the cycle. Anyway, the good news is that we do have farmer friends that can help you be a conscious consumer, in good conscience!! A little word about my philosophy on price: if you think you can't afford pricier meat, maybe we could all just eat less of it. Just like they say at yoga class: "each day try to give a little more and take a little less." Perhaps this is our global economic recovery plan?? At least a health plan?
CHICKEN
Nothing like a good bird, we like to say. A humanely raised chicken may seem to be outrageously priced compared to Perdue's "birds" but I think it is worth the money. Especially since you can roast a whole chicken for dinner (perhaps when you will be around for a while - a Sunday?). Pick it clean to have sliced chicken for sandwiches - go ahead and splurge on the avocado - we're never going to grow them so well here. Then make stock with the bones - throw in some veggie odds and ends, peppercorns, herbs, simmer, voila! You can freeze the stock or use it right away to make a soup or risotto or something. Delicious frugality.
Who's raising meat birds?
Our friend Floyd, who I met years ago at a NOFA winter conference. He is from Barre, MA and operates Burnshirt Valley Farm
He started out focusing mostly on raising heritage breeds of pigs in their natural environment - out in the woods rooting around. This year he is going to raise some chickens and ducks.
The short story is: He needs to order chicks from the hatchery by the end of March (one week). In order to reserve a chicken you need to first send him an email at stackingstones@aol.com. Make sure to include the quantity and type of birds you are interested in and your name and contact info. Then, make it official by sending a $2 deposit per bird (checks made to Floyd Kelley) to 685 Gilbert Rd., Barre, MA 01005. When they're ready, we will coordinate a pick-up time at White Barn Farm, likely during a Tuesday or Friday Roadside Stand/CSA Pick-up session. Floyd hopes to have the birds in the freezer by July. He says, "we will do our best to accommodate requested sizes of birds but the average weight for the birds will be around 5 lb. The Muscovy ducks are a new production project for the farm so please bear with us on our learning experiences to offer a wider array of products."
The long story, including the options - which you will have to specify in your email request, is this:
White Cornish Cross From Hoffman Hatchery
Meat chickens that grow fast and are great for pasture-raised operations. Do not have the leg or heart problems and are good grazers. At 8 weeks the weight is 5 lbs., at 10 weeks the weight is 7 lbs., and at 12 weeks the weight is 8 lbs. Very tasty. $3.80/ lb. Minus $2 deposit
Freedom Rangers From J.M. Hatchery
The Freedom Ranger day-old chicks are hatched in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The breeding stock is imported from the regions of Burgundy and Brittany (France). The genetic stock is derived from the American and European old heritage breed of chicken and was developed in the early 1960’s to meet the highest standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. Currently, the Freedom Ranger genetic stock is used by most non-factory farm production models (alternative) all across Europe and also by small pastured poultry producers in search of a traditionally raised farm chicken - just like the "oldies", healthy and with a succulent flavor and texture.
Since our Freedom Ranger Broilers are a slower growing breed, they are naturally better suited to the higher welfare and all true natural rearing systems (full pasturing, free range, organic, certified, backyard etc.…). In the United States most modern poultry industrial production models use fast growing breeds (hybrid white synthetic Cornish crosses).
Natural instinct and behavior is preserved in the selection and growing methods of our Freedom Ranger breeding stock. It goes without saying that our birds love foraging in pastures, free ranging outside, always looking for natural sunlight and fresh air, as well as ground scratching and dust bathing.
At J. M. Hatchery Inc. strongly believes in traditional, sustainable, and environmentally friendly farming methods, and are convinced that allowing the chickens to do what comes naturally ensures an incredible meal for your table!
$4.25 lb. Minus $2 deposit
Muscovy Ducks From J.M. Hatchery
Muscovy Ducks originated in Brazil and were domesticated in Europe. White Muscovy Ducks are best suited for meat production and make up 90% of commercial production of duck meat. J.M. Hatchery uses breeding stock from France that has been genetically improved (through natural breeding) to produce birds that are 50% larger than other Muscovies. The males can weigh 12 pounds in 12 weeks. The meat is less greasy and with a lower fat content than other ducks. They are known to have a sense of humor, are intelligent, and love to fly.
By Dr. Dennis P. Smith Country Hatchery:
“Muscovy meat is one of the healthiest meats on the market today, being 98% or greater fat free. Many people say that the breast meat of a Muscovy is hard to tell from a Sirloin steak. Famous chefs know this and use Muscovy meat in a number of ways. They have become experienced at cutting and preparing the meat for various delicacies. It is even ground up and used as hamburger in a variety of dishes. Individuals who are required to be on a low-fat diet know that the meat is not only great tasting but very nutritious. And, being so lean, meat from the Muscovy duck is not greasy as is the case with other ducks. Some say that the meat tastes a lot like expensive ham. Others say it is hard to tell from other expensive cuts of meat.”
$5 lb. Minus $2 deposit.
How do you get pork from Burnshirt Valley Farm? Floyd sells at the Waltham Farmers Market once a week. Some of you may have met him at last year's White Barn Farm Thanksgiving Sale at the Episcopal church in town. We are trying to get him to come to this year's Plant Sale . . . .
BEEF AND PORK
Those of you who have been on this list since it started may remember Chris' good friend from Green Mountain College, James Elworthy, a dedicated organic dairy farmer. Some of you have even purchased shares of meat from his farm (Liberty Farm) already. Well, James and his wife, Sarah, are in some awesome new digs in Poultney, VT (home of Green Mountain College, coincidentally). With the help of the Vermont Land Trust purchasing the development rights, James and Sarah were able to buy a 126-acre dairy farm. No more renting out a barn and hauling all manure with a wheelbarrow! The place has a wonderful barn with nice lighting, more space, a working manure scraper system, a vacuum line that brings the milk right to the bulk tank (no more hauling 5 gallon buckets one by one up the stairs) and his herd is up to 30 milkers. The very first calf that they were given at the beginning of their farming adventure had just had her first calf and begun milking when we visited in early March. Full circle!
Anyway, he has beef animals and pigs in addition to the small certified organic herd of dairy cows.
He sells pork and beef to customers in Massachusetts and Vermont. There are regular deliveries to Cape Cod as well as to White Barn Farm in Wrentham, Mass. His father comes from the Cape fairly regularly to visit and help on the farm and when he goes back he brings the shares down. All meat is slaughtered in a USDA inspected facility and is frozen when it arrives to you.
BEEF. Choose 25 or 50 lb share. Beef is $6/lb.
The beef boxes contain a full range of steak cuts, hamburger, ribs, and stew meat. Packages are usually about 1 lb each, so a 25 lb share would probably have 24-26 packages, for example.
PORK. Choose 25 or 50 lb share. Pork is $6.50 lb.
The pork has some really tasty smoked bacons, hams, shoulders, and well as fresh pork chops, ribs and sausage.
James says,"my wife and I work hard at nurturing the soils and ecosystem of our farm and we feel that this fosters animals with exceptional vitality, which equates to healthy food for all of us. If you have any questions or would like to arrange an order, call 802-989-9818 or email elworthyj@gmail.com
Thanks! James and Sarah Elworthy at Liberty Farm"
TURKEY
Brambly Farm is just getting established in neighboring Norfolk, MA. Ted O'Harte is a very experienced and knowledgeable Irish farmer. He is raising a wonderful diversity of birds, including chicken, different ducks, turkeys, and pheasant. He raises heritage breed pigs - you guessed it - outdoors rooting around like they should be. We expect to be offering Brambly Farm eggs at the White Barn Farm Roadside Stand and CSA Pick-Up site. We will also advertise sign-ups for Thanksgiving turkeys raised by Ted (and his family!). Hurray for new farms popping up in suburbia!
RAW MILK & GRASS FED BEEF AND VEAL
Terri Lawton is a young dairy farmer on her family's farm in nearby Foxboro, MA. Visit their website if you don't know about them already. They are doing Foxboro Cheese there, too!
GOAT MILK PRODUCTS & CHICKENS
You've got to check out Rosasharn Farm's beautiful website. I met farmer Anne at the annual Local Food Forum in RI a few years ago. She operates a vegetable CSA and a goat dairy (milk available for pet consumption) and makes cool soaps (I've been using her goat milk based laundry soap). I am including her in this "meatcentric" email because she will be raising chickens for meat this year. She had information about it at the North Attleboro winter farmer's market, although I could not locate it on her website. The flyer said the chickens should be ready in early September and will weigh around 4 lbs. Place a deposit on the chickens by June 1 and pay the rest according to the calculated remaining weight. Anyway, her farm is in Rehoboth, MA and is a good one to know about. You should be able to contact her through the website.
Well! That is all for now. Bless all your hearts for reading down to the end of this info-packed email!!!
We are proud to be able to support other small farms doing good things. We hope you appreciate this sort of info and decide to try some good meat directly from a small farm. It is amazing how obvious the quality of good meat is, once you know. Thanks again!
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Chris and Christy at White Barn Farm
www.whitebarnfarm.org
The New England Patriots have a bye this weekend but that isn't putting a hold on Waterville Valley's popular "The Harder They Play, the Less you Pay" promotion. There are no "byes" when it comes to getting skiers and riders out on the slopes during the football season! For Tues., Jan. 11, Waterville Valley will honor the previous week's Miami score of 7. Wrote one football fan on twitter, "$7 lift ticket was a great gift. Thanks Waterville and the PATS' D!". You're welcome. Now spread the word.
thanx