Found a local provider

[Drac]

Hello all,

Been doing research for raw milk for cheese making and I found a local place that I can get grass feed beef,pastured pork cuts and pastured chicken.  Outside of the more humane side of it what do any of you think of using them?  The prices are on the competitive high end for a lot but low on some such as the fat back is $.99 a pound and I can get some unusual cuts such as jowl.

Also can get free range eggs but I know those are great.  Love farm fresh eggs.

Thanks,
Jim

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Jim;

I'm fortunate to live in a county that has many small farms (many organic). We (locals) nicknamed them Boutique Farms. :) I sometimes purchase meats, fruits, vegetable, milks etc from these farms, but for meats it is often 3 to 4 times the cost you can purchase at a supermarket, with the exception of a slaughter house that is located one county below me. I try to support these farms as much as possible. Without these small farms, developers would have come into the county in the late 70's, bought up all the declining milk farms and turned lands into housing developments.

So I say; support your local farms; if you can. It is often a source you can trust how your food was grown.

[Drac]

Where in Upstate?  Amy, My wife, is from the North Country, Ogdensburg.

Jim

[Habanero Smoker]

Where in Upstate?  Amy, My wife, is from the North Country, Ogdensburg.

Jim

I believe I've been in Ogdensburg area a few times; back in the late 70's. A friend, one of my brothers and myself used to fish for salmon on the St. Lawrence.

Upstate is a relative term. Any area above New York City and it suburbs is called upstate, you would probably refer to my location as down state. I'm from a small town in Columbia County. Besides the farms in my county, the counties southwest and below me (Dutches, Sullivan and Orange) still have many Mennonite farms. So there are many sources to purchase locally grown food.

[GusRobin]

I grew up in Rome NY (Syracuse area). Home of what many call Syracuse potatoes (salt potatoes) and Utica greens (Italian greens)

[Drac]

Oooohhhh, I love salt potatoes!  My Mother-in-law introduced me to them. 

My Mother-in-law quite frequently goes Amish shopping.  Get a lot of her favorites that way.

Jim