Meat and Poultry who raises it, sells it, buys it and cooks it,By
JULIA LLOYD WRIGHT
Contributing Writer
Weathersfield, July 28, 2007
Claremont New Hampshire Eagle Times
Farm stands, Farmers Markets, CSAs (Community Sponsored Agriculture), Pick-Your-Own fruit farms and vegetable stalls offering regional produce are increasing in numbers and serving more customers each year throughout Vermont and New Hampshire.
But, until the last few years local meat products were not in great supply or demand, but now that is changing.
Whether there are concerns about meat imported from abroad, the ‘mad cow disease,’ scare, China’s recent problem with some of their products or just eating healthier foods raised on grass in green pastures and not fattened on corn in feed lots have changed shopping habits.
To find and appreciate local meat in the Lower Upper Valley on both sides of the Connecticut River it is not a requirement to be a localvore. Or, to participate involved in a challenge to eat local foods for a certain period of time or outdo friends when it comes to culinary expertise living in the bush armed with a hunting or fishing permit.
Farm-raised meats abound in this area from beef and pork to buffalo, ostrich and elk!
In undertaking a non-scientific poll several sources responded that dietary and shopping habits are changing and local foods, when available are preferred.
Freshness was important but knowing who raised the meat, that it was stress-free, grass fed without hormones or antibiotics was a definite deciding factor.
Staunch localvore afficionados want to support local farmers and producers, have land remain open for farming and not sold off to developers, a wish to provide a future for young people to be able to make a living from the land and to keep money in the community.
But overwhelmingly people who eat meat and meat products want to know what they are eating.
The Rural Vermont group www.ruralvermont.org petitioned the Vermont legislature to permit local farms to sell uninspected poultry slaughtered at the farm to restaurants and catering facilities. The “Chicken Bill” was enacted into law in Vermont this year and it allows small-scale poultry producers to process up to 1,000 birds a year on the farm (without state or federal inspection) and sell these birds at farmers’ markets or to local restaurants. Birds must be sold whole, cannot be offered for sale or transportation in interstate commerce and special labeling is required to appear on menus and on all uninspected birds for sale.
So, ‘Where is the Meat?
Is plenty of local meat to be found on both sides of the river?
Jake Henne proprietor of Green Mountain Smokehouse on Route 5 in Windsor opened his operation in 2000 and has seen his business triple in size but claims “there are not enough (local) farms to supply quality meats.”
Henne processes beef, pigs, sheep and some lambs but no poultry, and sells several kinds of sausages and smoked cheese. And he will only handle meat slaughtered under a State or Federal inspection label.
Cornish farmer Bill Gallagher who owns Many Summers Farm on Paget Road has raised grass fed beef for quite a few years. His beef is available at the farm store from 9am to 2pm on Saturdays.
He is expanding the farm’s product line and acquired some Ayrshire cows, daughter-in-law Heather will be offering a Welsh cheddar cheese in August.
Bill Yates on Route 44 in Brownsville has lamb-on-the-hoof, he sells lamb, customers process it for themselves.
Cavendish resident Don Davis, former Cavendish-Weathersfield state Representative and goat farmer milked for five years then sold his herd in 2005 he now raises beef and pork which he sells packaged at his farm on Route 131. In addition Davis offers piglets, smoked bacon, breakfast sausages and eggs.
Finding a slaughter house to process animals means driving a distance for local Vermont farmers. A fire put the Rutland facility out of operation, so Davis takes his animals across the state to Benson, there is also a Royalton facility but Fank Manafort of Black Watch Farms travels to St. Johnsbury with his Highland cattle.
Randy Quenneville, Chief of the Vermont Meat Inspection Department in Montpelier said the State is looking at a two new facilities for the southern area, one for Bennington, the other near Brattleboro.
The “Chicken Bill” also gave approval for the state to purchase a mobile slaughtering plant for fowl. Some slaughterhouses do not handle a small amount of birds or they cannot handle them without a waiting time.
Matt Rolleston is spending the summer working with the Highland cattle at Black Watch Farm on the Center Road in Weathersfield before heading to veterinary school at Iowa State in Ames, IA. He said their meat is slaughtered under USDA regulations as they sell out of state.
The farm store sells various meat cuts, ground beef patties, bacon all nitrate-free. Customers can purchase a quarter or a half a side of grass-fed beef, deli sausages and eggs. Their meat also goes to co-ops, locals inns and restaurants.
Owner Frank Manafort said he is also cross-breeding with the Highland cattle, they provide an very lean meat but some customers are now asking for meat with some “marbling” of fat.
According to Manafort there is a tremendous demand for the meat which is also sold at the Springfield Co-op. To contact Black Watch Farm go to www.blackwatchfarm.com
His three-year old champion breeding bull “Emmett” was the winner recently at a national show in Denver, CO. He has also claimed Role of Excellence as Bull of the Year. Emmett is also busy donating sperm for artificial insemination of cows as far away as New Zealand when he’s not in service on the farm.
Lisa Kaiman of Jersey Girls offers a whole range of meats year-round at Thompson Road in Chester. Her products include: quail, poultry, beef, pork, goat, veal, lamb plus raw milk, eggs and yoghurt. The farm is closed on Wednesday.
What about the unusual or ‘exotics’?
Cavendish Game Birds on Woodbury Road in Springfield (802-885- 1183) supplies State inspected quail,(cook sautéed or grilled, like chicken) pheasant in season (September to March) frozen or fresh plus quail eggs.
For the more adventurous customers who still want lean meat and don’t want to travel to far-flung places to shoot their own, The Yankee Farmer’s Market in Warner, NH offers: venison, their own raised buffalo, elk and ostrich, as well as organic chicken with no hormones and no antibiotics. They also supply lamb, turkey and special meats to order. For information and to order, go to www.yankeefarmersmarket.com (603-456-2833). Their products are also sold at the Springfield and Hanover Co-Ops.
Award-winning Master Chef Jason Tostrup at The Inn at Weathersfield supports local agriculture when he works his wonders in the kitchen.
Eat Real…Eat Fresh…Eat Local is the mantra of Innkeepers Jane and David Sandleman who offer special dining affairs when only local foods are on the menu. But Tostrup said he uses local products “as much as we can,” and he personally selects and purchases the items he needs himself, beef comes from Black Watch Farms which he selects, he is an Emmett fan. Lamb comes from Shepherd’s Hill in Tafsville, VT pork from Over-the Edge in Woodstock, VT, plus quail and pheasant from Cavendish Game Birds.
The Juniper Hill Inn in Windsor also includes local fare on their menus with fresh area agriculture and farm products.
Springfield Food Co-op carries Black Watch beef, chicken and turkey from Misty Knoll Farms in New Haven, VT, buffalo from Yankee Farmers market, local eggs and their fish is frozen wild caught salmon.
Vital Communities of the Upper Valley produc
es an annual guide to locally grown produce listing local farms and fresh foods. Included are family farms, farmers’ markets, grocers, caterers and restaurants. For information or a copy go to: www.vitalcommunities.org.
The Weathersfield Conservation Commission also produced their own brochure in 2006 on where to buy locally produced agricultural products in town. Copies are available at the Town Office in Ascutney.
The consenus seemed to be that local meat might cost a little more that the supermarkets but consumers definitely supported buying area-raised produce. And, if it did cost a little more they were eating smaller portions.