Saturday is our last market of the season at the Hayden location. Next week our market moves downtown CdA for Harvest Fest! Free hay rides, pumpkin painting, and yummy food await. We hope you’ll join us!
Fresh This Week: Pumpkins, Winter Squash, Leeks, Wild-harvested Cranberries, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Carrots, Beets, Spinach, Kale, Chard, Lettuce, Radishes, Garlic, Basil, Parsley, Cabbage, Green Onions, Red/Yellow Onions.
- Saturday, October 21st, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
- Saturday Market Grounds
Guide To Pastured Meats:
If old man winter peering over the horizon has you thinking about filling your freezer, you’re not alone. Late fall is the perfect time to stock up on pastured meats – not only to save trips to the grocery store on icy roads – but because it’s also when many of our farmers have animals ready for harvest. Whether it’s lamb, grassfed beef, bison or pastured pork, you can find it at our market.
Buying Whole and Half Animals:
Purchasing animals by-the-“side” can seem intimidating if you haven’t done it before, but it is really fairly simple – and definitely the most economical way to fill your freezer. Here are a few tips to de-mystify the process and help you get the most for your money.
- If you’re purchasing an animal by the “half” or “side”, you can assume that half is split
lengthwise. Think about it anatomically. Google “beef cut sheet” (or whatever animal you’re buying) and look at the different cuts listed, then… - Make a list of which of those cuts you love, and those you never use. For instance, if you love sausage but never use ham, let your farmer and their butcher know.
- Discuss your list with your farmer and butcher. They’re experts and can tell you how to maximize the number of cuts you will use the most.
- Think about how many lamb chops you want per package, and how many pounds of burger
you normally use at a time. Then request exactly that. There’s no need to thaw 4 T-bones if you really only need 2 for dinner. Note: you generally don’t want more than 4-6 of anything per package, or ground meat packages larger than 2 lbs. If you have a large family request half of what you need and thaw 2 packages. - Don’t forget about the almost-free goodies that often get thrown away! Bones (for broth or Fido), fat (lard is wonderful for cooking/baking, tallow can be used for making candles or soap), organs (google some recipes and see how adventurous you can be!).
I hope these tips help you to feel comfortable with the process. There are no silly questions (at least that we haven’t heard many times before!), so don’t be afraid to ask. It’s one of the benefits of knowing your farmer.
Here are some recent pictures of animals raised with care and excellence by your friendly market farmers…
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