My friends, family and clients always hear me talking about the wonderful farm fresh meals I am so blessed to eat every day. People are constantly amazed that I do not buy majority of my meats at the grocery store and I am in turn dumb founded that most people buy their meats at stores not farms. There is a misconception that it is difficult and time consuming to implement Farm 2 Table in your home. Yes, it does take a bit of research to find local farms and farmers markets but most farmers have delivery services and/or co/ops that make ordering, buying and receiving meat and produce easy and convenient.
I consult individuals, families, stores and restaurants on how to successfully and financially implement Farm to Table. All my clients have been amazed with not only how easy it is but how much money they save when they go directly to the farmer for their food. The cost savings is generally 20 – 35% on meats purchased directly from the farmers. For example, the cost of grass fed ground sirloin at most natural food stores is $8.99 a lb, but the cost of buying grass fed ground sirloin directly from the farmer is generally $5 – $7 a lb.
When buying meat or produce directly from farmers and farmers markets, it is imperative that you learn about the farm(s) you are purchasing from. It is important that you learn how their animals are treated, fed, “contained” and slaughtered. I am a strong advocate for animals that are pasture raised in a caring environment (not treated with pesticides or fertilizers) and never given hormones or antibiotics. It is important that produce is from a farm that practices organic farming principles (no use of pesticides herbicides and/or insecticides and NEVER GMO’s).
There are many great websites that can show you how to find natural and organic farms in your area. One of my favorite websites is www.eatwild.com. My companies website www.pantrytakeover.com will soon have a Farm to Table link showing natural and organic farms in the Metro Atlanta Area.
One of my children’s favorite things to do is to go visit and tour farms with me (I love taking my kids to work!). Last month we had the pleasure of visiting Joyful Noise Farm in Ballground, Ga. Joyful Noise is a family run farm on over 20 beautiful acres They raise and sell pasture raised chickens, pork, eggs and seasonal vegetables. We had a blast running around their farm, petting pigs, playing with hens and collecting eggs. They provide a very caring and healthy environment for all their animals. We purchased some whole chickens and lots of eggs. All the food was incredibly delicious! The chickens were very tender and flavorful and the eggs had large rich yokes; my son declared them the best eggs ever! They now have various pork products for sale as well, make sure to buy some sausage in time for Thanksgiving (it makes the best stuffing/dressing)! Visit www.pasturedmeats.com to schedule a tour and purchase meat and produce from Joyful Noise.
If you are ever interested in a Farm to Table consult, please contact me directly at pantrytakeover@gmail.com . I do all the research and coordinating for you so that you can enjoy farm fresh meals everyday!
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