Locally Raised Meat is Available
Its interesting how one can just run into something important and the person who has the information/product isn’t screaming about it.
We were buying veal on Saturday (not white veal but just young beef) and found that a favourite butcher only carries local meat and has Berkshire pork. The pork comes from a farm in Wheatly and is very special as it is an old variety.
Now the fact that he is carrying the meat is wonderful...we have a roast in the oven right now….but he actually butchers meat, that is he buys carcasses and cuts them himself. Ergo the trimmings become ground meat, sausage etc...like the way its supposed to be done. Not like the abattoir in California who has the ‘little’ recall and did dairy cattle for hamburger...yummy.
The butcher is Schwabs in LaSalle. I have bought from him for years yet I wasn’t aware that he sold only local meat. I wish he made a big deal about it but he doesn’t. He actually knows the names of the farmers whom he buys from and their practices. This is what the local food movement is about.
We need to support people like him as the money stays local and he has a good handle on his suppliers. This is a win win for all of us. Just like the old days. The megalomart may be cheaper, but where does the meat come from??? Is it full of hormones and chemicals????? Is it pumped full of water????
So I suggest you support the Schwabs in LaSalle and any other merchant who tries to do the ‘right thing’ whether its selling local, or makes product here rather than in some megafactory. Like going to an independent restaurant who actually cooks food rather than just reheats bagged food, buy from merchants who buy from the local farmers.
I will endevour to report on any merchant I find who supports the local food movement. If you have a favourite let me know. The word needs to get out.
