Eat locally (meat) - help requested

[drwex]

I've finally found a place (Chestnut Farms, http://www.Chestnutfarms.org) that will let me purchase a pork-free meat share. Thanks to skreeky for setting me on the path.

The challenge now is figuring out pick-up. They've got a drop-off in Arlington, but it's only from 5-6PM, which is not easily compatible with my and Pygment's work and kid-pickup schedules. I'd love to find someone who's also interested in grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free meat and would be willing to pick up my share at the same time as they pick up their own. It comes pre-frozen so storage shouldn't be difficult until we can arrange a swap.

If someone near to me is interested, check out their site for share sizes and pricing - the lowest end is 10lb/month for a six month commitment. I may try it anyway, since K will soon not be going to school in Chelmsford, but if someone has a more flexible schedule that'd be great.

Comments

[okelle.livejournal.com]

Are you really going to eat ten pounds of meat a month? Well, I guess that's more reasonable if you're a family of (three? four? more?). I used the Boston Organics service for almost a year, but eventually it didn't prove practical for a single person, even with the smallest box and deliveries twice a month. I also discovered Wilson Farms.

I love the idea of CSA, but it's not a practical solution for most single people.

[drwex]

I agree that 10lb/month isn't sensible for a person by herself. Though 60lb/year might be sensible, I dunno. Another option is for multiple people to divvy up a share themselves.

But yes, we're basing this off a family of four as well as having friends over now and then and it's nice to be able to fire up the grill and just marinate something and toss it on to cook.

One of the reasons we're going in for the minimal share at the start is to see how it matches up to our eating habits.

[okelle.livejournal.com]

Keep me posted! If it turns out it's too much, perhaps I can go in on it with you. I live in Arlington, so picking up the share would be fairly easy for me.

[darxus.livejournal.com]

Know of anything like this that is primarily poultry?

[drwex]

Sorry, no. All the places I investigated were offering many different meats.

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

The only suggestion I could think of would be to talk to goddessfarmer. I can ask her if she has any resources when I am next up on the farm. I am buying half a (small) cow from her come butchering season, and am planning to buy a chest freezer to cope with the sudden huge influx of meat. Whatever you do over the summer, it might be worth thinking of buying bulk come local farm butchering season...

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

tasty meat!

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

Being the one that does the shopping 10lbs a month is about right for what we go though combined chopped meat (or chooped poultry), chicken and the occasional steak. But I also will get fish from time to time. So this sohuld work out great.

[okelle.livejournal.com]

Nicetameetchya! I don't remember how I came across DrWex's site, but it's always good to meet folks in the neighborhood. Maybe some day I'll even meet you two in person.

Where do y'all live, anyway? I'm in Whitey Adjacent (http://okelle.livejournal.com/94412.html) :)

[candle-light.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that looks very interesting. I'll talk to M about it. When are the enrollment periods? Or can you sign up at any point? I couldn't tell from the website. If we do join, we could probably coordinate picking up for you. Wow 5-6PM on weekdays sucks for traffic though.

[drwex]

yeah, traffic is going to be TEH SUQ no matter what. As far as I can tell from their site it's open enrollment. You might drop them a note and check, though.