By Chris Hoffman
(July 2013) By now, thankful
ly, most of us are accustomed to the incredible variety of food available at local farmers markets all over Central New York. It’s amazing to eat carrots and cucumbers and broccoli and chard and have them taste the way they’re supposed to, rather than the bland, tasteless monocrop varieties grown on corporate farms in California and Florida for shipping durability.
Local produce is so good, I find you don’t need to use salt or butter or other dressings. With all these wonderful vegetables in season, I tend to eat much less meat during the summer months, but occasionally I find myself looking for something “different.”
Last week I bought smoked pork chops from Adam Perrin of Quarry Brook Farm in Sherburne. The difference between grass-fed, organically raised meat and what you get in the supermarket is astronomical. Commercial pork is typically tough and has almost no flavor other than the seasonings you add when cooking, and even then, it seems that the meat just doesn’t absorb anything you add to it. Adam’s pork, on the other hand, had a completely different quality to it – it cooked differently in the pan, the texture was satisfyingly chewy, but not tough, and the flavor was superb.
I’ve recently discovered some new farmers at the Hamilton farmers market. Hank and Tanya Szewczyk (pronounced “Chev-zik”) can be found at the northwest side of the Village Green. Their Happy Pasture Farm is located in North Brookfield, and this is their first year selling both seasonal vegetables and meat. In addition to beef, pork, and chicken, they distinguish themselves by offering duck, turkey, pheasant, partridge, quail, guinea hens, and rabbit.
As Tanya explained, “Contrary to what some people originally thought, we don’t go into the woods looking for game. We raise domestic game birds and rabbits for meat production.”
With several farms in the area regularly offering beef, pork, and chicken, it’s nice to see someone branching out to offer something a little different. When you stop by their table, the other difference you’ll note is they provide dozens of recipes printed on flyers that are free, just in case you’re not quite sure what to do with pheasant or guinea hen, for example.
All their animals are humanely raised, without antibiotics or hormones. In addition to selling at the farmers market, they also sell directly from their farm, and rather than buying just a single piece of meat, you can also buy several different variety packs, and they deliver large orders.
Don’t forget to put the 6th Annual Open Farm Day on your calendar. This year 36 farms throughout Madison County will open their gates to visitors on Saturday, July 27, from 10 am to 4 pm. It’s a great way to spend a summer day with family and friends, get to know your local farmers, and see where all this magnificent food comes from. The day includes farm tours and rides, free samples, and, of course, farm animals.
This year’s participants offer quite a variety of experiences: a winery, a buffalo ranch, an elk ranch, an apiary, and alpacas, in addition to the more traditional dairy, beef, and produce farms. Alambria Springs Farm will be selling artisan sourdough breads made with local organic grains and flours baked in their brand new masonry wood fired oven.
Open Farm Day Passports are available at Price Chopper and at local farmers markets. The Passports have all the information you need to plan your day, including maps, directions, and descriptions of all the participating farms. If you get your Passport stamped at three farms, you qualify for this year’s prize.
Passports and more information are also available online at http://madisoncountyagriculture.com/openfarmday/.
Last, but not least, is Farmshed CNY, the go-to local food resource for Central New York and the Finger Lakes, which allows you to search, browse, and locate farms, farmers markets, CSAs, and local food producers throughout CNY and the Finger Lakes. The Farmshed CNY Directory lists detailed information on more than 1,600 regional food producers, and is now available on PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones – including iPhones, Androids, and BlackBerrys.
For more information, visit http://www.farmshedcny.com.
Chris Hoffman lives in the village of Sherburne in her 150+ year-old house where she caters to the demands of her four cats, attempts to grow heirloom tomatoes and herbs and reads voraciously. She passionately pursues various avenues with like-minded friends to preserve and protect a sustainable rural lifestyle for everyone in Central New York.