Slow Meat: Holiday Edition 2015
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For many of us holidays are about connecting with family and friends. We share food and time and stories around the holiday table. Here at Slow Food we encourage you to know the story of your food as well. By buying from local producers, you know how the animals you're eating were raised, and you help an independent farmer put food on his or her table.
Below you'll find a list of farms that offer a variety of meats for your holiday enjoyment!
Centennial Farm, Jill & Will Cummings
Breeds/Meats Available: Muscovy Duck
Weight Range: ~
Price per lb.: Call
Deposit required: no
Pick-up locations: We are 1½ hours south of Chicago and offer farm pickup. However, drop off in Chicagocan be arranged.
Location of farm: 708 E 2300 North Rd, Danforth, IL 60930
Phone: 815-269-2003
E-mail: will.jill.cummings@gmail.com
Website: www.redbarnfarmsoaps.com
Farmer comments: We are the 4th generation and our four daughters are the 5th generation to farm and live on the homestead established by our great-grandfather in 1898. We raise all-natural hormone-free milking goats, and use their milk to make organic soaps.
Garden Gate Farm, Doug & Beth Rinkenberger
Breeds available: Broad-breasted White
Weight Range: 6-21 lbs.
Price per lb.: $3.50
Other meats available: FRESH turkeys sometimes available after Thanksgiving.
Deposit required: no
Delivery: Customer pick-up, only at the farm.
Location of farm: 6423 N 2300 E, Fairbury, IL 61739
Phone: 1-815-848-3518
E-mail: dougrink68@icloud.com
Website: ~
Farmer comments: We raise our daughters and our livestock on a century old dairy farm here in rural Fairbury. We raise a large variety of vegetables and herbs, as well as pork and turkeys. Our birds have been on the menus of several Chicago restaurants including Old Town Social, The Girl and the Goat, Omni Hotel, and the Bristol.
Franzen Farms, Chris Franzen
Breeds Available: Standard Bronze, Broad Breasted White, Bourbon Red (Heritage Breed)
Weight Range: ~
Price per lb.: $4.00 – $6.00/lb
Deposit required: Yes
Pick-up location: At the farm ONLY, weekend before Thanksgiving
Location of farm: 18232 W. Ballou Rd, Wilmington, IL, 60481
Phone: 815-405-2713
Farm E-mail: franzenfarms@hotmail.com
Website: www.franzenfarms.com
Farmer comments: We are a small family owned farm located in Wilmington, IL. We raise Heritage Bourbon Red, Heritage Standard Bronze and Big Breasted White Turkeys. Our heritage turkeys are listed in the Ark of Taste and are NPIP certified. All of our birds are pasture raised with plenty of oom to roam and graze on grasses, alfalfa, and bugs. Baby day old poults (chicks) are available in the spring if you wish to raise your own or enjoy a Franzen Fresh Heritage Turkey for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner this year. We also raise Ringneck and Melanistic pheasants. Don’t wait until the last minute to reserve your birds. Call Chris at (815) 405-2713 to reserve now!
Hasselmann Family Farm, Scott & Nena Hasselmann
Meats Available: Turkey, pork, beef, lamb, ham roasts, chicken
Deposit required: No
Pick-up locations: Palatine farmers market
Pick-up dates: Saturday November 21st.
On-farm pickup? Yes
Location of farm: 23706 Harmony Rd., Marengo, IL 60152
Phone: 815 572 4833
E-mail: hasselmannfarm@gmail.com
Website: www.hasselmannfarm.com
Farmer comments: All our produce and livestock are raised outdoors on pasture, in harmony with the natural environment.
Mint Creek Farm, Harry, Gwen, Jonathan, & Raya Carr
Breeds Available: Black Spanish, Broad-breasted Bronze, & Broad-breasted White
Weight Range: Small (7-12lbs), Medium (12-17lbs), Large (17-21lbs)
Price per lb.: $7/lb for black, $7/lb for bronze, & $6/lb for white
Deposit required: yes
Pickup Locations: 10 Chicago pickup locations available. Click here for the full list.
Location of farm: 1693 E 3800 N. Road, Stelle, IL
Other Meats Available: Organic pasture-raised lamb, goat, beef, pork, duck, turkey, chicken, eggs, and meat & dairy CSA shares
Phone: 815-953-5682
E-mail: mintcreekfarm@gmail.com
Website: www.mintcreekfarm.com
Farmer comments:
This holiday season we are raising two heritage breeds of turkeys, the black & the bronze, as well as classic white turkeys. We recommend trying the Black Aztec (Spanish) breed of turkey, as it is the most heritage breed on the market today. These black turkeys were first domesticated by the Aztecs! Black Aztec birds are a joy to raise, and very good at pasture foraging, with rich, buttery tasting, and balanced, full-flavor meat. Note that the bird is smaller than conventional, so you may need two instead of one. Try one or two black Aztec birds this Thanksgiving to help keep this heritage breed on the map as still raised in the Midwest!
That being said, all of our turkeys, black, bronze, and white are raised very differently than conventional birds. No matter which breed of ours you choose it will help support humanely raised turkeys! The birds are moved every few days from paddock to paddock of fresh grass and legume pastures with Certified-Organic, non-GMO, small-batch-mixed, soyfree grain supplement. This lush pasture in addition to the highest quality, purest feed supplements result in an unparalleled turkey: both the turkey’s flavor and the health benefits gained by the bird, farm ecosystem, and consumer are huge.
Nature’s Choice Farm, Eric & Samantha Sexton
Breeds Available: Broad-breasted White
Weight Range: 16 – 22 lbs
Price per lb.: $5.00
Other products available: Grass-fed beef, pasture raised pork, chicken, eggs. Also a year-round meat & egg CSA
Deposit required: Yes. Can purchase directly on the farm website. www.natureschoicefarm.com
Pick-up locations: Frankfort, IL, and Bolingbrook, IL
Pick-up dates: Delivery dates are still to be determined.
On-farm pickup? Yes
Location of farm: Grant Park, IL
Phone: 815-472-2934
E-mail: natureschoicefarm@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.natureschoicefarm.com
Farmer comments: We believe animals should be raised naturally on green pasture with plenty of open space. Our turkeys roam the entire farm along with pigs, chickens, and cattle. Our beef is completely grass-fed, and we do not feed hormones or antibiotics to any of our livestock.
Organic Pastures, Marilyn & Larry Wettstein
Breeds Available: Broad-breasted Bronze
Weight Range: 10 – 22 lbs
Price per lb.: $4.39
Deposit required: no
Pick-up locations: Nov 21, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Evanston, corner of Sherman & Lake, 8am – 1pm
On-farm pickup? Yes
Location of farm: 669 County Road 1800E, Eureka, IL 61530
Other meats available: Lamb, beef, pork, chicken, & eggs, all certified organic
Phone: 309-467-6006
E-mail: wettsteinorganic@gmail.com
Farmer comments: We are a small family farm that has been certified organic since 1997. Our turkeys are organic with plenty of pasture for open grazing. They are in a shelter at night, and during the day they peck and scratch as they please.
We farm 250 tillable acres and 250 pasture/timber acres, all organically certified. We rotate a variety of field crops including corn, soybeans, oats, flax, wheat, sunflower, vetch, rye, alfalfa, and clovers, and also raise organic beef, pork, chicken, turkeys, and laying hens. We truly believe that as stewards of the soil, it is our responsibility to provide the healthiest food possible.
Painted Rock Farms, LLC
Breeds Available: Bronze breasted
Weight Range:12-20
Price per lb.: $4.95/#
Deposit required: no
Pick-up locations/dates: TBD home delivery for $10.
On-farm pickup? No
Other meats available: all proteins
Location of farm: We are a farm collective. We are mostly around central Wisconsin.
Phone: 715-340-2495
E-mail: earthsnaturals@gmail.com
Website: www.paintedrockmeats.com
Farmer comments: Painted Rock Farms is a small-medium farm collective in Wisconsin. 70% of our farmers are women. We raise pasture heritage proteins for your plate. :)
Plain View Turkey Farm, Dan Schmucker
Breeds Available: Broad-breasted White, Certified Organic
Weight Range: 13 – 20 lbs
Price per lb.: $4.99/lb
Deposit required: No
Pick-up location: Fresh Picks warehouse, 5625 W Howard St, Niles, IL.
Home Delivery can be arranged, with Fresh Picks, 847-410-0595
On-farm pickup? No
Location of farm: S-453 County Rd D, Cashton, WI 54619
Phone / website: 847-410-0595, www.freshpicks.com
Ordering E-mail: answers@freshpicks.com
Farm E-mail: Amish, no email.
Website: None.
TJ’s Pastured Free Range Poultry, Tim & Julie Ifft
Breeds Available: Broad-breasted White and Broad-breasted Bronze
Weight Range: 10 – 23 lbs
Price per lb.: $3.99/lb (white) and $4.49/lb (bronze)
Deposit required: yes, $10 when pre-ordering
Pick-up locations: Dill Pickle Food Co-Op
Pick-up dates:
On-farm pick-up: Yes, Farm pickup any day after November 15th – call for arrangements
Location of farm: 2773N 1500E Rd., Piper City, IL 60959
Other meats available: chicken, fresh eggs
Phone: 815-686-9200 or 815-848-8961 (cell)
E-mail: tji4@maxwire.net
Website: ~
Farmer comments: TJ’s has been raising turkeys for approximately 9 years. The turkeys are pastured free range on chemical free pasture. Their diet consists of no antibiotics, hormones or animal by-products. The farm is Certified Food Alliance.
Triple S Farms, Stan & Ryan Schutte
Breeds Available: Broad-breasted Bronze
Weight Range: 8 – 26 lbs
Price per lb.: $4.37-$6.13/lb, depending on weight
Deposit required: no
Pick-up locations and dates: Contact Triple S Farms for delivery information
Location of farm: 3078 County Highway 33, Stewardson IL 62463
Other Meats Available: Pork, beef, chicken
Phone: 217-343-4740
E-mail contact: stan@triplesfarms.com
Website: www.triplesfarms.com
Farmer comments: Triple S Farms is a certified organic, family-owned 200 acre farm in East central Illinois, an hour south of Champaign. Our turkeys are raised on pasture without hormones, antibiotics, or GMO feed.
Work at Triple S Farm is a family affair. Stan’s son, Owner Stan Schutte works together with his son, Ryan, co-owner, who oversees production. Jannie is in charge of marketing. Three other employees make Triple S Farm work- Quinton and Cam work with the animals as herd manager and Jackie is operations manager and does whatever needs done including sales, production, inventory, packing, invoicing and office work. We have a great team working together to provide the highest quality meats straight from our farm to your dinner table.
Twin Oak Meats, Tom & Amy Ifft
Meats Available: Boneless/Bone-In Hams; Boneless Honey-Glazed Spiral Sliced Hams
Weight Range: 3 – 20 lbs
Pick-up locations: On-farm; Drop off in Chicago can be arranged (weekly deliveries are regularly made to Chicago).
Pick-up dates: Every Saturday 7am-1pm, from Nov. 2 through Dec. 21.
On-farm pick-up: Yes
Location of farm: 11197N 2300E Rd., Fairbury, IL
Phone: 815-692-4215
E-mail: twinoakmeats@maxwire.net
Website: www.twinoakmeats.com
Farmer comments: All our pork products come from animals raised on our own farm, and are hormone-free. We are Humane Slaughter Certified. We also have fresh ham roasts and crown roasts which are perfect for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. For the holidays we also make a gift box ideal for holiday giving.
Wettstein Organic Farm, Emily & Dennis Wettstein
Breeds Available: Broad-breasted White
Other meats available: Pork, beef, and chicken
On-farm pickup? Yes
Location of farm: 2100 US Hwy 150, Carlock, IL 61725
Pick-up location: Meats are delivered throughout the winter to Oak Park, at the Buzz Cafe
Pick up on Saturdays- noon – 3pm
Phone: 309-376-7291
E-mail: dennis@wettsteinorganicfarm.com
Website: ~
Farmer comments: Emily and Denny sell certified organic beef, pork, poultry and eggs directly to customers, at the summer Oak Park Farmers Market, at the Buzz Cafe in winter, and all year from their on-farm storehouse. They also raise organic soybeans, corn and other grains that they make into feed for all their animals, and for selling to neighboring organic livestock and dairy farmers.
“We enjoy everything we do on the farm,” says Denny. “The most encouraging change we’ve seen since 1985,” says Emily, “is that more and more people are coming to us for their food. City people are coming back to the farms with their own children to learn where their food comes from and how it is grown.” Denny adds, “Our experience over the past 20 years with organic farming has restored our love of farming and given us the hope that the future of farming, if we continue to think outside the conventional box, is very promising.”
- Excerpted from a profile at www.farmaid.org
Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm
Meats available: A variety of packages of beef, pork, chicken and eggs.
Pick-up locations/dates: Delivery schedule
On-farm pickup: Yes
Location of farm: 1985 N 3690th Rd Ottawa, IL
Phone: 815-431-9544
E-mail: cdrvalleyfarm@gmail.com
Website: www.chicagomeatcsa.com
Farmer comments: Our smaller packages are great for special occasions or gift giving.
