Lisa & Steve own Cooper's Goat & Veggie farm (their lane is pictured above), just down the road from us. Cooper's has started a "CSA" program. Community Supported Agriculture. People purchase annual shares in the farm's harvest and in return receive a weekly or monthly food basket. In the spring/summer/fall, they do vegetables and some fruit (their September strawberries are incredible), and in the winter, they do a meat share program. We have signed up for the meat share and our first pick up was two weeks ago.
After reading and hearing lots about the state of animal farms and animal welfare, it has begun to make me think before buying just any old meat. The same thing happened with eggs. I began to care where they came from and how the chickens are treated. However, it's a lot easier to know where your eggs are coming from than to figure out where your beef or pork is coming from. The person that brought the meat share to my attention was my friend Tamara. She is working with Steve & Lisa on the marketing end of things. I have asked Tamara if it's possible to visit the farms where the meat is coming from. I think it would be great to offer people a chance to visit the farms and meet the farmers.
I like the idea of the meat share program for several reasons.
*All of the beef is naturally raised, hormone & antibiotic-free, Angus grade, from Steve's Dad's farm.
*All of the pork raised by family friends who allow the pigs to roam freely and they are raised humanely.
*The turkeys are raised in Uxbridge (about 20 minutes from here). Each family receives one turkey with their meat share.
*All the vegetables are "storage crops" grown either by the Coopers or one of their neighbours.
*The meat share comes in either 1o or 2o pound amounts. We opted for the 10lb share. For the 10lb. share, the cost is $600 for 6 months.
*The majority of meat will be beef and pork, with other meats making appearances every now and then, depending on the season (chicken, lamb, goat).
The day of our first pick up was a family event. We were given bags that had certain cuts of meat in them. That information was recorded so that next time we won't be getting the same cuts. The share that we received was as follows - T-bone steak, sirloin tip roast, sausages, ground beef (very lean), pork butt chops, pork chops, pork steak, 2 dozen eggs, potatoes, purple carrots, 3 heads of garlic (hard to find local garlic in grocery stores these days), 2 butternut squash, and onions. The meat portion made up our 10lbs, and the veggies were over and above that.
So, the freezer is full. We are feeling pretty good about participating in a CSA. But what on earth do I do with pork butt chops? This meat share is turning into a fun challenge for me. So far, we have used up the ground beef, sausages, the roast, all the eggs, and all the veggies. That leaves a number of meat items to get through before our next pick up (Dec. 22nd, when we will receive our turkey). I guess I don't have to use everything up by then, but I also don't want a major backlog happening in my freezer. Today, I decided to cook the pork butt chops. They made a lovely stew.
Pork & Apple Stew
1 1/2-2 lbs. pork butt chops, trimmed of fat (as much as possible)
2 T. grainy mustard
2 T. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced lengthwise
1/2 t. dried thyme
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 c. fresh apple cider
2 cups apples, cut into medium sized chunks
1. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Rub the pieces with the grainy mustard and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the pork, working in batches if the pan doesn't fit all of the meat in one layer. Brown meat until you don't see any pink left, remove from the pan, and set aside.
2. Add onions to the pan and cook until limp. Add thyme, salt, and pepper to the onions and stir. Add cider and deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Transfer the onion mixture and the pork to a slow-cooker. Add apple chunks and stir. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes and veggies.
