From Farmer to Foodie

It was a Monday evening in late fall, a time when all the best restaurants in central New York State are usually closed. Our farm, Sap Bush Hollow, along with several other regional organic, pasture-based farms—farms that choose to raise animals on grass rather than in feedlots—had been asked to donate products for a gala event being held that night. The area's best chefs were gathering at one of the swankiest restaurants in the capital city to prepare a dinner using ingredients grown and raised on local farms. After dinner, a panel of farmers and chefs was organized to discuss ways in which our professions could work more closely together in support of great food and great farming. The event was one of the first of its kind in the region. My parents, my husband and I—all four of us farmers—were honored to be there and happy to have our food featured at a gourmet event.

As farmers, we live in a world connected to but decidedly apart from the culinary world—the world of celebrated chefs and four-star restaurants. This isn’t to say I haven’t been off the farm—I’m educated, I’ve traveled extensively, and I’ve eaten at my share of fine restaurants—but farming is a world of its own, tied more to the ebb and flow of nature than to the pulse of changing food trends. At the cocktail hour, after a few awkward attempts to engage in conversation with professional epicureans, my family and I gravitated toward the company of other farmers. In our corner, we swapped stories about the growing season as well as notes about lambing percentages and tips on direct marketing. Soon, hungry and running low on conversation, my family and I edged toward the dining room. I’ll never forget the moment when the double doors were finally opened. There we stood, like four Cinderellas, mesmerized by the opulent décor of the dining room, the endless trains of carts, and the breathtaking presentation of the food.

I took my seat in front of a plate beautifully arranged with several different kinds of meat resting under vivid patterns of multicolored sauces. I have tremendous appreciation for the skills of great chefs, particularly those who have mastered the art of pairing meats or fish with sauces. As a pasture-based farmer, however, I’ve learned that the flavors of grass-fed meats are unlike those of the corn- or grain-fed meats that are more common in American cuisine. In fact, those of us familiar with grass-fed meats have become accustomed to subtler seasonings and forgoing heavy sauces, which disguise the meat’s distinct flavor. This evening in particular, I felt the flavors and textures of the meats were inconsistent with the sauces that accompanied them. I wondered if the chefs had become so accustomed to the flavors and textures of grain- and corn-fed meats that they were unaware of the unique characteristics of meats from animals raised on pasture. It was first of many surprises that evening.

My family’s business is growing and raising food, but that night I learned that what goes on in the restaurant world is as foreign to me as what goes on in the banking business. While partnering farmers and chefs at a dinner and discussion may sound like an invitation to a love-fest, what ensued more closely resembled divorce court. Soon into the farmer-chef panel discussion, it became clear that both groups felt misunderstood. The farmers complained that the chefs don’t fully appreciate the quality of the food they grow and raise. The chefs complained that the farmers don’t understand the indomitable forces of the consumer marketplace. According to the chefs, that marketplace will only eat chicken breasts and lamb loin chops. As a farmer, I’m keenly aware that there’s a whole lot more animal attached to those parts. And I know I can’t raise chicken breasts and lamb loin chops alone. I left that night depressed, and awakened to how separated the worlds of good farming and good food had become.

While my family began raising animals on pasture years before, that evening proved to be a critical moment in my food and farming education. In the weeks that followed, I came to understand that if my family was going to be direct marketing clean, healthful, pasture-raised meats—and successfully differentiating ourselves from mass-produced, grain-fed, grocery-store meat—then we needed to know about more than simply raising livestock. We needed to understand great cooking. And we had to make sure that our customers had terrific experiences with the foods we sold.

So began a luscious journey that transformed me from an uninspired diner—one who ate only a minimal amount of meat in a half-hearted attempt to maintain some protein in my diet—to a hard-core carnivore. For a girl brought up around livestock, I knew surprisingly little about the packages we sold from our freezer. My education began with cookbooks and textbooks and charts depicting every conceivable cut of meat and where on the animal they came. I learned about the extraordinary nutritional value of grass-raised animal products and I learned about the unique flavors and textures that separate grass-fed meats from their conventionally raised counterparts. I wouldn’t let customers walk out the door without finding out what they planned to do with their purchases. Each morning, I’d walk to the freezer, close my eyes, and grab a package. No matter what the cut, I had to learn what do with it by dinnertime.

Initially, my success rate was dismal. Then, slowly, I began to get it. It started with that first juicy steak, then the spectacular ham, and then the savory, slow-cooked spareribs. I became our farm’s best customer. I was cooking meat nearly every night of the week.

Sound unhealthy? It shouldn’t. Grass-fed meats are more nutritious than the conventionally raised meats you find in the grocery store (including organic meats that are not pasture raised). They contain the proper ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. They’re lower in fat and calories than conventional meats, and they’re higher in conjugated lineoleic acid (the cancer-fighting fat) and vitamins. Soon, I dropped a few pounds. Both my husband and I noticed that our hair and skin were looking healthier. We rarely got sick. Certainly it wasn’t the meat alone. My interest in the benefits of pasture-raised foods led me to a wide variety of locally grown and raised foods. Soon I was shopping at farmers markets and incorporating many more fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet. My lifestyle — as well as my relationship to food — was changing. And it wasn’t just the health issues that were driving this change; it was the realization of how delicious these foods are and how simple it became to shop for them and prepare them. But it was the grass-fed meats and dairy products that I credited with the dramatic changes n how I looked and how I felt.

I wasn’t alone in my enthusiasm for grass-fed foods. Soon, restaurateur and chef Alice Waters began talking about them. Writer Michael Pollan began discussing then. A feature article that appeared in the Atlantic Monthly effused that the search for grass-fed meat was “worth it.” Inspired by evidence of grass-fed meat’s nutritional value, Jo Robinson, author of When Your Body Gets the Blues, The Omega Diet, and Pasture Perfect, launched eatwild.com, a Web site devoted to collecting and compiling information and research results on the benefits of pasture-raised foods (to date, eatwild.com, has had more than half a million visitors and now averages between 1,000 and 2,500 visitors a day). Finally, the infinitely pragmatic Tim Bowser, executive director of Foodroutes Network, an organization that promotes local food systems, conceded the entire landscape of health, environmental, and social benefits of raising animals on pasture with the comment: “I don’t believe in panaceas, but grass-based farming comes pretty close.”

It’s been seven years since that dinner, and relationships between farmers and chefs have changed, ushering in a new generation of professionals who are rediscovering their roots; who, like their grandparents and the great master chefs of history alike, are making the connection between great food and great farming. Famous chefs are televised at farmers markets, racing from stall to stall, smelling and tasting, and celebrating fresh ingredients and locally grown and raised foods. The numbers of farmers markets are growing at record rates as are memberships in community supported agriculture (CSA) farms. Consumers are beginning to see farmers for who they are: skilled individuals whose hard work in the fields, dedication to the business, and commitment to stewarding the land are making the case that small-scale agriculture isn’t only a culinary boon but a social and economic imperative. Together, farmers and chefs are showing us the joys—and yes, the simplicity—of our eating with the seasons and the multiple benefits of choosing organic and locally grown and raised foods.

More recently, chefs and home cooks across North America are working with grass-fed and pasture-raised meats and dairy products. Those of us who love to cook, who are watching our weight, who care about animal welfare and the environment, or who are dealing with health issues are taking seriously the practical reasons for choosing grass-fed meats and dairy. And to the delight of small family farmers everywhere, with some help—and a healthy dose of courage—we’re beginning to move beyond chicken breasts and lamb loins; we’re learning to prepare and enjoy cuts of meat our grandparents and great grandparents regularly ate, including shoulder chops, shanks and chuck roasts.

My journey was not the making of a career epicurean. I didn’t set out to become a gourmet cook. Rather, I’m just a local farm girl who loves a good hunk of meat, admittedly, and quite possibly, to the point of obsession. Today, I think and dream about meat. I fantasize about fresh hams and cracklings and Italian sausages. I’ve been known to wax poetic about herb-roasted chickens and crispy goose skin and about pot roasts and shish kebabs and pan-seared steaks. In recent years, our product line at Sap Bush Hollow has expanded to include grass-fed beef, pork, geese, turkeys, lamb and chickens. Given the opportunity, I will sing praises to all of them.

This book is a tribute to those mouth-watering cuts of meat from animals roaming and grazing on lush green grass. Grass-fed meats and dairy products are different—and infinitely better—than the conventionally raised foods found in grocery stores. In the coming pages I’ll describe the true differences between grass-fed and conventionally raised foods, and I’ll explain how they affect your cooking and preparation techniques. I’ll give you simple approaches for preparing foods that require very little in terms of flavor additives and sauces. Within these pages, you’ll find many of my favorite recipes as well as those from grass-based farmers from across the U.S. and Canada.

It may be awhile before you find grass-fed meats in your local grocery store (you may, however, have an easier time finding grass-fed dairy products in stores). Entering the world of grass-fed meats and other farm-fresh foods requires a new kind of shopping. Often, it means coming to know the farmer yourself, whether it’s at your local farmers market, at a roadside stand, or on his or her back porch. This can be intimidating at first, but it’s well worth the effort. Many of us have grown accustomed to conducting business without hearing another person's voice or looking them in the eye. This book deals with that problem head-on. You’ll learn how to evaluate a farm, whether you’re standing on the soil or talking with the producer on the phone. You’ll learn about the culture of livestock farming, how to be a welcome customer, and how to get the most out of your visit to a farm. Most important, you’ll discover how truly rewarding it is to connect with your community and your region through farming.

You’ll also learn that sometimes, purchasing grass-fed meat requires a different sort of buying arrangement. While many farmers sell retail cuts, which simply means you can buy a pound of hamburger or two steaks (just as you would at the grocery store), others require that you buy animals as wholes, halves or quarters. You may never have purchased an animal in this way, but soon you’ll know how to use the different cuts of meat and you’ll welcome the impact your new buying habits have on your menus, your meals, and your budget. And without fail, the meat recipes in this book are designed to help you cook just about every cut imaginable.

Not everyone lives in a community surrounded by green pastures and grazing livestock, or even with a nearby farmers market. If this is you, this book will help you find grass-fed meat, either by way of the directory of farmers or by way of the many Web sites listed that contain comprehensive databases of producers of grass-fed meat and dairy products.

I have selected and arranged recipes to suit a variety of needs and tastes. Some are geared toward harried families looking for nutritious meals that can be prepared on a tight schedule. Others are geared toward budget-conscious cooks who are committed to healthy cooking. Still others are what I call showcase recipes—real showstoppers that could mean a sudden surge in your popularity as friends vie for dinner invitations.

One of the greatest joys of cooking and serving grass-fed meats and dairy is knowing that they come from farmers who have made conscious choices about stewarding the land in environmentally responsible ways, raising livestock in a humane fashion, and living their own lives in accordance with their values. Here you’ll meet many of those farmers and have access to their favorite recipes. It’s my hope that as you read their stories and savor their favorite dishes, you’ll come to realize the magnitude of your decision to support them and their colleagues by making grass-fed meats and dairy your first choice.

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