Finally made it to the Hereford Farmer’s Market! If you are local – please go – it is a great market. I had some great conversations with a few farmers, though I got there late. For Sustainability, the more of everything you can buy locally, the better. The more you know about the ingredients going into your food and the food for your animals, the better.

Questions to ask:

A farmer who raises ‘pasture” chickens – and lots more:

  1. Do you raise your own chicks? No
  2. How old are they when you get them? 1 day (well he really is basically raising his own)
  3. Is your chicken feed GMO? Yes, but he is looking for GMO free sources.
  4. Tell me about why you have to feed grain at all. chickens have been bred (especially the white ones) to grow very rapidly (killed at 8 weeks) and to need grain to do this. The free ranging chickens I see in Kauai mature much later, are tougher and have less meat.

Lamb farmer:

  1. Are they pastured? Most are not.  I will raise sheep on pasture when requested. People have to pay for the butchering of those and pick the meat up from the butcher.
Italian Olive Oil
  1. Is it organic? Not certified, but good. She shows a map of the village where she came from where the olive trees are.
  2. How is the footprint since it is shipped from Italy? Not sure, but this is certainly a fair trade product since it is all in the family.
  3. Storing? Do not store olive oil next to the stove where it will get hot. Do not store in the sun.

Some contact information from different vendors:

www.naturalvibranthealth.com
www.thecontentedroosterfarm.com
greenlamb@gmail.com
www.Oakspring-Farm.com