I’m really excited about Michael Pollan’s new book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals.” Somehow, Pollan ties together many of my interests — sustainability, heath, urban planning, family farms — into a single book. Mother Jones has an excerpt of Pollan’s book that focuses on Virginia’s own Polyface Farm, a place that I’m ashamed to say I haven’t visited.
If you’re in any way interested in the future of Virginia farms, do yourself a favor and read this excerpt or, better yet, this book.
Polyface is a wonderful example of an agricultural model that produces truly nutritious food in a humane and profitable manner. I have been buying their eggs and broilers for over a year now and they are some of the best I’ve ever tasted. This Spring when I decided to get my own chickens, I bought four month old pullets from the Salatins. This summer I am going to buy broilers in bulk from them and save over a $1 per pound. On top of all of this, Joel Salatin, though an extremely busy man, is happy to help folks who are interested in backyard, or small-scale farming. He has written several books explaining his creative approach to farming – it’s all about grass! He (and his book, Pastured Poultry Profits) helped me design the chicken tractor that my eight lovely ladies now called home. Needless to say, I love these folks and support them with my business happily.
There are some fine artisanal food people in Central Virginia. Finding their products reliably is the bitch. That local free cooking newspaper is a bit of a help, but often I’m at a loss. I didn’t know that there was a heritage apple nursery accross from the Crossroads Store untili last spring, when it had a festival.
Free-range chicken, broth made with free-range chicken, both are much better than the factory stuff. And the eggs from free-range chickens, especially the farm stuff, are actually better for you, because the chickens are less fat and the eggs carry less fat, too. Much yellower, as well.
Montair Beef Barn, y’all. Way out here, just outside of Whitehall. Give them some business, they deserve it.
Great hamburger (and other cuts of beef), great eggs.
I know because I grew up getting the morning eggs from our chickens. Which sucked of course, because I had to clean the shit off of them.
So, yes I am very excited about Pollan’s book: he has been on Fresh-air, if you all want to go listen to his interview. Its great, he even mentions Polyface Farm.
My friend Dave also told me that Pollan has the cover of the new Mother Jones
I’ll second Jon Sheridan on Mount Air. Grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pigs and chickens.
Also, I’d encourage locals to try Griffon’s Aerie, which is just outside Gordonsville. They raise heritage breed cattle, sheep and pigs. They sell from their farm on Saturday afternoons and this Sunday (April 30), they’re having an open house for tastings of their products prepared by local chefs.
If farmers are going to survive in this area, we’ve got to make sure that it makes more sense for them to grow crops than to sell out to developers. We do that by subscribing to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, buying their products on their farms and at farmer’s markets.
Harry,
Are you a White Hall person?
Tell us more about the CSA programs.
And thanks for the recommendation for Griffon’s Aerie.
I’m a Free Union person, which is close enough to Whitehall.
Last year, I subscribed to The Best of What’s Around’s CSA program. They operate a farm at the edge of Scottsville, although they do offer pick-up spots in Charlottesville. In short, you pay a fee and you get a big box, once a week, filled with whatever’s harvested on the farm that week. They provide a nice variety of healthy, fresh food. I know this year, they require that all of their subscribers work for some minimal time on the farm. I think the objective is to just make the connection between producer and consumer that much clearer. For folks who want to work extra hours, they offered a discount in the subscription fee. I would have been happy to continue with them this year, but I was just too late and they had already sold all of their subscriptions.
There’s another CSA program available through a local group of Mennonite farmers and details are available at www,horseandbuggyproduce.com. I don’t know anything more about them, but it would be worth investigating.
I’ve decided to put a bit more effort into my own vegetable garden this year, as well as make my regular Saturday visits to the Charlottesville Farmer’s Market.
Ah, Innisfree does something similar with their garden (though I always remember it too late to sign up). And the Mennonites? Are those the one’s up in Brown’s Cove?
“I think the objective is to just make the connection between producer and consumer that much clearer.”
Thats a major point that Pollan makes, that one can not truly consider themselves an environmentalist if they are truly ignorant of where or how their food gets to them. Wether it is from Whole Foods or Food Lion.
Mount Air is close to our kids’ school (Charlottesville Waldorf School in Crozet) and I go there often for their delicious beef products. Not only are the animals exclusively grass-fed, the family takes good care of their land – you will never see animals wallowing in mud holes there. On top of all this, they have very reasonable prices. I like the Griffon’s Aerie products that I have tried, but they are SO expensive in comparison to Mount Air. Polyface also has pastured beef, but you purchase it by the carcass instead of choosing individual cuts, which makes it even more economically attractive.
We are blessed to have so many local farmers offering pastured products. In Rochester, NY, where I lived until I moved here, there was only one fella that of whom I knew and that was a metropolitan area of over a million!
Malena,
Amen to Mt. Air’s awesome prices!
Also, if you are ever in the area, check out my family’s business, Montfair: http://www.montfairrestortfarm.com.
We are just down the road from Mt. Air. Years ago we used to run it as a campground, trail rides, and farm; but now my sister and I are trying to bring back the recreation, and event business (family reunions, weddings, and the like).
Wow, that place looks awesome, Jon! I will definitely keep it in mind and alert the School about it as well since it is so close by. Good luck to you and your sister.
Thanks Malena!