Intro
| Maryland | Virginia
| West Virginia
Click here for the .pdf (6MB) version of the directory.
Find
your local sources for steaks, ground beef, leg of lamb, sausage, bacon,
eggs, smoked hams, roasting chickens, handmade cheeses, goats-milk fudge,
cheese-stuffed pasta, Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas geese, and more-all
fresh from the pasture! This directory lists grass-based farms in Maryland,
Virginia, and West Virginia that sell their products directly to consumers.
Why
should you consider making local, grass-fed products part of your diet?
1.
SAFE FOOD
Consumer
concerns over food safety and quality are fueling demand for pasture-raised
farm products. Animals raised on pasture, without any animal products in
their diet, have no risk of carrying bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE),
sometimes referred to as Mad Cow disease. In addition, research shows that
grass-based products-meat, poultry, milk, cheese, eggs-have health benefits
for consumers when compared with grain-fed animal products. Benefits include
less fat, fewer calories, more omega-3 fatty acids, more Conjugated Lineolic
Acid (CLA), more beta carotene, and a lower occurrence of potentially dangerous
E. coli bacteria. Increased levels of CLA and omega-3 fatty acids have
been linked with decreased risks of cancer, diabetes, some types of immune
system disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Lowering fat and calories
can have a positive impact on cardiovascular health and obesity. Increased
vitamin A, through beta-carotene, helps maintain healthy skin and vision.
Additional health benefits accrue when animals are raised without the addition
of growth hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides. For more information on
the health benefits of grass-fed products, see www.eatwild.com.
2.
LOCAL FARMS AND FARMERS
Your
food purchases can have a big impact on the landscape around you. Small,
family-run farms, a cherished part of our landscape in the Chesapeake Bay
region, are being lost at an alarming rate. But farms don't have to slip
into oblivion. They can remain vital parts of our communities. We just
have to take a few actions to support them. The best way to support small
farms is to buy their products. When we do, we become connected to the
landscape that surrounds us-connected to where our food comes from, what
our neighbors are doing, the state of the land, and the health of the water.
These connections are becoming harder and harder to find in our busy lives.
Yet we can help renew them, with a bit of research, for the price of roasting
chickens and ground beef. When was the last time shopping did that?
3.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Animals
raised in a conventional system eat grain that is often grown with fertilizers,
herbicides and pesticides. Conventionally tilled cropland is also susceptible
to soil erosion and nutrient and chemical runoff. In addition, raising
grain for feed often requires a significant fossil fuel investment to produce
and transport the grain. In contrast, raising animals on grass substantially
reduces or eliminates the reliance on these row crops. Grass-based systems
maintain cover on the land, also reducing or eliminating erosion and runoff.
Lastly, the graziers in this directory rarely use herbicides, insecticides,
or commercial fertilizer.
Lucky
for consumers in the Chesapeake Bay area, there are over 40 graziers in
Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia offering their natural or organic
products directly to the public. These folks will be happy to discuss their
offerings, suggest recipes, and supply cooking tips. We hope you enjoy
their delicious products and the satisfaction that comes from supporting
these local, family run grass-farms. Bon Appetit!
Intro
| Maryland | Virginia
| West Virginia
Disclaimer:
Inclusion in this directory does not represent an endorsement by Future
Harvest-CASA. Future Harvest-CASA supports local, grass-based farms, but
we cannot guarantee specific products described in this listing.
Future Harvest-CASA
P. O. Box 1544
Eldersburg, MD 21784
phone: 410-549-7878
fax: 410-549-9778
email:futureharvestcasa@gmail.com |
