East Liberty Farmer's Market Cooperative (aka cold morning adventure sort of)

The Plan was to get up at 5am and be the first people at the East Lib Farmers Co-op, about 1.2 miles from our house. Well, we got so far as the waking up part, realized it was 5 degrees and pitch dark outside, and decided that The Plan could be modified, and that market would still be there, though admittedly less stocked, at a more human hour, like 9. At 945 we pulled in and realized to our dismay that the market is entirely indoors in the winter! heated! Meaning we could have gone at 5 and been fine. And the meat was mostly sold out. Ah, well.
No worries tho, we set out on our burgeoning trek to explore local food in Pittsburgh.

First we checked out what was left of the meat counter. The provider is J.L. Kennedy farms. I wrote down the name, and promptly googled when I got home. Here's what we learned: The farms are located in Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties, and sell grass-finished meat. Hooray! "organic" and "free-range" I have learned don't mean grass-finished. When cows are switched from grass to corn and grain products, their digestive system has to basically re-wire. Their ruminants which process the grass now have to figure out a way to get energy from corn. They get big and fat very quickly and are led to slaughter faster. Among other reasons why these cows have bad un-cow-like lives, which is enough to convince me thats maybe not the most respectful way to treat the animal you are going to eat (karma is a bitch afterall), grass-fed supposedly tastes better. We will see! An exerpt from the Pgh Post-Gazette this summer:
Grass-finished beef has environmental and nutritional benefits for humans as well as health benefits for the cows. CAFOs, the feedlots where conventionally fed beef cattle are managed until slaughter, pose significant health and environmental risks to the public, according to a 2008 report from the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. Just one of many concerns raised was that corn-based feed, along with the antibiotics and other additives it often contains, increase the risk of creating antibiotic-resistance in bacteria, because cows (ruminants) digest grain so differently than the grass-like foods they are supposed to eat. Preliminary research suggests that grass-finished beef may be more healthful than grain-finished beef. It's leaner and lower in calories. It also contains higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and conjugated linoleic acid, which health professionals believe may have cancer-fighting properties. At least seven farms in the Pittsburgh area are raising it, and many specialty grocery stores in the area stock it. New farms are starting to switch from grain-finishing to grass-finishing. J.L. Kennedy Meat Stand at the East Liberty Farmers Market Cooperative just brought its first grass-finished beef to market. They'll have more in the future, especially if demand grows.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09207/985947-34.stm#ixzz0e7NZp9vg

It should be noted that we finished our shopping at whole foods. While their chickens are "free range" they also say- "fed all vegetarian" and "barn roaming". Meaning kept inside, not given antibiotics, but have delicate immune systems so they dont want to risk contact with the outside world, and they are veg grain fed. Also did not see any grass-finished beef.

Next was coffee. It might have been 10am, but we are pretty comatose without our caffeine. We bought 2 cups ($3) of Jamaican brew from an adorable 9 year old from the Kew Park Coffee Stand. All proceeds were going to benefit the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti- SOLD!

Moving on to eggs. This is tricky because in whole foods, while eggs are organic and cage free, they are not from outdoor free range hens. Having had 4 chickens as pets as a kid, I have a special place in my heart for these animals. No problem at all eating them, but they really are very sweet things so I'd like to know they had happy clucky little lives before they landed in my roaster, or their eggs poached on my stovetop. We found Greenwalt's farm represented at the market. They also bring some of their amish neighbors from Somerset county. Their eggs are in fact free range. The farmer told me that they had less eggs because of an unfortunate fox situation. Sometimes the eggs are our lunch, sometimes the chickens are the fox's. Ah well. We purchased 4 butternut squashes for a recipe this week. At $2/squash, they are about $1.50 per squash cheaper than at whole foods. We also bought goat milk chevre from the Amish cheese guy, which was a bit pricey ($8) but very tasty (per Reggie, I can't eat cheese and crackers at 10am). Greenwalts also sells raw milk. I can't imagine ever drinking this, but it has been much advertised at whole foods recently, so good to know a local farm is providing it as well.

We bought 4 Northern Spy apples ($2) from Kistaco farms as well. I hear their cider is fantastic, but didn't purchase any. Next time!

All in all, we spent $25 at the market. Came away with garlic, spring mix lettuce, a red pepper, a huge carrot, 4 butternut squash, chevre, basil, apples, onions and the coffee. Not too bad. There were also stands of indian spices, a hummus table, natural honey comb, breads, and lots of jams.

What's pretty neat is you can order the meat ahead of time from JL Kennedy's (724-898-2316). There is something so romantic and Little House on the Prairie about being able to phone in an order, and go pick up your chicken or bacon on a Saturday morning. "Hello Mr. Kennedy, I'm here for my order." "Good morning, Amanda- here you go, killed that chicken yesterday!"

Maybe this is becoming more RURAL-Urbansuburban!