When Price Chopper in Syracuse stopped carrying a very tasty organic chicken, Coleman’s, and started marketing their “natural” chicken, which just isn’t as good, we were finally forced to do a bit of looking around the Regional Market for our protein needs. Last Saturday, smack dab in the middle of winter, we found all we needed, and here’s some of it:
This stuff is pretty local: Sausage and ground beef from Kelley Meats in Taberg, NY, chicken from Grass Land Farms in Ovid, NY. , and delicious yogurt from Meadow Creek Farm in Interlaken, NY. That puts these farms 49, 66 and 73 miles from us, respectively. We also bought eggs from a local farmer, but I don’t remember where their farm is. We’re hoping, actually, to get eggs for free from our daughter-in-law’s chickens out in Skaneateles Falls. 
A: Taberg B: Skaneateles Falls C: Ovid D: Interlaken
Do you know where your protein comes from?
When I can talk directly with the farmer selling me his or her product, I have a feeling I’m more likely to get safe food. It’s easier, I’m sure, to knowingly ship contaminated peanut butter (twelve times!), for example, when your customers are faceless companies, too.
Who do you want to buy your protein from?
Peanut Corporation of Amerca?
… or Cato, NY farmers Jamie and Maggie Edelstein?
See this Post-Standard article about these organic farmers.
I hope the choice is clear. Seeya at the market!
My egg based protein used to come from Mr. Jardine – who delivered eggs (and nothing else!) in his old Pontiac station wagon and sold direct to families all over the Syracuse area. But times have changed – I think I need to get to the market some Saturday very soon.
I wish it was legal to keep chickens here in Syracuse!
You might find it interesting to read a couple articles I posted on Walkable Eastwood:
http://walkeastwood.org/index.php?s=chickens&searchsubmit=Go
I believe there are people in the new Slow Food CNY convivium working on changing the laws. It will be a slow process, but a worthy one. I want to buy eggs from my neighbors!