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59 Spruce Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-463-9664

June 2010

Farmers Market Saturday, June 5

Featured Farm: Beech Meadow Farm*

Michael Koob
Info@beechmeadow.com
www.beechmeadow.com

How long have you been farming?
3 years

How long have you been coming to the North Market?
2 years

What are your signature products?
100% Grass Fed Angus Beef (Heritage Breed - American Lowline)- well marbled, dry aged 14-20 days. Joel Salatin (featured in Food Inc.) Method Pastured Poultry - "grass finished" chicken has flavor and texture that can't be beat!

What is important to you about selling your beef and poultry at the North Market?
I think that the exposure is very important for us. Between the regular customers and the steady convention center traffic it has really helped us to build our customer base.

How did you become a farmer?
My parents have owned a farm since the 1980's. As they were looking into retirement they started investigating raising Grass Fed beef on that farm as a source of income and fulfillment. My wife, Jhyana, and I liked the idea so much that we went into it as a joint venture with my folks as we began purchasing our herd of American Lowline Angus.

Jhyana and I started the pastured poultry business, producing "grass finished" chickens with the help of Mom & Dad's labor on the farm. We also handle most of the marketing efforts of Beech Meadow Farm. It is truly a family business.

Do you have any special farming practices?
Grass, grass and more grass! We consider ourselves to be primarily grass farmers as it is an important part of the diet for all of our animals and their living arrangements. In the case of the cattle it is 100% of their diet. For the chickens it's part of their diet and we also ensure that green growing grass is always a part of their living arrangemeant in our floorless pasture shelters.

Any recent news or adventures?
We recently started a flock of Heritage "Buckeye" laying hens so look for eggs by mid-to-late summer! We're excited about the eggs as well as establishing another flock of this ALCB endangered breed developed by an Ohio woman. We are also running a trial of "grass finished" turkey this summer and hope to have a few of these available near the holidays!

*Chef Janel Hedgepeth of Latitude 41 will be hosting a cooking demonstration and sampling at the Beech Meadow Farm stall this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Participating farms on Saturday, June 5

Beech Meadow Farm 1) Beech Meadow Farm Signature "Grass Finished" Chicken: first harvest of 2010. We can't produce chicken this good without grass. Raised using the techniques of Food Inc. featured alternative farmer Joel Salatin chicken that lives on a bed of green grass cannot be beat by chicken that is simply Organic or free range. Checkout the best chicken in central Ohio starting at $3.75/lb for whole chicken.

2) Premium Dry Aged, Ground Beef Sale - $4.00/lb: Only at Beech Meadow Farm - 100% Grass Fed Heritage Angus Beef, well marbled (NOT lean ~ 80/20), dry aged beef produces a superb burger, meat loaf or ragu! When accounting for the 10-20% moisture loss from dry aging this compares to grocery stores at $3.20-3.60/lb. This is a gourmet treat at an everyday price. Stock up while the sale lasts!

3) "Grass Finished" Chicken Parts for the Freezer: Now you can get Beech Meadow Farm "Grass Finished" chicken in smaller, more convenient portions that are vacuum packed for highest quality from the freezer. Now offering breasts (boneless/split), wings, drumsticks, thighs and legs (thigh & drumstick) in 1-1.5 lb packages for easy inclusion in any meal.

4) June Beef Harvest: we will harvest two of our delicious, grass fattened, Angus steers during June and dry age them for 14-20 days. Place an order for your split quarter for a great value @ $6.00/lb. Package includes approximately 15lbs steaks, 20 lbs of roasts and 30 lbs of ground beef. Supplies are limited. Order via email (info@beechmeadow.com) and pickup at the North Market farmer's market!

Blossom Acre's Produce Chemical-free strawberries, Swiss chard, radishes, green beans, purple beans, sugar snap peas and green onions.

Bridgman Farm I will be bringing broccoli, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, basil and cucumbers.

Combs Fresh Herbs I will have snow peas and sugar peas, lettuce, arugula and larkspur.

Ehmann & Sons Greenhouse Hanging baskets and assorted annuals and perennials.

Elizabeth Telling Farm

Folck Family Farm Peas, strawberries and pork products featuring peppered smoked bacon.

Honey Run Farm Raw local honey, of course, soap, cone honey and pollen.

Oakvale Farmstead Cheese We will be bringing our family's Farmstead Gouda.

Ohio Farm Direct Whole milk cheeses and trail bologna.

Rhoads Farm Market We are picking sweet cherries, but they will have a short season. Serviceberries (Saskatoon berries) are ripening, look in your landscape. The high heat and rains have advanced the ripening of the strawberries, this will limit their season. Red raspberries may be ready by 6-12-10 and blackberries are in bloom. We are thinning the peaches for size and predict a cling varietey by the end of June. Sweet corn will be the earliest ever, by June 25th. For information and reserving produce, email, rhoadsfm@bright.net

Shady Brook Farm

Somerset Greenhouse I will have perennial plants, herb plants, hanging baskets and lettuce.

Summer Thyme Farm

Toad Hill Farm I will bring kale, lettuce, head lettuce, stinging nettles and garlic scapes.

Toby Run Growers

Wishwell Farms Produce We will be bringing leaf and romaine lettuce, greenhouse tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli for June 5. On June 12 we will hopefully be adding strawberries to the mix.