So, What Is For Dinner? Local Meat Sources in Central Indiana
Buying meat from local farmers has been happening mostly in niche groups for a while; it’s a growing trend, but mostly it has been relegated to the realm of Michael Pollan readers or large families living in rural areas. The efficiency of the farm —> processing plant —> grocery store —-> your table made it a very hard system to disrupt.
Then the pandemic happened. And with it came plant closures, leading to concerns about meat shortages at the grocery store, something we are not used to as American consumers. Many shoppers sought ways to limit their store trips, making bulk meat and home delivery (we’ll get to that shortly!) much more appealing. A spokeswoman for Seven Sons Farm told me that their orders were five times higher this time of year than in the past. The efficiency of the previous system only works when all of its parts are working. But buying meat directly from a farmer? Turns out that this can be even super efficient too! it’s delicious meat, and it’s pouring money into our local communities so that when supply chains break down again (because we know it will happen, right?), our own communities are more self-sufficient and less hurt.
Maybe you’re looking for meat this way for the first time and unsure where to start! Below is a crash start to cow & pork shares, along with a list of the wonderful farmers in our area.
For a beef share: the customary way to do it is usually ordering 1/2 or 1/4 of beef (occasionally you can also order 1/8). There is usually a cost per pound that the farmer sets ~ this is the hanging weight, and does not mean you will get that many pounds of meat. It’s the weight of the animal after it is killed, many non-meat portions removed, and left to hang to cure (this is how you get better quality meat). There will be some weight reduction when the meat is divided. Hog meat is often done as a whole pig or a 1/2 pig. The hanging weight method of calculating still remains. You’ll also pay the processor a set fee. When you order, you put down a deposit on the purchase. It may be months before the right time to process, depending on the farm you order from. The farmers are great at communicating these times, though! When it is time, you’ll hear from the processor, too, about possible ways you can customize your share (more ground beef instead of certain cuts, for instance).
With many producers, you can also put in a customized order for the meat you would like, although this often is a bit more expensive per pound (unless you know you won’t use all the cuts in a share, in which case, who wants to waste meat? no one here!).
Holy Cow Farm Fresh has a good page about how this process works, along with approximately how much freezer space you’ll need. It’s also important to note, as the representative from Seven Sons mentioned, that you want to thaw your meat on a plate or dish in the fridge. Most processors & farmers use eco-friendly packaging, which means no absorbent tray underneath to soak up leakage (which is totally normal and nothing to be concerned about).
So without further ado, here’s a list of places to start your hunt for local meat! This list is not exhaustive, and I would love to add to it, so feel free to e-mail me more suggestions!
Seven Sons Farm ~ they have a wide variety of products on their site (their own farm products, including eggs, plus fish, bison, shrimp, produce, and more!), and an easy to navigate website. They do free home delivery for orders in their region over $149, but you can also visit their farm store Monday-Saturday.
Holy Cow Farm Fresh ~ a wonderful source for pork, beef, and lamb. Ordering online is very easy, and their website is a wealth of information.
Hammerstone Ranch ~ Beef ranchers, and their Facebook page is full of informative posts and tantalizing photos!
Thistle Byre Farm ~ Meat and vegetables, a beautiful website, and a CSA available!
Cleaver Family Farms ~ I have not used them personally, but heard them highly recommended.
Becker Farms ~ they also sell holiday turkeys!
Royer Farm Fresh ~ Lamb, pork, beef, chicken…. in Vermilion County, serving the Indianapolis regions, Boone couny, and surrounding area.
Not sure you want to jump into a lot of bulk meat yet? Many of these businesses offer smaller packages, but I also want to give a big shout out for Market Wagon! This online farmers’ market has offerings from farmers and ranchers all over the region ~ you can order meat in smaller sizes (want to try 4 pork chops? go for it! want to try just a chicken? that’s available too!) and also get things like yogurt, cheeses, fruits & veggies, plants, kombuuuuuuucha, chai, ready made meals, baby food, and more!