Pastured everything... page

[lbd]

I spent the afternoon at this place in Lancaster County in PA:

Spring Water Farm 694 Country Lane, Paradise PA 17562. Email:springwaterfarminparadise@gmail.com. The email is answered by an "English" guy who helps out the Amish families who make up this co-op.


"Spring Water Farm is located in the heart of Lancaster County Pennsylvania. We raise organic pastured pork, 100% grass fed beef, and pastured poultry, including turkeys."


That's not all - they have cheeses, kefir, raw milk, fermented breads (I skip those), lots of fermented veggies. The beef and milk is from there (the Amish girl goes right to the tank to put your milk in the jug) from Dutch-Belted cattle, grazing peacefully nearby. The poultry and pork is from nearby farms - all pastured. The pork is from heritage Tamworth pigs. The lard from this meat is to die for. I bought a turkey that had just been killed last week. Everything is kept very cold or frozen. This turkey was never frozen though. Can't wait for that for Thanksgiving. It is currently in MY freezer. My nephew, the butcher for a supermarket, says "fresh" turkeys at supermarkets are thawed turkeys that might be over a year old. I also bought eggs since my hens are being lax lately, wonderfully fizzy kefir, and yogurt.


If you live within a couple of hours of Spring Water Farm, it is worth the trip (and through some beautiful Amish country at that). I thought it was interesting that they sell copies of Nourishing Traditions and other books. Maybe Mark ought to send them a copy of his

[lbd]

Here's the list of what I bought:

kefir

raw milk

heavy unpasteurized cream (yum)

spare ribs

sausage

sweet bologna (no nitrites)

canadian bacon

pork chops

5 whole chickens

1 fresh turkey

2 doz eggs

farm made yogurt


I already have tons of beef, so didn't need that. I already had bacon and ham steaks from last trip.

[maba]

Oh, how nice! I live in Western Pennsylvania. Wish I were closer to Lancaster. I buy my meat from an Amish farmer here though. There are some amish families near Pittsburgh, wish they too had a co-op like this.

[lbd]

It seems to be a good business model for them. Not all Amish are real-food-minded unfortunately. There is an "Amish" market near me that definitely ships in its meat products from a processing plant, complete with all sorts of added chemicals. I've seen the trucks bringing the frozen sausages and grainfed beef in. There's a big sign on the beef stand advertising delicious black angus grain-fed beef. They also sell strawberries from California in February and other non-local vegetables and fruits. However, there is a chicken stand that is authentic and a delicious bakery stand that makes products right there (but I don't shop there).


I wish more would do what these Amish families are doing at Spring Water.

[mrd232]

Thanks for this! I live in Bucks County, so I'll have to plan a Saturday drive down to Paradise sometime. I think I may know whereabouts this farm is.

[soror]

We don't have a ton of Amish around here but lots of Mennonites. WE have a Mennonite store in town and unfortunately it is the type to ship all the meat in- now if you want homemade bread and cakes they make that- but of course w/ processed gluten-filled flour and sugar. However, I just some grassfed beef yesterday from a nice Mennonite farm a few hours away. Unfortunately though it is very hard to find any nice pastured pork anywhere around here. That sounds like a very lovely place. I would love to have that variety to choose from.

[lbd]

I found this farm through this website:


http://www.eatwild.com/products/pennsylvania.html


I think they have links to each state.


MRD232 - you will love this place and it is not far from Bucks at all. The farm is not marked well - look for Country Lane Carriage Shop which is on the same farm. There are lots of black buggies parked next to the barn. You could also look for the Dutch-Belted cows -they are grazing right next to the barns. When you pull in the drive, go all the way to the back of the lane past the house. The "shop" is on your left in a small building with milk tanks on the end and a "Yes, we are open" sign.. Not fancy, but it does the trick. They are open any day but Sunday, of course.