• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Shop Local, Eat Fresh at the Saratoga Farmers' Market | Food, Crafts, Music in Saratoga Springs

Shop Local, Eat Fresh

  • Markets
    • Our Markets
    • Market Maps
  • Vendors
    • Vendor Directory
    • Becoming a Vendor
  • Shop Online
  • About Us
    • SFM Association
    • History
  • Programs
    • SNAP/EBT & FMNP
    • POP Club for Kids
    • Community Partnerships
    • Summer Internships
  • Get Involved
  • News
    • Featured Article
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • Weekly Newsletter
  • FAQ
  • Contact us
    • Message us!

Healthy Meat “Heritage” at the Market

March 23, 2016 By marketeditor

By: Jeremy Riccardi

Norseman Farm 1
Norseman Farm
Norseman Farm3
Norseman Farm 4
As interest in locally produced foods proliferates, many farmers who sell their products at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market are turning to “heritage breeds.” One such farm is Norseman Farms, which sells beef, pork, and poultry from a range of such breeds.

Heritage breeds are meats provide from livestock breeds that not only hold historical significance but also are bred to thrive in local environmental conditions. The rise of industrial farming limited the output of these older breeds, which makes the value of purchasing them at such venues as the Saratoga Farmers’ Market more important than ever. As a producers’ market, the Saratoga Farmers Market’s focus is on foods and other goods produced in Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Washington counties. This promotes local business while offering economical, ecological, and social support to the local community.

Norsemen Farms began as a small scale farming operation in 2008. Its owner, Bobby Grimm, describes the heritage breeds as producing a high-quality meat whose flavor is derived from farm stocks and practices that go back hundreds of years.

“We opened the farm in pursuit of a righteous life and to make available to the public a product that is extremely healthy and clean while also being opulent and exclusive at the same time” said Grimm. He added that the meat that Norsemen Farms raises comes “from some of the most sought after heritage breeds of animals available.”

Norsemen raises two heritage breeds of cows, Japanese Wagyu and Scottish Belted Galloway. They also offer heritage breeds of pigs such as Hereford, Large Black, and Berkshire, as well as several chicken breeds.

The farm also offers grass-finished beef, which allows the cattle to subsist on a foraging diet and in turn results in a more flavor filled product that also provides 4 percent of the recommended daily value for Vitamin E compared to 1.5 percent for grain-fed beef.

In addition to offering heritage breeds of livestock, Norsemen Farms provides its providing customers cuts of meat that are free of hormones, antibiotics, and chemical herbicides. All of its animals that eat grains are fed grains free of genetically modified organisms.

Norseman Farms invites people to visit its Facebook book to learn about special events or to call 518-450-9062 to schedule a visit. The farm also sells its meat at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market at the Lincoln Baths Building in Saratoga Spa State Park every Saturday through April 30 from 9 a.m. to 1p.m.

*Some material from www.sustainabletable.org and www.beefboard.org was used in this article.


“The fresh ham is one of the finest and often least expensive cuts of meat on the pig. While there is not a lot of fat around the outside of the roast, the fat is marbled within the meat, making it juicy and delicious. Fresh hams come in all sizes, from an entire leg, weighing 12–15 pounds, to boneless roasts weighing as little as 3 pounds. The recipe below is for a 4-pound roast. If you need to cook a bigger fresh ham to feed more people, simply double the amount of herb rub, accommodate for the increased size in your cooking time, and be sure to double-check your work with an internal meat thermometer.”
– Shannon Hayes

Fresh Ham Recipe

Fresh Ham with Shallot Maple Dijon Reduction

Recipe adapted from Shannon Hayes, The Radical Homemaker of Sap Bush Hollow Farm

Serves 6–8

Ingredients
* Ingredients available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market

1 recipe Rosemary Herb Rub (below)
4 pounds boneless fresh (uncured) ham (skin-on or skinless is fine) *
2 tablespoons minced shallot (optional, for the reduction sauce) *
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or Healthy Saratoga Honey Mustard (optional, for the reduction sauce) *
2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, for the reduction sauce) *
2 cups meat broth (broth may be made from market ingredients) *
4 tablespoons butter (optional, for the reduction sauce)

Rosemary Herb Rub
(Makes about ½ cup)

2 tablespoons crumbled dried rosemary
1 tablespoon crumbled dried oregano
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced

Massage the Herb Rub into all surfaces of the meat. If it has not been skinned, use a very sharp knife to cut a series of 1-inch gashes all over the skin, cutting down to the meat without piercing it. Stuff some of the herb rub into each of the cuts. Allow the meat to come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 325° F.

Place the meat in a roasting pan, insert a meat thermometer, and roast to an internal temperature of 145–160 degrees—depending on how done you like it—about 22 minutes per pound for a boneless roast, 20 minutes per pound for bone-in. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before carving so that the juices can settle back down into the meat. Serve au jus (with the pan juices), or make a reduction as follows:

Remove the ham to a cutting board, then set the roasting pan over direct medium heat. Heat the pan drippings until they are bubbling. Add the shallots, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Continue cooking, stirring and scraping, until the shallots are clear and the browned bits from the pan are mixed into the paste with the mustard and pan juices. Add the broth and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced by half. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition. Drizzle the reduction over the meat and serve.

Filed Under: Featured Article, News, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With: Grass-Fed Beef, Heritage Breeds, Saratoga Farmers' Market

Reader Interactions

Before Footer

Instagram

Have you tried any of @nettlemeadowfarm's newest S Have you tried any of @nettlemeadowfarm's newest Schroon Moon spreadable cow's cheeses yet? Go for savory or sweet with 5 different flavors. Pick some up at this Saturday's market - we'll be open 9:30am - 1:30pm at the Wilton Mall food court!
.
.
.
#farmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #saratogany #wilton #518 #518eats #farmfresh #nofarmsnofood #dairy #cheese
We are honored to be nominated as one of the Best We are honored to be nominated as one of the Best Farmers’ Markets in the Capital Region for the Times Union’s Best of 2021! Thank you to all of our amazing customers and community for your continued support! You can vote for us daily under the category “Goods & Services” using this link: https://www.timesunion.com/bestof2021/ 
.
.
.
#timesunionbestof2021 #timesunionbestof #saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket 
#supportlocal #shoplocal #saratogany #saratogasprings
Starting off the week with another MCM (Market Cru Starting off the week with another MCM (Market Crush Monday!) This week we talked to Kim from Mugzy’s Barkery who brings healthy, locally made dog treats to the market. 
 
1. How did Mugzy’s Barkery get started? 
My sister Jaime started the business just over 5 years ago to have a healthier treat option to give her beloved Olde English Bulldog, Mugzy. Our treats are all natural and organic, providing a healthy alternative to mass-produced treats for caring dog parents. 
 
 2. What’s your favorite part about vending at the market?
Definitely getting to see all the dogs! The funny thing is I know all our regular customer’s dogs by name, not the owners. 
 
3. What are your most popular treat flavors?
Pumpkin paws (grain-free biscuits) and the pupcakes (a bite-sized treat) are really popular with the dogs but we also have flavors like PB cookie cups, apple cheddar training treats, banana buddies and more, so something to fit any pup’s tastes!
 
The PB cookie cups have been tried and approved by our market assistant’s dog, Lacey! 
.
.
.
#saratogafarmersmarket #farmersmarket #saratoga #upstateny #shoplocal #saratogadog #farmersmarketfresh #mugzysbarkery #dogtreats #healthydogtreats
No need for an international flight when you can j No need for an international flight when you can journey around the world at the market! 🌍 Between Italian, Mediterranean, and Ukrainian, our vendors bring some of their best home cuisines to the market.
 
Have you tried My Dacha's Ukrainian food yet? Choose from lots of delicious options like pierogies, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, or opt for sweet crepes. 🥟🤤 (If you've tried their food, what's your favorite?!)

We're open this Saturday, 9:30am - 1:30pm at the Wilton Mall food court!
.
.
.
#farmersmarket #saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #food #ukrainian #pierogies

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Saratoga Farmers Market · Design by REACH CREATIVE

    COVID-19: Check our latest Safety Guidelines!
  • Markets
    • Our Markets
    • Market Maps
  • Vendors
    • Vendor Directory
    • Becoming a Vendor
  • Shop Online
  • About Us
    • SFM Association
    • History
  • Programs
    • SNAP/EBT & FMNP
    • POP Club for Kids
    • Community Partnerships
    • Summer Internships
  • Get Involved
  • News
    • Featured Article
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • Weekly Newsletter
  • FAQ
  • Contact us
    • Message us!