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pigs

Bringing Pork and Greens Together

March 21, 2022 By marketeditor

By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Isabel Buenaga grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, far away from farming. She went to Lehigh University, where she grew aware of many world problems and was frustrated by a lack of solutions.

Then, she spent the summer of 2016 working at a farm in Vermont. A solution to at least one problem – food waste – started to click. She spent the next few years traveling between Puerto Rico and the Northeast U.S., working at other farms. She started Pork & Greens in 2020.

Pork and Greens, photo provided.

Two years later, Buenaga is raising pigs and growing pea shoots and other microgreens on leased land in Rensselaer County. The combination brings together animals she loves, foods she likes, and a path toward a more sustainable food system she hopes to help build.

 

 

I visited the farm on a mild March afternoon, arriving a few hours after Buenaga brought in the first batch of piglets she plans to raise this year. As the eight-week-old animals oinked excitedly in their new pen, Buenaga and the farm’s assistant manager Emily Liebelt prepared part of the animals’ meal: milk, bread, buns, cookies, and bananas from the Regional Food Bank.

Pork and Greens, photo provided.

Pork & Greens pigs feast twice a day on such food bank goods along with spent brewer’s grains and whey. This blend gives the animals vital nutrients through food that otherwise would go to waste. As the piglets grow, their consumption increases. They go out onto pastures where they root out grasses and weeds, which can offer future space for the planting of greens and other vegetables. 

Buenaga loves her pigs for their silly antics and fondness for belly rubs. She also appreciates how they help eliminate food waste. “Packages get broken or mislabeled, and the food inside them gets thrown out. In addition, a lot of the food we produce generates by-products like whey. Pigs are a good way not to let that all go to waste.” 

 

Pork and Greens, photo provided.

Buenaga also grows microgreens and hopes to add additional greens. For now, she is starting small. In November, she joined the Saratoga Farmers’ Market as a new vendor and looks forward to her first outdoor season this spring.

This week’s recipe: Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: eat local, farm, farmers markets, farming, food systems, food waste, greens, local farm, meal, meat, microgreens, pasture-raised, piglets, pigs, pork, Pork & Greens, Saratoga Farmers' Market, shop local, shop small, shop small business, vendor

Saratoga Farmers’ Market Meat Producers

August 10, 2021 By marketeditor

Elihu Farm, photo by Emily Meagher

By Mary Pratt

The meat vendors bring cuts of beef, goat, lamb, pork, and veal all year. They humanely raise animals and are not CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations). Growth promoting hormones and routine antibiotics are never used, and no animal by-products are ever fed.

Ramble Creek Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Josh Carnes started Ramble Creek Farm in 2018. The farm raises heritage-breed pigs to produce their “forest-raised pork,” which lives in their woods protected by an electric-powered net. The farm also produces beef.

Nathan and Meghan Mattison started Grazin’ Acres Farm in 2012 after meeting at the Washington County Fair, where they continue showing their cattle. They offer beef cuts and will provide custom cuts that customers order. They also pasture-raise their heritage breed pigs. In the future, they’ll also offer cuts of lamb.

Longlesson Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Another beef and pork producer, Longlesson Farm, has been a vendor for many years. The farm, started by Christophe Robert’s wife Shannon’s parents, now has 450 acres that supply pasture and hay for their herd of Black Angus. They’ve learned that grass is good for cows, and cows are good for grass! And they’ll have new cuts of pork in the fall.

 

 

Hebron Valley Veal, photo by Pattie Garrett

Hebron Valley Veal is also a new vendor. Ariel Garland and Matt Campbell raise calves from their dairy cows. Their calves are never tethered and receive milk from their registered Holsteins. When six months old, the calves are processed for rose veal cuts, which are lean and tender.

The Market’s goat meat producer, Squash Villa Farm, run by Himanee and Jim Gupta-Carlson, recently bought historic Wright farm in Easton, where French Alpine descendant goats enjoy grazing. Squash Villa is the only goat farm at Wednesday and Saturday Markets.

Mary and Bob Pratt have raised lamb since 1987 at Elihu Farm, named for Revolutionary Patriot Elihu Gifford. Their sheep are purebred Romneys (longwool) and crossbreds (medium wool). Their cuts of lamb are very healthy since most of the fat surrounds the muscles and is easily trimmed.

Mariaville Mushroom Men is from Schenectady County. Bobby Chandler said that in addition to mushrooms, they raise pork and currently offer seasoned bacon, pork chops, and spare ribs.

This week’s recipe: Lamb Satay

Filed Under: Featured Article, homepage feature, News Tagged With: bacon, beef, calves, cattle, cows, Elihu Farm, goat meat, goats, grassfed, Grazin' Acres Farm, grazing, Hebron Valley Veal, heritage breed, lamb, local meat, Longlesson Farm, Mariaville Mushroom Men, meat vendors, meats, pastured, pigs, pork, Ramble Creek Farm, rose veal, sheep, Squash Villa Farm, veal

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Our first outdoor market’s tomorrow!!! Stop by H Our first outdoor market’s tomorrow!!! Stop by High Rock Park from 3-6pm to join us for the the start of our 45th season! 

Swipe right to see our 2023 list of Wednesday vendors. 🌾👩‍🌾

Find us every Wednesday and Saturday in High Rock Park, now through October. Hope you can make it!

#saratogafarmersmarket #saratogasprings #thingstodoinupstateny #agriculture #518makers #shoplocal #farmtotable
It's almost time for our beloved Saratoga Farmers' It's almost time for our beloved Saratoga Farmers' Market to move outdoors to High Rock Park! But before we do, join us one last time indoors at the Wilton Mall tomorrow from 9:30-1:30!

Support us by making a purchase at our first ever Tag Sale! Located by the information stand- all proceeds go the the Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association.

We move back to High Rock Park this Wednesday, May 3rd from 3-6 pm. See you there! 🍅🌽🍓 

#SaratogaFarmersMarket #ShopLocal #SupportLocalFarms #SeasonalRhythms #HighRockPark #WiltonMall #DowntownSaratoga
Only one market left until we move outside! Hope y Only one market left until we move outside! Hope you can make it for the last of our winter markets. Stop by this Saturday in the Wilton Mall food court from 9:30-1:30 and say hi to all your favorite winter vendors!

Our first outdoor market is this Wednesday May 3rd, from 3pm-6pm. Join us in High Rock Park for the start of our Summer season!
Happy Earth Day!! Stop by our market today from 9: Happy Earth Day!! Stop by our market today from 9:30-1:30! It’s our second to last market inside at the Wilton mall before our big move May 3rd to High Rock Park.

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