The Worthington Farmers Market is an event of the Olde Worthington Business Association.
"As long as there's a few farmers out there, we'll keep fighting for them."
Willie Nelson
How much do you know about your eggs and poultry? When you're buying from a grocery store, you will never talk to the farmer and you may never know more than just the price per pound or dozen. (Heck, it's hard enough to even find an employee that can answer your questions.)
Want to know more? Buy your goods from a local farmer at your local farmers' market. At the Worthington Farmers Market, we have lots of vendors who sell eggs and poultry, and each of them will be happy to talk about their farming practices and philosophy. In the meantime, look over this basic list of words and definitions complied by Jessica L. Moskowitz at Farmers Market Coalition.
Cage-Free
USDA Definition: A Cage-free label indicates that the flock is able to freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area (typically a barn or poultry house) with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.
The Perception: Cage-free does NOT mean the hens have access to the outdoors. While, cage-free birds are able to engage in some natural behaviors, such as nesting and stretching their wings, controversial practices such as debeaking are still allowed. Consumers have developed a growing skepticism of this term. Many find it to be deceptive—falsely indicating that hens are able to live a spacious, natural life. It’s also a term more frequently associated with eggs and poultry purchased from the grocery store originating from large, industrial farms.
Free-Range or Free-Roaming
USDA Definition: A free-range or free-roaming label indicates that the hens are provided shelter with unlimited access to food, fresh water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle.
The Perception: While consumers conjure images of happy chickens roaming freely through fields, “access” often really means a small door that the animals never take advantage of. “Access” is a key word that many factory farm brands have been known to exploit. There are no USDA requirements for the quality and
size of the outdoor access areas, or for how much time poultry spend outdoors. Many believe that free-range is no better than the cage-free label and thus not worth the added price tag. Michael Pollan and Food Inc. broke the bubble years ago that factory-farmed poultry labeled as “free-range” or “free-roaming” likely don’t ever see the light of day, let alone graze or roam in a field. It should also be noted that according to USDA, controversial practices such as debeaking and forced moulting are allowed within the free-range and free-roaming label.
Pastured or Pasture-Raised
USDA Definition: Due to the number of variables involved in pasture-raised agricultural systems, the USDA has not yet developed a federal definition for such products.
The Perception: The growing use of this term has led to an understanding (and promise by the farmer) that meat and eggs labeled as pastured means the hens are raised outdoors and have the ability to eat wild plants and insects. Perceived as far more true to what the term invokes, an increasing number of consumers are supporting pastured and pasture-raised labeled products as worthy of the highest price tag and offering the most ethical, healthy, and sustainable choice. It is important to note that these terms are often confused with free-range and free-roaming (something encouraged by factory and commercial producers to justify a higher cost) and should not be used interchangeably. Because pastured hens eat a varied diet and experience daylight, studies have proven their eggs to be more nutritious including elements like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, D, and E, and have less cholesterol when compared to their commercial counterparts. Many consumers now tout the taste factor as another benefit of buying truly pastured eggs and meat.
Certified Organic
USDA Definition: This labeling term indicates the product has been produced through approved methods where synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering are not being used. Hens must be kept un-caged with access to the outdoors, and are fed an organic, vegetarian diet free of pesticides. Compliance is verified through third-party auditing.
The Perception: Again, the word “access” comes into play as the amount and quality of such access is undefined. Savvy consumers have grown weary of products labeled as organic (not just among poultry and eggs) as part of the “green washing” marketing tactic. They now place organic labeled eggs and chicken above cage-free, but below pastured due to the perceived vegetarian diet, which is thought to be unnatural and void of certain nutrients. The label doesn’t carry as much weight as it did in the past, and many consumers (especially those shopping regularly at their local farmers markets) would rather buy eggs and meat from hens allowed to graze in a pasture or field than ones fed with an organic diet.
You can read more here.
Our vendors for Saturday, November 9th (in both alphabetical and numerical order) include:
37 2 Crows Farms
9 A Few Of My Favorite Things...
26 Ann's Raspberry Farm
1 bak
21 Blue Jacket Dairy
5 Carsner Farms
20 Cedar Cress Farm
24 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas
41 Curly Tail Organic Farm
4 Dan the Baker
33 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery
28 GILLOGLY ORCHARD
29 GILLOGLY ORCHARD
11 Gluten Free Expressions
23 Golden Life Dog Food, LLC
7 Gourmet Candy by Karen
44 Honeyrun Farm
25 Jenn's Cupcakes & Confections
34 Jorgensen Farms
Mobile J-POPS
6 Krazy Kraut
10 Lucky Penny
43A Ohio Bison Farm
39 ohio farm direct
30 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC
22 Pies by The PieMan
17 Pleiades Maple Products
14 Raven Rocks
19 SaraBee Pure Honey
16 Sassafras Bakery
32 Silver Bridge Coffee Company
12 Sippel Family Farm/Kokoborrego Cheese
3 Somerset Herbs LLC
2 Soodles Bake Shop
36 Speckled Hen Farm
43B Stevens Family Bakery & Orchard
8 Stonefield Naturals
38 Sugar B. Bakery
15 Sunny Meadows Flower Farm
42 Swainway Urban Farm
40 Sweet Tee's Caribbean Goodies
27 Sweet thing gourmet
18 The Brown and Blond Bakery
31 VanScoy Farms
13 Wayward Seed Farm
1 bak
2 Soodles Bake Shop
3 Somerset Herbs LLC
4 Dan the Baker
5 Carsner Farms
6 Krazy Kraut
7 Gourmet Candy by Karen
8 Stonefield Naturals
9 A Few Of My Favorite Things...
10 Lucky Penny
11 Gluten Free Expressions
12 Sippel Family Farm/Kokoborrego Cheese
13 Wayward Seed Farm
14 Raven Rocks
15 Sunny Meadows Flower Farm
16 Sassafras Bakery
17 Pleiades Maple Products
18 The Brown and Blond Bakery
19 SaraBee Pure Honey
20 Cedar Cress Farm
21 Blue Jacket Dairy
22 Pies by The PieMan
23 Golden Life Dog Food, LLC
24 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas
25 Jenn's Cupcakes & Confections
26 Ann's Raspberry Farm
27 Sweet thing gourmet
28 GILLOGLY ORCHARD
29 GILLOGLY ORCHARD
30 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC
31 VanScoy Farms
32 Silver Bridge Coffee Company
33 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery
34 Jorgensen Farms
36 Speckled Hen Farm
37 2 Crows Farms
38 Sugar B. Bakery
39 ohio farm direct
40 Sweet Tee's Caribbean Goodies
41 Curly Tail Organic Farm
42 Swainway Urban Farm
44 Honeyrun Farm
43A Ohio Bison Farm
43B Stevens Family Bakery & Orchard
Mobile J-POPS
Join us this Saturday, and every Saturday (except November 30th) from 9:00am-12:00pm!
For more information, or questions related to any of our services, please contact us via email at worthingtonfarmersmarket@gmail.com. See you at the market!
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