The New York Times celebrated the fruits of many farmers' labors yesterday with a long article about the new prevalence of locally-raised beef and pork at city farm markets. No Catskills farmers were mentioned, but beef from Otsego County and Columbia County made appearances.
Representing Otsego County:
One of the new meat sellers is Dave Dutton, who, with his life and business partner, Sonia Sola, left a life in Manhattan to start raising the shaggy cattle called Scottish Highland on a farm in Schenevus, N.Y., near Cooperstown. They like the breed because it’s hardy enough to survive on meager hay and because the animals’ long coats mean less fat, which means leaner meat, which some people prefer. They plan to slaughter about 20 this year, some of which they’ll sell at a Greenmarket near Columbia University in Manhattan on Thursdays. Even the ground beef, at $8 a pound, sells fast. “The people who are aware of what they’re eating are realizing things are getting pretty scary out there,” Mr. Dutton said.
And representing Columbia County:
This year, for the first time, customers can buy Black Angus beef raised on pasture that makes up much of the [Samascott] family’s farm in Kinderhook, N.Y. Ron Samascott, who owns the orchard and pastures with his brother and their children, will process about four animals this summer. Ground beef sells for $7 a pound and sirloin for about $15. It doesn’t take an accountant to figure out that meat will help their bottom line. “In winter there isn’t much to sell besides potatoes and apples,” he said.
