Saturday Sources: The Farmer’s Larder

Well things don’t always go as you planned. My life got so busy that this series fell by the wayside for a bit but here is another installment.

I have been purchasing meat products from The Farmer’s Larder since the first year that they were at “my” farmer’s market, Tower Grove Farmer’s Market. I was more than a little excited when I first discovered that their kielbasa was sweetened only with honey! That was an early product that we grew to love. Another favorite is their smoked ham hocks. I use them in my Savory Lentil Stew with Smoked Ham Hock Recipe.

What is The Farmer’s Larder? What do you do?

We are a small family business run primarily by Anne Matoushek and son Lucian. Tom and other family members help out wherever they can. The Farmers’ Larder produces very “clean” natural meat products from locally sourced sustainably raised animals. Our meat products contain only certified organic herbs and spices, sea salt (with no anti-caking agents), local honey or organic brown sugar. Our nitrate source is a naturally occurring source - celery juice powder. We don’t use any fillers, MSG, phosphates, soy, dairy or gluten. We use only organic herbs and spices in order to ensure that we are supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

How and when did you get started?

Lucian was freelancing in the film industry and business got really slow in 2008 so he moved back home to cut expenses and contemplate his next move. Anne was in a job situation that was not really fulfilling her interests and Tom had been interested in starting a business for many years. After reviewing our interests and brainstorming, two options came to the fore - sustainable agriculture and sustainable wholesome foods. While agriculture was attractive on many accounts, it takes a long, long time to get up to a level of production that would support a family. The second option seemed very interesting since our family really shares a passion for well made food and that possibility really excited us. We chose charcuterie products because we could not find locally made, really high quality meats that were also really clean - no chemicals, fillers, binders etc. We started planning the business in early 2009. We set up a test kitchen in our basement, bought some books, took some classes, purchased some small equipment and started developing recipe’s. In early 2010 we rented a former country store to start our tiny operation. We attended our first farmers market in May of 2010 at Tower Grove Farmers Market.

Why do you do what you do?

We are inspired and motivated by being part of something that’s bigger than all of us. That’s the possibility of bringing our food system back into alignment with what humans and the earth really needs. It’s no secret that diets have changed drastically - for the worse. And people are starting to realize that we might want to take a little better care of what sustains our civilization - ours soils and ecosystems. On a more practical level we hope we are filling a need for those people who are trying to eat healthier and looking for products that are sustainably oriented.

Where do you get your meats from?

We get all of our meats locally from people who use sustainable practices. Our largest pork supplier is Todd Geisert who lives very close to us near Washington Mo. Todd raises for Niman Ranch, kind of the grand daddy of all natural meats, and they have a pretty good production protocol. The hogs are out on pasture, there’s a welfare standard, they get a vegetable diet, No antibiotics are used. So we feel pretty good about how our hogs are raised. We get most of our beef from Rain Crow Ranch near Doniphan Mo. Dr. Patricia Whisnant DVM and her family run the operation. She is president of the American Grassfed Association and her operation is Animal Welfare Approved. This is strictly grass-fed and grass-finished beef with no antibiotics or hormones used.

Are there other people around the country doing similar work to what you are doing here in St. Louis that my non-local readers might connect with? What sorts of questions might they ask producers to know that they are getting a high quality product?

There are starting to be a few more people who are producing natural and organic meat products. There are some bigger regional outfits and then there are small local outfits such as ourselves. If your readers get online and check out their local food scene - farmers markets, sustainably oriented grocery stores and local restaurants, chances are they will start to discover some local gems. Good questions start by reading the labels of products. What do they contain? Where do the ingredients originate? What are the production practices involved? How are they processed?

What makes your products better than what I can buy at the local grocery store?

We’re not here to knock anybody but there are differences between what you can get at your typical grocery store and our products. First and foremost is taste. We work very hard to develop really great tasting products. Try our products against store bought brands and see what you think. Other differences include: All of our bacons are dry cured - no added water. We are not familiar with anyone else who uses local honey in as many products as we do. Organic herbs and spices - don’t show up in many other brands. Our tagline kind of sums it up, “Local, Sustainable, Wholesome”.

Many of my readers are following the GAPS or SCD diet. This diet avoids all starches and sweeteners other than honey. Cured meats are often a problem for those on this diet. What products do you sell that are free of any starches or additives and unsweetened or only sweetened with honey?

This is an interesting question. When we started we wanted our products to be considered along with other lines of health food. However, it has been people such as yourself, Patty, and others who have made us more aware of the “food as medicine” needs of society. This has been an educational experience for us. As mentioned above: Our products DO NOT contain any coloring, fillers (starches), binders, dairy, soy, gluten, MSG or phosphates. We only use pure sea salt that does not contain an anti-caking agent. Because sustainable agriculture is so important to us we use only organic herbs and spices in order to ensure that we are supporting sustainable agricultural practices and our products do not contain any residual herbicides or pesticides (for people with chemical sensitivities). Our nitrate source is a naturally occurring source - celery juice powder. We did have problems using honey in our belly and jowl bacons because they burnt too easily and so we’re using organic brown sugar in those products. Our smoked ribs also contain organic brown sugar. Anything else that uses a sweetener uses local honey.

One of my readers wants to know if you can make a living doing this?

For us, not yet. We are trying to move toward profitability but the capital and regulatory requirements are challenging. We have learned that whatever you are attempting to accomplish almost always costs more and takes longer than you think. So far we have worked very hard for free. The passion and commitment is really what keeps us going.

Is there a “season” for your products?

There is no season per se. However, we have to work around the availability from farmers which can have some seasonal dependencies. Obviously, the Farmers Markets are certainly seasonal.

What is your favorite from your line up of products? How do you like best to eat it?

We are people who like variety so, without sounding trite, we really do like all of our products. We don’t enjoy eating the same thing over and over. We’ll go a little while and someone will get a craving for pan fried brats with brown gravy, or our franks with a strong mustard and good relish or red beans with hocks and andouille. It also depends on the season.

Is there anything else would you like us to know about The Farmer’s Larder?

We don’t have a fully developed vision or mission as of yet. However, here are some of the things that are integral to who we are and what we do. We are committed to producing only the highest quality natural food products made from locally sourced, sustainably raised agricultural products. We are working to be a visible and vital part in weaving the fabric of a vibrant local, sustainable food economy. We build the trust and respect of individuals and communities by our integrity and adherence to principles of sustainability and fairness. We endeavor to live our beliefs and make a truly positive difference in the world on a daily basis. We strive to add richness and depth to people’s lives by connecting them with the food and the land that sustains them.

The Farmer’s Larder has several recipes on their Website. I’m particularly intrigued by their Sauerkraut Cakes with Kielbasa recipe. I think I’ll have to figure out how to adapt that for GAPS and try it out.

I hope you have enjoyed learning more about this local sustainable business here in St. Louis, Missouri. Sadly they are not able to ship their products at this time however you can catch up with them at several local Farmer’s Markets. They have them listed on their website including a local market that I was not aware of! St Louis Area Farmer’s Markets where you can find The Farmer’s Larder.