Monday, June 29, 2020 / by Rick Sadle
Oregon Family Farm
Supporting local has always been a credo in Portland, Oregon. Local doesn’t just mean Portland, but Oregon in general. We like to eschew big corporations wherever possible and support small local businesses and local chains.
We also believe in eating healthy and eating sustainably. Contrary to what many believe, the family farm is dying. Most farms are owned by foreign corporations, and it’s estimated that only two percent of farms in the United States are truly family owned, and most of these farm only vegetables.
So, when there’s a true family farm that offers sustainable meats to consumers with Oregon values, it’s important to support them. Enter Oregon Family Farm.
Jefferson, Oregon, city sits on the right bank of the Santiam River between Salem and Albany along Oregon Route 164 east of Interstate 5. Located south of Portland, Oregon near the state capital in Salem, Jefferson is a small (as of 2010, the population was 3,098), rural community and the self-proclaimed Mint Capital of the World (home to the annual Mint Harvest Festival). It’s also the Frog Jumping Capital of Oregon. Truly, walking the slow quaint streets is like stepping back in time. It’s a feeling of nostalgia that none of us have actually experienced.
It is in this quaint environment that you will find the family run Oregon Family Farm. Run by a husband and wife team, both were raised in the gorgeous Willamette Valley, which is where they have stayed and where they run their farm. Their mission statement is something most environmentally and health conscious carnivores in Oregon can get behind: “We believe in eating meat that is sustainably & ethically raised & humanely slaughtered. It's not only good for our bodies, but we are pretty thankful to be living on this big sphere we call earth and want to honor what God has given us by taking care of it. Because of this we also believe in raising happy animals that are well cared for. “
If you have never tasted grass fed beef, you’re missing out. It’s lighter and doesn’t give your gut that stuffed feeling one often gets from grain-finished beef. And, since grain is inflammatory, eating meat that has not been grain finished is healthier too.
They also raise chicken and pork, so there’s something available for all lovers of all kinds of meat.
If you can’t make it out to Jefferson from Portland, they also will ship the beef right to your home. Caring for our bodies and the environment is important, but it doesn’t mean that you have to give up taste to do so. Oregon Family Farms is a family farm that deserves your support. If you enjoy meat and enjoy having access to local, humanely raised and slaughtered beef, consider Oregon Family Farm. You’ll feel as good supporting them as you will consuming their product. https://oregonvalleyfarm.com/blog/do-you-know-grass-fed-doesnt-always-mean-what-you-think/
