Rhode Island

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Sanford Farm is a family farm raising grassfed beefalo beef. The beef is available primarily in July and throughout the fall and early winter, after our two grass seasons.

Beefalo is a cross between bovine and bison, and is naturally low in fat and cholesterol. Ours are grazed on a closed farm, in a rotation system, going on new grass every 1 or 2 days. They only eat grass (from fields that have never seen chemical fertilizers), with no sub-therapeutic antibiotics, growth hormones, chemical pesticides, wormers, or fertilizers (our only fertilizer is aged poultry manure). Their winter feed is hay produced locally on this farm and one or two others. They are processed in a small USDA inspected facility in Johnston, RI, and then hung (aged) for 3 weeks. The cow is then divided into 4 equal quarters, freezer wrapped, and labeled. The quarters average 80–90 pounds.

Due to rising costs, especially fuel costs (for making hay), the price of beef is increasing to $4.50 per pound. It is still totally grass fed, with only enough grain to bait them into the headgates occasionally, and no supplements.

My son stopped raising grass-fed Thanksgiving turkeys in 2004 after the coyotes took the profit out of it by killing a dozen of them. We have taken care of our predator problems with a donkey, and were thinking about raising turkeys again, but now we are concerned about the bird flu and are looking for the vaccines that have been mentioned in the foreign press. If everything works out, we will have them again.

Sanford Farm, Ted Sanford, 60 Liberty Church Road, Exeter RI 02822.
(401) 294-3145. E-mail: tedsanford@verizon.net

The Watson Farm is a 265 acre, seaside farm, preserved by Historic New England and managed by Heather and Don Minto since 1980. The farm produces pasture raised Red Devon Cattle and Romney Sheep. Red Devons have provided genetics for superior performance on a grass based diet for centuries. Watson Farm Red Devons are selected for tenderness, intramuscular marbling, mothering ability, and temperament to produce the highest quality, tender, and flavorful beef available to the local market. Romney Sheep are a dual purpose breed that produce sweet meat and lustrous wool. All of our wool is used to produce our "Conanicut Island Blanket."

"Conanicut Island Grass Fed" beef and lamb is 100% pasture raised and grass finished on a system of intensively managed pasture rotations. No grain, antibiotics, or hormones are used. Kelp, salt, and minerals are available to the livestock at all times. Our grassland is constantly being improved through innovative methods to promote healthy soil, forages, and livestock.

Our beef is sold directly to families in portion packs of approximately 30 pounds as well as by the quarter on a pre-order basis. Whole or half lambs are also available. All of our product is USDA inspected, cut, cryovac-wrapped, labeled, and flash frozen for the highest quality.

Products are also available at the Coastal Growers Farmers Market @ Casey Farm in Saunderstown, Rhode Island Saturdays 9–12 May through October.

Watson Farm "Conanicut Island Grass Fed," Heather and Don Minto,
455 North Road, Jamestown RI 02835. (401) 423-0005.
E-mail: watsonfarm1796@yahoo.com.