From the rich tastes of the charcuterie we make by hand at The Meat Market with heritage pigs raised in Sheffield, to the small batch hard cider made from apples we harvest in New Marlborough and press by hand at Southfield Spirits, and the grass fed and pasture raised cattle, pigs, lambs and poultry we purchase from our dedicated local farmers like Lila Berle and Dominic Palumbo and cut to order for our customers—food truly from the land, food hand grown by sustainable practices, is central to our cultural heritage and to our vision.

These days, with the steady stream of stories in print and on television about “local food” and “sustainable agriculture,” there is no doubt a seismic change is taking place in the way Americans think about what they eat. It’s as if what was old is now new again, but with a heightened appreciation of why it is so important. We are proud to be part of this great tradition.

This section will answer the questions:

Why local?

Why grass-fed and pastured raised?

Why now?

The Retail Opportunity

Why timing is important

Marketing

The Meat Market will offer a selection of grass fed and pastured raised fresh meat products including beef, pork, lamb and poultry sourced from farmers in western Massachusetts, eastern New York State and northern Connecticut. The Meat Market will break down (and when appropriate age these products) and offer them to our customers fresh cut to order as well as displaying popular cuts in our meat case.

There are a number of compelling reasons why we expect this offering will be embraced by the food purchasers of our region.