Shopping at a Local Farm
by lisa | 2 June 2013 10:41
Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to be living in Switzerland. We don’t have any worries about GMO foods or CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feed Operation) raised animals. Our happy Swiss cows eat grass and there are farms scattered everywhere. I probably have at least 20 little farms within a 5 mile radius of my house.
Früchtehof Kunz Farm in Grüningen
Julie and I recently went shopping at a local farm (Früchtehof Kunz) that’s located about 5 to 10 minutes from my house. Our lovely friend Rita gave us the inside tip on this particular farm. The farmer actually has a website that you can take a look at. It’s all in German, but there are some lovely pictures of the farm and the farmer’s family. Many small Swiss farms have little stores called “Hof Lädeli” where they sell whatever they have grown or produced on their farm. Most of them even work on the honor system….there is a little box to put money in for whatever you decide to buy. And no, people here would never think of walking in and stealing the money box.
The farm is home to two very friendly donkeys who are happy to greet you as you arrive.
Friendly donkeys begging to be pet
Here is the entrance to the little farm store.
Farm Store
Who wouldn’t want to shop here?
The sign says “Open”
You can get farm fresh eggs.
Fresh eggs from free range chickens
The farm has lots and lots of fruit trees (apples, cherries and pears) and they make their own apple cider vinegar, fruit jams and preserves, dried apples and pears and fresh pressed apple cider.
Julie and I each bought a large package of mixed cuts of grass fed beef. I got 5.5 kg (about 12 pounds) of various cuts and paid 27 francs per kilo. It cost me about a third of what it would have cost me at the grocery store. The meat is in the store in a little freezer and you just pick the packages that you want.
Grass fed beef
You can also order an 1/8 or a 1/4 of a cow and choose which cuts you would like to have.
Buy 1/8 of a cow
All those grass fed cows are not only tasty, they are also incredibly cute.
Baby cows in the barn on this rainy day
Julie bought some raw milk. We feel sad for all you poor Americans who can’t get raw milk because it’s against the law.
The farmer showing us where the raw milk is stored (right next to the cows it came from)
I love being able to support local farmers by buying my food from them. I feel good about the animals and products that I consume. These animals had a very good life before ending up on my plate. This particular farm is also labeled as IP Suisse which means that absolutely no soy is added to any of their animal feed. Major bonus. Heck, I would shop at this farm just to be able to pet the donkeys 🙂
Source URL: https://swisspaleo.ch/shopping-at-a-local-farm/