Acorn Farmers Market: A market for local meat
Acorn Farmers Market and Cafe
This letter is written to the community on behalf of the Acorn Farmers Market & Café, by Meghan Berry, the Acorn Market Manager. It is part of a series of articles submitted by the Acorn Board of Directors, to promote the Patronicity drive supporting the new market in Manchester. As of Monday morning, the drive has $19,125 pledged toward its $50,000 goal (about 38%).
submitted by Meghan Berry, Acorn Market Manager
The mission of Acorn Farmers’ Market and Cafe is to create a locally-focused fresh food store that gives village residents access to healthy food choices. We are in the middle of a crowdfunding campaign that will generate funds to renovate the store and create a pleasant new spot to shop for groceries. Acorn strives to be a place where you can purchase all the components of a well-rounded meal – local fruits and vegetables, grains, and pantry staples. The market also carries a constantly growing selection of locally raised and processed meat to add protein to your plate. This summer, we have been excited to fulfill your grilling needs with tasty burgers, brats, and steaks. Acorn is glad to be working with great meat producers to keep small-scale livestock production vibrant in our region.
A market for local meat gives community members a chance to form connections with local farmers, and to understand how each animal is raised- where it lives, what it eats, how it is processed for sale. On a weekly basis Acorn works with six to eight local family-run farms to source freshly processed meats. Our current offerings include beef from Rocky Oak Farms and Noggle Farms, beefalo from Marks Farm, pork from Ashdown Acres and Needle-Lane Farms, and from Taylor Farms, chicken and beef. Farmers sell on consignment at Acorn, so they own the products on the shelf and set their own prices. When you buy meat at Acorn, you can feel that you are purchasing almost directly from the farmer. Several other area producers have inquired about selling through Acorn, and the store will be able to introduce a greater range of products after remodeling. Imagine buying your Thanksgiving turkey from a farmer just up the road!
Livestock production is an essential element of a healthy and vibrant local food system. Local beef, poultry, and pork production supports not only farm owners and families but also a network of processors, packagers, and distributors. Each dollar spent on a local product contributes to the well-being of the community economy and ensures that a variety of local businesses can survive in a rural area – not just large agricultural conglomerates. Thriving farms and a network of services to support them create a secure and resilient food system. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March, Acorn meat producers reported a huge increase in demand for their products at the same time that shelves were emptying out at large grocery stores. Manchester is fortunate to have a strong group of area meat producers who have been able to keep meat coming into the store all year.
Keeping local farmers in business, and local livestock in the fields, is also an important factor in protecting natural resources. Grazing animals, including beef cattle, are able to revive damaged and degraded soils by consuming invasive plant species and returning rich organic matter to the earth. Healthy soil and good grazing land increase the value of fields used for agriculture, and protect them from development that will shrink the local agricultural industry. Both of Acorn’s beef vendors, Noggle Farms and Rocky Oak Farms, employ rotational grazing and move their cattle between pastures to steward their grazing land and produce the healthiest beef products available.
You can find out more about Acorn’s mission and plans at patronicity.com/acorn, and donate to help us get ready to welcome you into the new store. If we can reach our $50,000 goal, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will provide a matching grant. Acorn is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) working to bring a service to the community, but we need your help to make it happen. We already have a wonderful group of farm partners ready to bring you top quality local meat products, and much more!
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