Bits & Bites: Locally Sourced Meat

Caring for the Earth one meal at a time

Despite the bad rap that raising animals for food sometimes receives for being resource intensive, local animal agriculture plays an important role in the sustainable food system. Whether you’re enjoying bacon with breakfast or grilled chicken on your salad at lunch, knowing where your meat came from and its “foodprint” – the measure of how your diet affects your overall carbon footprint –  is a good first step toward adopting a more sustainable and earth-friendly set of eating habits. 

Luckily, Door County has abundant local meat producers who work hard to fill your plate with plenty of options for fresh and responsibly raised meats and produce. Here are a few to put on your shopping list.

Brey Family Beef 
2190 Cty O in Sturgeon Bay 

The family-owned and -operated farm offers a variety of locally raised, quality beef for purchase in a variety of cuts and bundle packages. It also offers customers the option to purchase a quarter, half or whole animal cut to their specifications. 

The farm’s animals, which are Holstein (a dairy breed) crossed with Angus (a beef breed), are born and raised on-site. Througout their life, they are fed a carefully curated and nutrition-packed diet of crops that are all grown on the farm and specially created by a beef-cattle nutritionist. 

On the farm, the family implements conservation techniques such as rotational grazing, no-till farming and cover crops to improve soil health and water quality. See a current menu of offerings at breyfamilybeef.com.

Door Karma Farms
9668 Hwy 57 in Baileys Harbor

Built on the principle of “what goes around, comes around,” those at Door Karma Farms work hard to ensure that everything that goes into producing food there results in edibles that are healthful for both the customer and the environment. 

Offering chicken, beef, pork, lamb, eggs, seasonal produce and microgreens, the Schuh family pays close attention to the entire ecosystem at its farm. From companion planting, to incorporating solar well pumps, to composting, the farm incorporates several climate-friendly practices and continues to look for additional ways to give back to the environment while providing high-quality, locally produced food for its customers.

Door Karma raises its meat animals by national organic standards; meat animals are organic-grain finished and grass fed. Find out more about Door Karma Farms and its products at doorcountyorganicfarms.com.

Waseda Farms
7281 Logerquist Road in Jacksonport

Offering options for certified organic meat and eggs, as well as farm-fresh produce, Waseda Farms incorporates practices inspired and designed by Temple Grandin, a nationally renowned advocate for animal welfare who has spent much of her life devising ethical ways to use animals for food. 

Visit the Waseda Farms Market, open daily, 10 am – 5 pm, to stock up on grass-fed meats, local and organic produce, and a wide selection of organic, natural and local groceries. Describing itself as an open farm, Waseda Farms invites visitors to explore the walking trails and visit its extensive vegetable garden.