As you get settled into your South County vacation rental, you might want to do some shopping and stock the house for your stay. Of course, a big part of that will involve finding meat and produce you’re comfortable consuming.
Finding organic produce and ethically raised beef, chicken, and pork can be challenging while on vacation. You probably know which farms or butcher shops to visit back home, but figuring that out in a new community could take some time.
Fortunately, a few farms in coastal Rhode Island and Connecticut sell grass-fed, organic, and hormone-free beef, chicken, and pork. Here’s a look at four locations where you can buy humanely raised meat while vacationing in South County.
Pat’s Pastured
Pat’s Pastured is a farm in East Greenwich, a short distance from Wickford Village and downtown Wakefield-Peacedale. Here, you can pick up grass-fed beef and pastured chicken and pork, all of which are hormone-, antibiotic-, and steroid-free and fed a GMO-free diet. You can get pastured eggs at the farm, too, and they even sell bacon and sausage.
Getting your food from Pat’s Pastured is easy, as you can visit their storefront right at the farm. It’s also possible to order ahead so your meat is ready to go upon arrival or have them deliver it directly to your vacation rental.
Making one trip to Pat’s Pastured ensures you have all the meat you’ll need throughout your vacation, and you can be confident the animals were raised ethically from start to finish.
Wild Harmony Farm
In Exeter, Wild Harmony Farm sells certified organic, pasture-raised pork, pasture-raised chicken, and 100% grass-fed beef. This farm typically sells meat in bulk, but you can visit their web store to order certain items in smaller quantities.
Availability at Wild Harmony depends on the season and how much meat remains after selling to their regular customers. However, you’ll typically find a selection of beef roasts and steaks, ground beef, whole chickens, chicken wings, smoked ham, bacon, pork roasts, and pork tenderloin. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausages are also available.
Your Wild Harmony Order will be placed in a self-serve shed, and you can show up on or after your specified time to grab it. You’ll usually need to order a few days in advance to ensure your food is ready when you arrive in South County.
Silk Tree Farm
Driving north from Westerly to the Arcadia Wildlife Management Area takes you to Silk Tree Farm, a relatively new operation selling pastured pork, chicken, and turkey. They also have free-range eggs and soap made from goat milk.
You can buy any of these items directly from the on-site store at the farm, and you’ll likely encounter some of the animals while you’re there. Although it’s a bit of a drive to reach Silk Tree Farm, it’s a beautiful area, and you can’t beat the quality of the meat and eggs.
Devon Point Farm
If you book a vacation rental in the western part of Rhode Island, popping over the border into Connecticut for some provisions is an option. Devon Point Farm is located in North Stonington, about seven miles from downtown Westerly, making it easily accessible in a matter of minutes.
Devon Point Farm raises grass-fed beef and heritage pork on-site. The animals are antibiotic- and steroid-free and live in a natural environment on the farm. The shop usually has individual cuts of beef in stock, including pre-formed hamburgers, but you’ll have to call ahead to see if they have pork available because they only butcher it three times per year.
Devon Point Farm is open by appointment only, so give them a call or email to see what they have available and pick a time to stop by to grab some beef or pork to stock your vacation rental.
High-Quality Food in South County
Meal planning can be challenging while on vacation, especially if you have specific dietary or ethical concerns when purchasing meat. Fortunately, these farms raise their livestock naturally without hormones or antibiotics, so you can be confident you know what you’re getting.
Once you stock your freezer with food from one of these farms, the meal planning gets much easier, and all that’s left for you to do is enjoy the rest of your South County vacation.