You may have driven past Fearrington Village with its signature Beltie cattle, looking more like chocolate and crème sandwich cookies than cows. You’ve seen the crazy California commercials: cows lip syncing memorable skits to sell the concept of happier treatment leading to better products. You may have watched “The Chef and the Farmer,” the local public television break-out hit show highlighting successful organic farming-come-haute-cuisine. However you’ve been introduced to it, sustainable food production is a hot topic – and a good business model.
Innovation in Agriculture
With all the world-wide media attention on animal cruelty, chemicals used in farming, genetically-modified foods, and sustainability, farmers are under more scrutiny and pressure toward accountability than ever before. As Americans grow more obese, less active, and more dependent on high-cost medical treatments, American farmers are searching for more effective ways of producing better and more foods that combat these epidemic issues. North Carolina is a vanguard on the fronts of today’s food and nutrition battles, leveraging the state’s historic roots as an innovative agricultural economy.
Rare Earth Farms cows: Central North Carolina Farm-to-Table and organic farming practices
Rare Earth Farms cows: Central North Carolina Farm-to-Table and organic farming practices
Part of North Carolina’s innovation in food production is its application of organic growth and humane treatment concepts on its participating farms. Local to the Triangle Area is a beef producer literally putting its money where its cow’s mouths are:
Rare Earth Farms. Located in the Greater Triangle Area,
Rare Earth Farms provides some of the area’s finest grass-fed, no-added-hormones, non-antibiotic produced beef. Using sustainable farming practices, North Carolina natives and partners Karl Hudson and Mann Mullen have developed some of the finest quality meats in North Carolina.
Mullen’s farm is located in Bunn, and Hudson’s farm is located in Zebulon, making a commute to and from Raleigh area restaurants and consumers a more-sustainable practice within itself.
With their recent expansion through partnership withCarvel Cheves of Clover C Farms in Bunn, now Rare Earth Farms is sustainably producing lamb as well.
Accountability
Rare Earth Farms: Central North Carolina Farm-to-Table and organic farming practices
Rare Earth Farms Logo: Central North Carolina Farm-to-Table and organic farming practices
Accessibility
Rare-earth-farms
Rare Earth Farms – the Farm with a Food Truck – North Carolina Farms in Zebulon, Wake County and Bunn, Franklin County.
Rare Earth Farms makes its products available the public in Wake County at the State Farmers Market Mon-Wed-Thur from 10 am to 2 pm; Sundays 9-5, directly to its CSA (community-supported agriculture) members, and most recently via food truck on the road selling their all natural grass-fed burgers and hand-cut fries. In addition, one of the best ways to understand sustainable farming is through touring participating farms during the annual Farm Tour. This year’s Eastern NC Farm Tour will be held September 19-20, 1-5 pm each day.
