Best meat around...

Stopped by the Crestwood Grocery Outlet yesterday for some of their beef. The people were all really nice. I picked up a whole tenderloin for around $24 bucks. Once broken down I ended up with about three really good center cut steaks and 7 okay samples. I grilled them.

You get what you pay for. They had a nice flavor but the meat was not as tender as a nice Choice or Prime tenderloin. They had a bit of chewiness to them. If I am driving by in the future I may stop again but I doubt I will make the special trip. I am happier paying $10 per pound for a good Choice tenderloin.

I'd like to know where you are even getting that price at? $10 per pound?

I frequent both the Bardstown and Douglass Loop farmers markets and Wholefoods. Seems damn near everything these days is $15+ per pound. I even saw flank/skirt steak, which is traditionally a cheaper cut of meat, going for that much!

Quite frankly we've been eating mostly bison these days anyway. For a while KY Bison had a booth at the Bardstown Rd farmers market, but they wanted more per pound than their product was selling for at Valumarket (which makes no damn sense).

Stopped by the Crestwood Grocery Outlet yesterday for some of their beef. The people were all really nice. I picked up a whole tenderloin for around $24 bucks. Once broken down I ended up with about three really good center cut steaks and 7 okay samples. I grilled them.

You get what you pay for. They had a nice flavor but the meat was not as tender as a nice Choice or Prime tenderloin. They had a bit of chewiness to them. If I am driving by in the future I may stop again but I doubt I will make the special trip. I am happier paying $10 per pound for a good Choice tenderloin.

I'd like to know where you are even getting that price at? $10 per pound?

I frequent both the Bardstown and Douglass Loop farmers markets and Wholefoods. Seems damn near everything these days is $15+ per pound. I even saw flank/skirt steak, which is traditionally a cheaper cut of meat, going for that much!

Quite frankly we've been eating mostly bison these days anyway. For a while KY Bison had a booth at the Bardstown Rd farmers market, but they wanted more per pound than their product was selling for at Valumarket (which makes no damn sense).

Costco usually has choice whole tenderloin for around $9.99 per pound. You have to break down yourself biut well worth the savings. You can use the chain for beef tips. Mattingly Foods, former A Thomas and Sons, will also sell to the public. Give them a call (502)253-2000. Ask for Dennis Thomas. They purchased Irish Hill. Great meat. Good price.

Costco usually has choice whole tenderloin for around $9.99 per pound. You have to break down yourself biut well worth the savings. You can use the chain for beef tips. Mattingly Foods, former A Thomas and Sons, will also sell to the public. Give them a call (502)253-2000. Ask for Dennis Thomas. They purchased Irish Hill. Great meat. Good price.

Thanks for the head's up. I swear though the last Costco trip I made with my wife (3 weeks ago?) I compared the cost of the whole tenderloin to the filets and it was the same $15 per pound. I even remarked to my wife how silly that was since I would have to break it down myself.

Any tips on bison?

BTW you and I need to do lunch sometime and talk business. You back doing production work?

I buy choice (and sometimes prime) filets at Costco for 9.99 per pound about every week or every other week. They are excellent. I have some in the fridge right now!

I'd like to know where you are even getting that price at? $10 per pound?

I frequent both the Bardstown and Douglass Loop farmers markets and Wholefoods. Seems damn near everything these days is $15+ per pound. I even saw flank/skirt steak, which is traditionally a cheaper cut of meat, going for that much!

Farmer's market meat is a tricky thing. It's local and therefore much of the discount that would come in the form of a chain store's meat counter is absent (whether this be larger sales network, improved logistics, or bigger supply chain). You are much closer to the source at the farmer's market and therefore are really absorbing the true cost of production. The hope is that you are getting a better cut of meat (fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier), and a better experience from getting to meet your farmer and get an inside look at where your chow comes from.

Also many farms do not have a wholesale side where they discount meat and so you pay their top retail price. Tenderloin can be $18 to $22 because the market (in the economic and literal sense) will support that price. Some farms have a different business model (like mine for full disclosure) where we do have a wholesale side where we sell to retail and restaurants at wholesale prices. Some don't however because their supply is more limited and they need to demand the higher retail price at farmer's markets.

Mattingly Food's are good dudes, just fyi.

I'd like to know where you are even getting that price at? $10 per pound?

I frequent both the Bardstown and Douglass Loop farmers markets and Wholefoods. Seems damn near everything these days is $15+ per pound. I even saw flank/skirt steak, which is traditionally a cheaper cut of meat, going for that much!

Farmer's market meat is a tricky thing. It's local and therefore much of the discount that would come in the form of a chain store's meat counter is absent (whether this be larger sales network, improved logistics, or bigger supply chain). You are much closer to the source at the farmer's market and therefore are really absorbing the true cost of production. The hope is that you are getting a better cut of meat (fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier), and a better experience from getting to meet your farmer and get an inside look at where your chow comes from.

Also many farms do not have a wholesale side where they discount meat and so you pay their top retail price. Tenderloin can be $18 to $22 because the market (in the economic and literal sense) will support that price. Some farms have a different business model (like mine for full disclosure) where we do have a wholesale side where we sell to retail and restaurants at wholesale prices. Some don't however because their supply is more limited and they need to demand the higher retail price at farmer's markets.

Mattingly Food's are good dudes, just fyi.

...With due respect to those who's opinions run contrary to mine, I've never really "got" the pricing aspect of this whole urban farmers market thing...and likely never will. I grew up in a rural/suburban area of N.E. Ohio and we got our corn (and beans and squash and tomatoes, etc) from the stand (or wagon) parked at the end of some farmers driveway...and the prices were -always- lower than you would pay in the supermarket. We bought our beef a "quarter" or a "half" at a time (often from the same farmer) and yes, it was generally better than what you would get in the supermarket....but ALWAYS less expensive. I guess I can respect a persons desire to buy what they perceive to be "fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier" meat...and if they can and want to pay those kinds of prices, more power to 'em. Myself, it's just a line I've drawn in the sand...Never done it, never will.

[Robin Garr]

I guess I can respect a persons desire to buy what they perceive to be "fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier" meat...and if they can and want to pay those kinds of prices, more power to 'em. Myself, it's just a line I've drawn in the sand...Never done it, never will.

Not meant as argumentative but as food for thought: How about the part that goes, "the small farmer has been screwed, creatively and repeatedly, by the government, the middle-person and the economy, for the last 60 years or so. Here's a chance to support individual farmers by paying them a just price for the fruits of their labors, and paying it directly to them. Good quality, old-fashioned, GMO-free and maybe kinda-sorta organic produce is an added benefit, but it might not be at the core.

I guess I can respect a persons desire to buy what they perceive to be "fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier" meat...and if they can and want to pay those kinds of prices, more power to 'em. Myself, it's just a line I've drawn in the sand...Never done it, never will.

Not meant as argumentative but as food for thought: How about the part that goes, "the small farmer has been screwed, creatively and repeatedly, by the government, the middle-person and the economy, for the last 60 years or so. Here's a chance to support individual farmers by paying them a just price for the fruits of their labors, and paying it directly to them. Good quality, old-fashioned, GMO-free and maybe kinda-sorta organic produce is an added benefit, but it might not be at the core.

+1. But hey, that's just me and I don't expect everyone to do what I do or for the same reasons.
I will say this ,
I have noticed that organic fruits and vegetables last longer in my fridge. If all those pesticides are shortening the life of the products they are sprayed on/ spliced into, I wonder what they are doing to me? A few extra pennies to NOT ingest poison? Yeah sure, it's worth it to me.

I'd like to know where you are even getting that price at? $10 per pound?

I frequent both the Bardstown and Douglass Loop farmers markets and Wholefoods. Seems damn near everything these days is $15+ per pound. I even saw flank/skirt steak, which is traditionally a cheaper cut of meat, going for that much!

Farmer's market meat is a tricky thing. It's local and therefore much of the discount that would come in the form of a chain store's meat counter is absent (whether this be larger sales network, improved logistics, or bigger supply chain). You are much closer to the source at the farmer's market and therefore are really absorbing the true cost of production. The hope is that you are getting a better cut of meat (fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier), and a better experience from getting to meet your farmer and get an inside look at where your chow comes from.

Also many farms do not have a wholesale side where they discount meat and so you pay their top retail price. Tenderloin can be $18 to $22 because the market (in the economic and literal sense) will support that price. Some farms have a different business model (like mine for full disclosure) where we do have a wholesale side where we sell to retail and restaurants at wholesale prices. Some don't however because their supply is more limited and they need to demand the higher retail price at farmer's markets.

Mattingly Food's are good dudes, just fyi.

...With due respect to those who's opinions run contrary to mine, I've never really "got" the pricing aspect of this whole urban farmers market thing...and likely never will. I grew up in a rural/suburban area of N.E. Ohio and we got our corn (and beans and squash and tomatoes, etc) from the stand (or wagon) parked at the end of some farmers driveway...and the prices were -always- lower than you would pay in the supermarket. We bought our beef a "quarter" or a "half" at a time (often from the same farmer) and yes, it was generally better than what you would get in the supermarket....but ALWAYS less expensive. I guess I can respect a persons desire to buy what they perceive to be "fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier" meat...and if they can and want to pay those kinds of prices, more power to 'em. Myself, it's just a line I've drawn in the sand...Never done it, never will.

I hear where you are coming from. Nothing to get really about the pricing. The market bares it, that is what it is. The price tag is what is reasonable for those farmers to sell it. And I appreciate that for some people it is still really high. If I didn't grow it there is no way I could afford it either.

And Steve if you still want a quarter or a half side of beef that is doable. Send me a pm, I will set you up man! I can get you tenderloin and a side of beef for less than $5 a pound. Beat that.

I guess I can respect a persons desire to buy what they perceive to be "fresher, more humanely raised, and healthier" meat...and if they can and want to pay those kinds of prices, more power to 'em. Myself, it's just a line I've drawn in the sand...Never done it, never will.

Not meant as argumentative but as food for thought: How about the part that goes, "the small farmer has been screwed, creatively and repeatedly, by the government, the middle-person and the economy, for the last 60 years or so. Here's a chance to support individual farmers by paying them a just price for the fruits of their labors, and paying it directly to them. Good quality, old-fashioned, GMO-free and maybe kinda-sorta organic produce is an added benefit, but it might not be at the core.

That is certainly a worthy way to roll...and if that's yer thing...Good on ya. Personally the only farmers I know (and granted they are Minnesota farmers - which may be a different bread of cat from Kentucky farmers) spend all winter at their second homes in Florida....But yeah, I see your point and certainly don't find them invalid or argumentative.

[Robin Garr]

That is certainly a worthy way to roll...and if that's yer thing...Good on ya. Personally the only farmers I know (and granted they are Minnesota farmers - which may be a different bread of cat from Kentucky farmers) spend all winter at their second homes in Florida....But yeah, I see your point and certainly don't find them invalid or argumentative.

Thank you, good sir. I would add that there may be Kentucky farmers like that, too, but I'm not sure the issue is regional. Some farmers - or their parents, maybe - grew into agribusiness players, and good on 'em. But other family farmers trying to scratch it out on their family's small farms are in a whole nuther place, and they aren't going to Florida ever because - like my wife's father, back in the day - they can't afford anybody to come in and milk the cows while they're off taking it easy.

I come from the same school of thought as Steve P. Growing up farmers stands were ALWAYS cheaper than the grocery store, and most of the time still had dirt clinging to the fruits or vegetables.

Not sure what happened to that. But this new pricing model has certainly shocked me. Especially when the items from the same farm are cheaper at a locally owned grocery store (leaving name out) than they are from the Farmers Market straight from the farm.

Also I have seen this a lot with CSA's. Very very very often its the same eggs, cheese or other locally sourced products being distributed by the CSA that is available in some of the local grocery stores. The stores are cheaper. I have even asked a few CSA's about it. Strangely enough they never respond to my emails but do drop their prices. Do they just assume people arent going to comparison shop?

8th generation farmers here. No weekend warrior stuff, this is my career. Which is a little sad to admit. Vacations? Never heard of them.

I have seen the pricing differences before myself, and I'm really not sure what that is. I will say that we attempt to let our retailers know what we sell for at farmer's markets as a way to maintain a modicum of consistency. Again I think that farmers markets for some vendors (let's not use farmers since not all farmers market folks farm) price according to what they can get at the market, not what they feel the retail value is outside of that market.