Greener Pastures: Grass-Fed Meat a Healthier Option

Whether you're looking for Jersey Fresh produce, an appetizing empanada or the perfect pickle to complement your sandwich, you can find a vendor to satisfy your culinary needs at the Caldwell Farmers' Market.

Though the summer may be coming to an official close this weekend, the Caldwell Farmers' Market—a summertime staple—will continue to feature the eclectic batch of weekly vendors through October. 

Among the dozen vendors featured each week is Snoep Winkel Farm, managed and maintained by Gary and Basia Van Boerum. The Van Boerums, however, don't specialize in fruits and vegetables—they raise livestock.

In addition to its weekly visit to Caldwell, the Branchville-based Snoep Winkel Farm stops at farmers markets in West Milford, Chatham, River Vale, Ringwood and Goshen, N.Y.

"We like to stay local and sell our products local," said Timothy Reid, who is the Snoep Winkel representative at the Caldwell market. "We like to interact with our customers directly, it's a better way to do business."

Curious about the farm? Here are five essential Snoep Winkel facts: 

1. Snoep Winkel Farm specializes in pasture-raised meats. The animals on the Van Boerums' farm are free to roam through the fields, grazing on grass. They are not fed any hormones, steroids or sub-therapeutic hormones. What kind of animals do they raise? Beef, chicken, lamb and pork. They also harvest fresh eggs.

2. Snoep Winkel Farm began with a 4-H program. The Van Boerums' children were involved in 4-H programs that focused on farming. They soon found they had a passion for raising animals. Because their family home could not accommodate any livestock, the Van Boerums arranged for their children to raise animals on a local farm. It wasn't long before they decided to purchase their own land; thus, Snoep Winkel Farm was born.

3. What's an average day on Snoep Winkel Farm like? According to Reid, the Van Boerums wake up early and feed the animals. They keep after the animals all day, cleaning their stalls and harvesting their chickens' eggs. The Van Boerums use a butcher based in Pennsylvania to care for their meats, so some days include a trip across state lines. Throughout the day, the animals are free to roam through the Van Boerums acreage, which provides the animals with a nutritious and natural environment to graze.

4. Pasturized animals benefit from being raised in open space. According to Jo Robinson, author of "Pasture Perfect," the majority of supermarket meat comes from animals that are raised in confinement. These "factory farms," aim to raise enough animals to meet supermarket need. To do so, the animals are kept within feedlots and cages to maximize the quantity of animals raised and minimize their needed space for development. They follow a diet of genetically modified grain and are often given hormones and antibiotics to promote rapid growth, Robinson said. These animals are not provided with open land for grazing. The animals are often stressed and abused, Robinson said. The conditions these animals are raised in detract from the nutritional quality of the meat. 

5. Grass Farming means better meat. According to Robinson, pasture-raised animals tend to have less total fat, saturated fat, calories and cholesterol than their grain-fed counterparts. This meat also possesses more beneficial nutrients, like Vitamins C and E, Beta-Carotene and omega-3 fatty acids. "Grass-fed meat is a healthier, better product," Reid said. "We take care of our cows, and they're healthier for you."

The Caldwell Farmers' Market runs each Friday through the end of October in the Smull Avenue municipal parking lot from 2 to 7 p.m.