Greener Pastures

December 6, 2014

               Early in the morning on a cold and wet Saturday in late autumn, driving from Bryant University en route to a Farmer’s Market in Pawtucket, RI, I did not know how the next few hours would eventually leave a massive impression on me. As a junior at Bryant University I felt comfortable with the lay of the land in Rhode Island. I had imagined I had seen everything it had to offer and I felt a sense of pride believing it to be true. On that morning, I was humbled once again to remember there is always something new to learn and explore. For those who have not been to a Farmer’s Market in their local area, I recommend considering a visit soon. In a time when society moves at such a high pace, taking the time to understand what we consume is an enlightening experience. I was able to experience this after talking with several vendors at the Farmer’s Market, and especially the lovely people of Baffoni’s Poultry Farm and Essentially Coconut.

               Baffoni’s Poultry

               Baffoni’sPoultry is a local poultry farm based out of Johnston, RI. Housing more than 25,000 chickens and over 1,000 turkeys, this eighty-acre farm is a refreshing reminder of organic America, in both the economic and agricultural sense of the word. Founded in 1935, Baffoni’s is a family owned business, which boasts four-generations of family contributions. I was fortunate enough to meet one of the family members at the Market. Adam and I discussed much of Buffoni’s supply chain and sustainable practices.

               Supply Chain & Sustainable Practices

Baffoni’s Poultry receives their chicks from a hatchery in Connecticut. Once these chicks enter their farm, Baffoni’s Poultry controls the entire supply chain. Housed in either a large coup or large open area contained with chicken wire, these well-sheltered chickens are free to roam, receive lots of sunlight, and are well heated. Their diet consists of a grain feed, consisting of corn and soy, free of any hormones, additives, or meat by-products. Baffoni’s slaughters and processes their chickens all on site in Johnston, RI. Their poultry is never frozen and sold within a week of slaughter, often even sooner. Eggs are handpicked twice daily.

               

Essentially Coconut “It’s like a vacation in a jar”

               Essentially Coconut is a local company founded by Sophia Gartland, which sells coconut butter. When she gave me a sample of the Sweet Almond Cocunut Butter, I needed to learn more about this product. I talked with her for a while about the coconut, her products, and about the business itself. It was interesting to learn that the coconut has many nutritional benefits which are listed on her website. For me, I was interested I learning about the dietary benefits of her products, as each are gluten and dairy free. This was particular interesting for me because much of my family has gluten and dairy allergies. (Let’s just say Christmas got a bit tropical this year).  

                Essentially Supply Chain

               Essentially Coconut’s supply chain, in many ways, is similar to Baffoni’s Farm. From a distributer in Sri Lanka, Essentially Coconut receives the coconut meat. After they receive the coconut meat, it is ground and blended with their flavors and ingredients, which make up their three products, Original Coconut Butter, Sweet Almond Coconut Butter, and Creamy Cashew Coconut Butter. All of this is done locally at the Hope and Main food business incubator located in Warren, RI.

               Each of these business share similar interest, in that they each are selling products that benefit the local economy, remain local, and act sustainable. One organization that works to promote business such as these is Farm Fresh Rhode Island. This company is responsible for the organization of summer and winter farmer’s markets within Rhode Island, as well as helping farmers and new local food business start out.

After nearly three hours at the farmer’s market, I had enjoyed my experience greatly. I left with the feeling that I had gained an understanding of the local economy, local farming, but also local people. I thought about the ways in which people eat, what they eat, and where they choose to buy their foods. Without making a judgment about the industry itself or comparing the practices of a local farm to a supermarket, I came to a realization. I realized that at the most basic level, knowing what I am consuming, where it came from, and meeting who is selling that product (sometimes even the person who is making that very product) there is natural human feeling between that interaction that cannot be ignored when considering what I choose to consume. 

Marco Addonizio