Local hormone free meat source

We are looking for places-stores, butcher shops, etc in the Chicagoland area (Cook County) that sell hormone free meats. We are not looking for expensive cuts-just meats to serve our family of 4. Any recommendation is most appreciated.

Whole Foods?

Butcher & Larder?

C&D Farms--they raise their own pigs, as well as sell eggs, chicken, beef, lamb and goat--all free of sub-therapeutic antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids or animal by-products. They sell out of their van parked at different locations during the winter, as well as a couple of indoor markets and they make the rounds of the outdoor markets throughout the summer/fall. I buy a lot of my staples from them. http://www.cdfamilyfarms.com/

Butcher & Larder is wonderful as well. I pretty much only buy from these two sources these days. Rather pay more for the good stuff and just eat a bit less of it to keep the cost in line.

It sounds like what you're looking for is just "organic" meat - not raised locally or any special diet or breed. Pretty much any grocery store should sell that, just check the labels to see exactly how organic is being defined for that product.

Butcher & Larder is definitely going to be your best best for good quality that you know is local and raised humanely without hormones. They also happen to be a great source of knowledge about meat, so they've got that going for them as well. Most farmers' markets have local farms selling meat - Green City Market (Sat) and Logan Square (Sun) are the only two I know of open in the winter, and they both have a few meat vendors.

Costco is a good inexpensive option, they always have organic chickens that meet your criteria, and usually have a few types of beef cuts, ground Buffalo and other options.

Elfin wrote:We are looking for places-stores, butcher shops, etc in the Chicagoland area (Cook County) that sell hormone free meats. We are not looking for expensive cuts-just meats to serve our family of 4. Any recommendation is most appreciated.

As an FYI, the USDA already prohibits the use of hormones for pork and poultry, so "hormone-free" is a given for those items. Hormone-free beef must be labeled:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Mea ... dex.asp#15

"NO HORMONES (pork or poultry):
Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim "no hormones added" cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones."

[Top of Page]

NO HORMONES (beef):
The term "no hormones administered" may be approved for use on the label of beef products if sufficient documentation is provided to the Agency by the producer showing no hormones have been used in raising the animals. "

Hi- C&D Farms comes to the Evanston winter market, and I am sure that their meat is wonderful, but it is way out of my price range right now. I never bring red meat home anyway, although occasionally when I am out, I will eat it. I do eat chicken and fish a couple of times a week. or more.

Occasionally Whole Foods has a really good deal on meat during one of their three day sales. These sales usually run from Friday to Sunday. I would much rather buy my sustainable meet at WF, than I would at Dominick's or Jewel. I think it is cheaper at WF, and I just trust WF more than I do the other chains.

I am just curious how sustainable the meat is at Costco. I belong to Sam's Club, but the only meat I have bought there has been their chicken sausage. I am sure that none of their beef is sustainable.

Hope this helps, Nancy

NFriday wrote:I am just curious how sustainable the meat is at Costco.

I don't think Costco's meat really qualifies as sustainable, but I included it since the OP's main concerns seem to be hormones and cost. I assume they're also concerned with antibiotics as well as hormones, and organic designations cover that as well.

I think organic products are generally more sustainable than conventional products - no use of antibiotics, some forage required, no pesticides on feed, etc. - but due to issues such as their supply chain and the practices of the producers they buy from they probably don't qualify as sustainable. Costco does have decent sustainability practices, but that mostly relates to how they manage their facilities and seafood sourcing, not their meat suppliers. Does Whole Foods have "sustainable" meats? I know they have plenty of organic products, but I haven't seen sustainable meat there (I haven't really looked too hard, so I wouldn't be surprised if they do and I just missed it).

If you serious about hormone free products and organic, you will need to find a Co-Operative such as the OutPost we have in Milwaukee.
http://www.outpost.coop/
I don't know of anything similar in the Chicago area but there must be one?
The costs are higher, you generally have to join as a member or prices are even higher but they have goals.
Whole Foods is profit centered, Co-Ops are somewhat owned by the members and do give rebates at the end of a year if there any monies left over.
I thought that when Whole Foods moved into the Milwaukee area, it would be the demise of the OutPost but the OutPost has grown in locations!
I avoid the high end boutique suppliers because I do want to keep the Co-Ops in business.
Our local Chiwaukee Co-Op when belly up.They had part of a building lease free from the University of Wisconsin Parkside. Parkside wanted to take the Co-Op under its management. The guy in charge moved to Racine instead and within a year or two was out of business. We lost a few dollars we had fronted to keep the operation going before the move.
Anyway find a good Cooperative with your objectives in mind.-Dick

We get a monthly meat and egg share from this farm: http://cedarvalleysustainable.com/index.html We are very happy with meat and eggs. They deliver to a number of places around the Chicago area.

This site is a great resource http://www.eatwild.com/products/illinois.html

Search the map and it will tell you what's around you as far as free range choices.

Dill Pickle Co-op.

3039 W. Fullerton
Chicago, Il

The eatwild link is amazing! Thank you all for some really great recs.

pairs4life wrote:Dill Pickle Co-op.

3039 W. Fullerton
Chicago, Il

Just an FYI: Dill Pickle's meat selection is of the frozen variety. I asked the staff and they said they do get fresh meat on occasion, but they generally don't have room for it. So if you are looking for fresh, call ahead.

I've seen hormone-free meat at Jewel and Dominick's - you just need to read the label. Jewel's "Wild Harvest" brand beef is hormone-free, but may not be strictly organic. Also check Gene's sausage shop in lincoln square.

Hi- When I was visiting a Chicago area couponing blog that I particularly like, somebody asked about purchasing organic beef in Du Page county. Somebody gave a link to a group of farmers that have formed a cooperative referred to as honored prairie, and there are buying clubs all over the Chicago area, as well as the Midwest in general. I noticed they have a buying club in Evanston as well as one in Libertyville and several in Du Page county, and other suburbs of Chicago. I thought people here might be interested in it. Here is the link.

http://www.honoredprairie.com/

Hope this helps, Nancy