Meat and Poultry

Beef: The taste of beef varies by breed due to differences in genetics, fat content, marbling, and muscle structure. New Hampshire farms offer a nice variety to choose from! White Gates Farm in Tamworth specializes in Blonde d’Aquitaine beef, known for its tender and tasty quality with less fat. Beaver Pond Farm in Newport raises “Hereford, Angus, Wagyu, and Charolais cross beef cattle, all grass-fed and finished for exceptional flavor and quality”. Benedikt Dairy in Goffstown offers grass-fed Jersey beef. Kearsarge Gore Farm in Warner raises heritage Devon cattle. Rocky Meadow Farm in Francestown raises heritage Galloway cattle, 100% grassfed and grass-finished. They even plant special grasses to maximize the nutritional content of their beef.

Pork: Did you know that the majority of grocery store pork in the U.S. contains a drug called ractopamine? It’s been banned or restricted in over 160 countries. Buy clean, locally raised pork for yourself and your family! White Gates Farm lets their pigs forage in the woods, eating acorns, beechnuts and greens. Benedikt Dairy in Goffstown raises their pigs on pasture and an oak and hickory forest. They also feed them organic grains and lots of skim milk from their dairy. Birch Rise Farm in Sanbornton raises Berkshire heritage pigs that are never treated with antibiotics or hormones.

Lamb: Prized for thousands of years for its tenderness and richness, lamb is available from a number of New Hampshire farms. Try the grass-fed Katahdin lamb from Bascom Farm in Charlestown.

Goat: Popular in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, goat meat has a unique flavor. The Spice of Life farm in North Conway raises Kiko, Lamancha and Nubian goats for both meat and milk.

Chicken: Chickens are omnivores. (So WHY do so many grocery store egg cartons boast that their chickens are “vegetarian”?!) They’re happiest and healthiest when free to run around outside, eating plants, bugs, and even the occasional snake. Independence Acres in Canaan raise their poultry (chickens and turkey) in mobile “chicken tractors” so they get access to fresh grass and bugs every day. The Cornish cross chickens at Birch Rise Farm “spend their lives on green pastures and hills rich in minerals and with plenty of sunshine and fresh New Hampshire air.” Check our searchable farm directory to find many other sources of locally raised chickens.

Turkey: Many New Hampshire farms sell turkey in the fall, but don’t wait until the last minute, as they generally require that you order one months in advance. Clyde Farm in Farmington offers truly free-range turkeys. Lull Farm in Hollis raises Golden Artisan turkeys, “a rare breed… carefully selected for centuries based on French gastronomy” with “a distinct robust taste with a juicy texture”.

Duck: There’s no need to visit a Chinese or French restaurant to enjoy succulent duck meat. Pick some up from Flying M Farm in Fremont. They raise both heritage and Pekin duck. According to their website, the heritage duck is smaller, but has a deeper flavor because it runs around more and eats more bugs!

Buffalo: There’s nothing like seeing Pitcher Mountain Farm’s herds of American buffalo grazing on the green hills beside Highway 123 in Stoddard.

Deer: If you don’t have time to bag your own deer during hunting season, visit Bonnie Brae Farm in Plymouth. They sell farm-raised Red Deer venison meat and sausage.

Rabbit: It used to be much more common to eat rabbit meat in the U.S. Known as “the poor man’s protein”, rabbit meat was inexpensive and high in protein. If you’d like to try it, Flying M Farm sells rabbit meat, and even offers classes in how to “harvest” a rabbit yourself.

New Hampshire Farms