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Tim Harrison
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Tim Harrison
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photo provided by Wholesome Valley Farm
Lowline Angus cattle, Duroc and Berkshire pigs, chickens and turkeys dot the rolling hills of Wholesome Valley Farm in Wilmot that raises livestock on a property with a 19th-century barn and farm store.
The Holmes County farm is among the 75,000 farms that call Ohio home, and Wholesome Valley stands out with antibiotic- and hormone-free meats. That raises the quality.
“You may notice some differences, like in the color of the meat. It’s usually a bit redder. I think it just tastes better,” says co-owner Allyson Clatterbuck.
Wholesome Valley takes great care to ensure its select breeds of cattle like Black Angus cows are given an organically grown and carefully planted blend of grasses that ensures consistent quality in the meat. During the summer months, the same grasses are harvested and made into hay, which will feed cattle for the entire year. Its pigs, chickens and turkeys are raised on a pasture where they are fed local organically grown native plants and grasses as well as supplemental non-GMO feed from other local farmers when necessary.
The farm has a commercial kitchen that makes products to sell at the farm store including strawberry and blueberry jams, candied jalapenos and grape cider. Also find produce, baked goods, locally roasted coffee, pasture-raised eggs and Guernsey A2A2 milk. Among choice cuts of meats are smoked sausages, bacon and hot dogs. And for those far away, from June through October, the farm sells meats, eggs and milk through the Fresh Fork Market CSA, which Wholesome Valley co-owner Trevor Clatterbuck founded. The farm share distributes local food through weekly pickups in Akron, Hudson, Fairlawn and other locations.
When you want the freshest pasture-raised meats like pork chops with an eye-popping, rich color, look to Fresh Fork.
“Farmers are harvesting on Tuesday,” Allyson says, “and customers are receiving that product on Wednesday, Thursday.” SD
Open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, 927 U.S. Route 62, Wilmot, wholesomevalleyfarm.com
