Quality of produce: A
Price: B (chickens are priced on the high end, cannot speak to the produce price yet)
Ease of communication: A
Treatment of animals: A+
Treatment of land: A

Salt Fork Farms

4824 Sutliff Rd. NE, Solon, Iowa USA

If you want to feel lazy, simply talk to Eric Menzel about what an average day looks like.  Or for that matter, talk with any true farmer and your 6am wake up won’t be looking all that bad.  Remember how cold it was this winter (or the first week March…)? Eric Menzel was up and outside taking care of the animals no matter how cold it was.  I, for one, declared it too cold many days to walk my dog, I get  to make that choice, not the case on a farm. Sadly, our small local organic farmers are not given the large government checks like your commercial corn/soybean farmers are so most of them work second jobs while running their farm full time.  I am lucky to have had the opportunity to meet with Eric at  Salt Fork Kitchen, (owned also by Jay Schworn and front of house run by Liz Sanders) and in Eric saw the determination and passion of this new wave of small organic farmers who are doing things the RIGHT way and providing us in the community access to quality food.  Salt Fork Farms is a regular at the Iowa City Farmers Market and their CSA program is very popular. Joining a CSA is a great solution for those without a garden of their own and a wonderful way to support a local farm financially when they need money during the planting season.  Supporting a local farm is a chance to see who your money is going to.  You don’t get to do that when you buy your produce from Mexico or California or Costco grass fed beef from Argentina.  We all work really hard for our money, it should matter to you who it goes to.  When buying produce, eggs or chickens from Salt Fork Farms, you are supporting a family with two very young adorable boys.  You are supporting the business partners who help keep the farm running and profitable.  By joining a CSA or purchasing your produce from a local farmer,  you are NOT supporting a millionaire CEO, poor working conditions of migrant workers and the pollution of our land,water and food.  

Here is are some of the products you can expect to find at the farmers market from Salt Fork Farms.  They also will have seasonal fruit available. Please visit their website and like their facebook page for updates on the farm. 

⋅ Eggs- $5/dozen	⋅ Whole Broilers $4.50/lb	⋅ Stewing Hens
⋅ Lettuce	⋅ Radishes	⋅ Turnips
⋅ Carrots	⋅ Potatoes	⋅ Onions
⋅ Peppers	⋅ Eggplant	⋅ Tomatoes
⋅ Squash	⋅ Pumpkins	⋅ Broccoli
⋅ Kale	⋅ Cabbage	⋅ Collards
⋅ Garlic	⋅ Leeks	⋅ Mustard greens
⋅ Shallots	⋅ Beets	⋅ Spinach
⋅ Cucumbers	⋅ Basil	⋅ Cilantro
⋅ Peas	⋅ Greens of all kinds