GONE LOCAL!

After 2 1/2 years here, we still find great differences between living in the South vs. the North. I often felt isolated living in Brodhead, WI......that's nothing compared to living in THIS area of North Carolina.  There are moments when I feel as though I've stepped back in time 50 years. 

'The husband' read a small article about a meat processor who apparently supplies meat to many of the high end area restaurants.  While living in Wisconsin, we had a favorite, out of the way resource, so we decided to head out to find this one.

As the crow flies, it'd probably be a 30 min. drive, but again, mountain living isn't that easy.....so it was more like 1+ hr. away....and truly 50 years back in time.  We followed a vague set of directions which led us off a main road (which is more like a back rural road any where else) up, around and around, up higher and higher to the plant.  Signs pointing the way were a big help....without them, we'd have never found it.

 
So, we get there and this is what we saw.....if it would have been my decision, I'd have turned around and gone back home.  'The husband' pointed out that the trunk indicated NCDA inspection....and their business card that I picked up says 100% full time inspection....hummmm.

Believe me, I could have taken MANY more photos of this place.....but since there were folks there picking up meat, I didn't want to show my city slicker side or frankly, insult them if they looked and saw my jaw hanging wide open in disbelief.

There was a tiny retail shop....where you could look right in to where 4 or 5 butchers were working in a very small room...it didn't have a dirt floor, but it felt like it should.  The folks were very pleasant and apologized that their supply was low since they've been busy with 'all the deer meat' that's coming in to be processed now. 

We purchased 'whole hog sausage', beef steak, pork ribs, and bacon....all for an astonishing price of $24.  If I don't post tomorrow....someone please come and do a 'welfare check' on us.....cause we are cooking steak tonight!

I'm making a bit of fun here....but seriously this was amazing to me......we are sure the products will be wonderful, even if the location of purchase was very unconventional.

As a bonus to this trip, I stopped at a small bead store on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.....GREAT selection of beads at a modest price.  And since it's on the reservation, there is no sales tax either.  I'll be going back there for sure!