Protocols

Non-GMO means the organism has not been "genetically modified", which includes any means of intentionally incorporating desirable genetic traits into an organism except for traditional breeding or cross-breeding. The Organic concept means that "synthetic" substances are not used in farming.

products made in keeping with federal organic guidelines after obtaining federal certification of growing or production methods. Certified organic growing prohibits the use of GMOs and most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. When meat is certified organic, that means that the animals were raised in conditions that encourage their natural habits, ate only certified organic food, and were not given any antibiotics or hormones.

Animals raised with the ability to freely roam (within reason) on farms. We believe this is the most comfortable and natural setting for animals to be raised. This term is not regulated by the USDA. When we use it, we mean that the animals spend the majority of their time outside on pasture and have access to shelter from predators and bad weather. We source meat and eggs from farms where the animals have plenty of room to move around each other in their pastures and shelters and are not stressed from overcrowding or the condition of their living areas.

A “pasture raised” claim on meat, poultry, dairy, or egg labels means that the animals were raised for at least some portion of their lives on pasture or with access to a pasture, not continually confined indoors.

What is "grass fed" meat? "Grass (Forage) Fed" means that grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state.

Grass finished means the animal has reached physical maturity and was kept on grass while developing exterior and intramuscular fat. No grain is ever fed to grass finished animals and this process will typically take from 24-36 months (compared to the 18-20 months for feedlot cattle).

No Preservative: meaning the manufacturer is not adding any kind of Preservative and/or Artificial Preservative, however the products might have some kind of these Chemicals Naturally

Local food is defined as the direct or intermediated marketing of food to consumers that is produced and distributed in a limited geographic area. There is no pre-determined distance to define what consumers consider “local,” but a set number of miles from a center point or state/local boundaries is often used. More importantly, local food systems connect farms and consumers at the point of sale.

Sometimes cheeses are defined by if they have been made from Unpasteurized or Pasteurized milk. Unpasteurized, or raw, milk means that the milk has not been subjected to heat treatment before cheesemaking begins. The current regulations in the United States allow for the sale of cheeses made from unpasteurized milk if the cheese is aged for typically 60 days or more at a temperature greater than 35°F (2°C).

Meats that contain nitrates, including bacon, salami, hot dogs, bologna, corned beef, sausage, luncheon meats and cured meats, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the United Stated Department of Agriculture as to their nitrate content. These meats contain nitrates added as preservatives. When consuming meats, look for uncured or nitrate-free on the food label.

In addition to limiting the unavoidable presence of gluten to less than 20 ppm, FDA allows manufacturers to label a food “gluten-free” if the food does not contain any of the following: an ingredient that is any type of wheat, rye, barley, or crossbreeds of these grains, an ingredient derived from these grains and that has not been processed to remove gluten, or an ingredient derived from these grains that has been processed to remove gluten, if it results in the food containing 20 or more parts per million (ppm) gluten

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) an ecosystem-based strategy for reducing pest harm to plants. Rather than using synthetic chemicals, farmers may use biological controls, predator insects, companion planting, habitat manipulation, and changing of their own daily habits to dissuade pests. You can read more about IPM in Dr. Kulveen Virdee's guest blog post here.

Grown Using organic Practices (with the "little o") we use this term when we talk about farms who may use all or majority organic habits, but are not certified by the USDA. Often, the certification process is financially and logistically difficult for small farms. These farms typically use organic seed (if you want to know which of our partners use certified organic seed in particular, just ask!), follow organic guidelines against GMOs, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides. We encourage you to explore the practices of any of our partners. They're proud of how they raise your food, and so are we! We're happy to help facilitate this relationship in any way you need.

Sustainably Wild Caught Seafood that has been caught in its natural habitat while maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. This is gentler on the environment than farmed fish, which produces large amounts of waste in a concentrated area and often mandates the application of synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, and grain based feed.

Hydroponic crops are grown indoors, often in greenhouses, using a nutrient rich growing medium (rather than soil) and water.

From the Chesapeake Foodshed We use this term to refer items that are grown and made within the Chesapeake Foodshed, a geographical area with borders marked by the watershed which defines so much of agriculture.

Maryland Grown/Made This denotes items that are grown or produced within the state of Maryland.

Direct Ingredient Sourcing This refers to a locally produced value added product for which our partner sources their main ingredients directly from other farmers or co-operatives.

We most often use this term in reference to meat animals that weren't fed any soy products or eggs coming from chickens who weren't fed any soy products.

We use the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, Real Food Challenge, and health Care Without Harm definition of locally produced: made within 250 miles of our delivery area. 

Made without animal products.

Made without meat

The two most common types of beta casein proteins found in milk are A1 and A2. Breeds of cows like the Guernsey, can be bred to produce milk without the A1 gene: A2A2 milk.

A2A2 milk is produced only from cows and sold at various grocery stores for its unique digestive capabilities.

W H Y I S T H I S I M P O R T A N T ?

The two proteins are digested differently, and some stomachs have a sensitivity to the A1 protein, causing problems with digestion.

Many people who think they are reacting to the lactose in milk, are actually reacting to the A1 protein!

Learn more about the Guernsey cow at usguernsey.com

Kosher food is any food or beverage that Jewish dietary laws allow a person to eat. It isn’t a style of cooking. Keeping kosher is much more complex than that. Rules are the foundation of kosher food. Rooted in history and religion, each law is specific about what types of food you can and can't eat.