Pork from John Boy's Farm, Pound Ridge, NY

Like a lot of y’all, I’ve ordered the fantastic beef from Bryan Flannery. For that matter I’ve ordered some pork and shellfish from him, too, that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

But if you live in the metro-New York area I can’t recommend highly enough the Berkshire pork from John Boy’s Farm in Pound Ridge, NY.

During the Summer and Fall, he sells at a couple of markets, including the Saturday Pound Ridge market. This winter he has been selling at the Mount Kisco and White Plains winter markets, as well as at the house. While there is no website, the e-mail is johnboysmarket@aol.com. Here’s the closest thing to a website, via Local Harvest. http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M25665. And a link to a nice piece in the NYT that featured John Boy. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/08wedine.html (he raises some fine chickens and sells chickens and eggs, both, as well as smoked pork products, some smoked fish, and Thanksgiving turkeys). Except for the smoked fish, he raises everything he sells.

John Boy e-mails frequent newsletters - two or three times a week - and let’s you know what will be available. Though it is best to order ahead - and he’ll butcher to order. (And the chicken you retrieve on Saturday will have been pecking on Friday.)

But the pork is, hands down, the best I’ve ever cooked. And it is great being able to order, for instance, a belly. (I made the Momofuku Ssam pork belly with John’s Berkshire pork.)

You get the point. I have no idea if John ships out of the area (I kind of doubt it - but it doesn’t hurt to ask). But if you live in the area, it is well worth getting on his e-mail list and ordering & picking-up from him.

Thanks Chris, I’ve been looking for a local source for Berkshire pork.

Chris

Where is the White Plains winter market?

Near Target?

White Plains market is Sunday from 9 to 3 at “County Center.”

Thanks for the “heads-up”. I stopped by the County Center on Sunday and picked up some fresh ground pork and thick-cut bacon. The bacon was stellar. I will be ordering more…

I’m going to try and get down to the county center this coming weekend and pick up some pork from them. Where is the booth once you’re inside?

I haven’t been to the WP market - I’ve been picking up at the Mount Kisco Saturday morning market (opens at 9) which is at the Boys & Girls Club.

I do want to reiterate that if you want fresh pork, the best bet is to order ahead. He cuts to order and doesn’t always have a lot more. Though smoked goods are in pretty good supply.

Mark

Can I give you an order?

Sure, let me know what you want. I’ll try to get to Mt Kisco or WP this weekend.

I’ll let you know if the mission is successful or not.