“The animals totally rely on their people for their care. And we want them to have a happy life before they are on our table.”
We remember when Boston Public Market was a spanking new attraction, and we wondered how other comparable food destinations would fare with it around. Like, if we can grub handmade donuts and pasta at BPM, for example, then why would we overpay for sandwiches and such across the street at Faneuil Hall?
Fortunately, as newer places like Time Out Market Boston have come into existence, our beloved spot by Haymarket has kept things fresh, offering a “year-round marketplace featuring 30-plus artisans and food producers housed under one roof offering fresh foods, prepared meals, crafts, and specialty items.” Furthermore, “Everything sold at the Market is produced or originates in Massachusetts or New England, as the seasons allow, including fresh produce, meat and poultry, eggs, dairy, seafood, baked goods, specialty items, crafts, and prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.”
Here’s more from the team there about their newest vendor:
The Farmhouse Meats of Pembroke, Massachusetts, specializing in all-natural, farm-raised pork and Black Angus beef. With a commitment to supporting farmers who raise animals with a focus on quality and care, all the beef and pork sold by The Farmhouse Meats are pasture-raised and are antibiotic and artificial growth hormone-free. Chicken, lamb, poultry, and eggs are also sourced from New England farms with the same commitment to modern agricultural values. The Farmhouse Meats is now open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10am-6pm inside the Boston Public Market.
The Farmhouse Meats is owned and operated by Julie and Shawn Hennigan, who live and work on the farm where they breed and show Friesian horses as well as Labrador Retrievers. While Shawn raised goats, sheep, and turkeys on the family farm throughout his childhood, Julie is newer to the industry — drawn in by a deep caring of where her food comes from. A true story for our modern times, The Farmhouse Meats was born during COVID-19. At a time when supply chain shortages began to plague our country, Julie and Shawn latched onto the idea of providing a healthy and flavorful product, one they knew where and how it was raised. Both native to Massachusetts, the couple shares a passion for their work.
“To be a farmer you have to be passionate about what you do,” Julie Hennigan says. “There are very few days off. The animals totally rely on their people for their care. And we want them to have a happy life before they are on our table.”
“When they eat well; we eat well,” Shawn Hennigan adds. “And what they eat affects how lean and flavorful the meat is. Not getting antibiotics and growth hormones has a major impact on how much healthier it is for us to eat the meat. It also affects the flavor and how lean the meat is. This is a lot better than what you can get in the supermarket!”
“We are excited to welcome Julie and Shawn Hennigan of The Farmhouse Meats to the Boston Public Market. Their love and respect for animals and their craft is exactly the inspiring dedication we look for here with vendors,” says Cheryl Cronin, CEO of the Boston Public Market. “For a couple to take on the challenge of starting a new business, in a new industry, during the height of a pandemic that supplies their neighbors with a fresh source of local meat highlights the tenacity a small, New England business owner needs.”
bostonpublicmarket.org/vendors
Dig Staff means this article was a collaborative effort. Teamwork, as we like to call it.