Whole30® Approved: Pastoral Plate

“Consumers are the most potent force in the food supply chain … but only if they want to be.”   from PastoralPlate.com

We are thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our Whole30® Approved family, Pastoral Plate. Jonathan and Elisa, the father-daughter team behind the San Francisco Bay area Pastoral Plate, are passionate about their mission: equipping consumers with the education and the resources they need to exert their influence on the food economy by providing access to locally and humanely-raised meats.

From Handbags to Hamburgers

Pastoral Plate isn’t the first family business venture for Jonathan and Elisa. The two worked together in the fashion industry – handbags, to be exact – before parting ways to pursue other areas of interest.   When Pastoral Plate was formed in 2010, the two joined forces once again – this time, to bring happy healthy meat products to the Bay area.  The story begins when a friend of Jonathan’s purchased a grass-fed cow through a local farm. He asked for Jonathan’s help in reselling some of the meat, at which point he discovered the demand was overwhelming. When the meat was sold out, friends begged for more. Eventually, Jonathan’s repertoire expanded to other animals and pastured dairy products. He called in Elisa and, voila! Pastoral Plate was born!

Green Grass Equals Happy Cows

Pastoral Plate only sources and sells humanely-raised, naturally-fed animal products, and to ensure that their customers receive just that, Jonathan and Elisa have set  exceptionally high standards. They visit each farm twice a year to look for the hallmarks of healthy animal husbandry (especially green grass), and consult with local meat processors. Jonathan and Elisa stay personally involved with the farmers they (and ultimately you) support so they can vouch for the quality of the meats they provide. (For more on their philosophy, read their fabulous manifesto. We just love a good manifesto.)

Down and Dirty

Speaking of personal involvement…

Farming, especially organic farming, is a difficult and expensive business. Jonathan, Elisa and their customers recognize that. That’s why Pastoral Plate hosts regular “Work on the Farm” events, where customers can join the farms they support in completing some major projects – like chicken coops and outdoor access areas for pigs.  They also provide the  opportunity for customers to “lend” money to smaller farms and then receive repayment in product. As Jonathan puts it, “lend money for chicks, build a chicken coop, get paid back in chickens!”

Get the Goods

Pastoral Plate supplies beef, lamb, pork, chicken, eggs and cheese, as well as finished products such as bacon and sausage.  And, unlike meat-buying CSA models, they offer you the opportunity to pick and choose your cuts of meat.  They are currently gearing up to start shipping their products out to everyone in the United States:

• If you live in the San Francisco Bay area, you can always shop directly from the online store at PastoralPlate.com, and pick your products up on a specified delivery date.
• If you’re outside the Bay area (but still in the U.S.), starting in August, you can shop directly from the online store at PastoralPlate.com, and your order will be shipped frozen on the next order completion date using FedEx/UPS overnight shipping.  (Since they work with farmers based on demand, and don’t maintain a stock of products, orders ship only on pre-determined dates.)

July delivery dates:

• Ordering closes on Sunday, July 8^th for pick-up on Friday, July 13th
• Ordering closes on Sunday, July 22^nd for pick-up on Friday, July 27th

August delivery dates:

• Ordering closes on Sunday, August 5th for pick-up on Friday, August 10th. Orders will ship out between Thursday, August 9th and Monday, August 13th.
• Ordering closes on Sunday, August 19th for pick-up on Friday, August 24^th. Orders will ship out between Thursday, August 23rd and Monday, August 27th.

To celebrate the expansion of their business, Jonathan and Elisa have offered our readers two fabulous discounts!

• For you Bay Area locals: use code whole9local to get 5% off your total order between now and July 22.
• For all U.S. Whole9 readers, between August 12-22, use code whole9distance to get 5% off your total order, pick-up or shipped. (Don’t worry – we’ll remind you of this discount code in August!)

Join us in welcoming Pastoral Plate to the Whole30 Approved family. Order your grass-fed, pastured, organic meat and eggs today (or bookmark this post for August’s order)!