hi as much as I don't want factory farmed chickens, my budget is killed by the organic chicken prices. I was in Waterloo the other week and for $8 my husband bought a 3lb chicken..which would cost about $16 here! Any ideas where i can buy a reasonably priced chicken in GTA? I don't need it to be organic just hormone free, local would be great.
Janine
Jun 20, 2008 05:58AM
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Fresh From the Farm, on Donlands (near O'Connor), carries hormone-free chickens raised by local Mennonite farmers. It's a wonderful little store.
http://freshfromthefarm.ca/
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thank you...that's exactly what I'm looking for!
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The chickens are raised in a large sealed barn. Artificial lighting? Clean floors? Antibiotics? (They use Veterinarians, for disease control). Pecking controlled by snipped beaks? There is not a lot info on the site.
The fact is, to produce chickens or eggs in any quantity suitable for GTA demand, large scale methods are utilised, even by well-meaning Mennonites.
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I guess you do the best with what you can get if you don't live on a farm and raise your own chickens.
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Jay, whose chickens do you mean that are so cruelly treated?
Mennonite?
Fresh from the Farm?
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Clements chickens Saturday SLM are organic, and I don't know how prices compare to Fresh From the Farm,
But...Maple Lead chickens are labeled "Hormone Free", and are much cheaper.
They are available at most supermarkets, and Longos often has them on sale.
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sorry typo Maple Leaf Chickens
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You have to support Clements as long as we have them. Old time farmers in their 80's. I rarely get to SLM, but when I do I try to get a chicken, pay their price without asking, and hope I can see them again soon!
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Where exactly is 'Clements Saturday SLM'? And does the proprietor who carry these hormone-free chickens also have other hormone-free, cruelty free meats for sale?
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North end, north side of Front, early Saturdays. There was a feature about the Clements in the Star a few months ago, maybe we can dig it up.
They are an elderly couple, and have been selling their chickens and eggs there for about 50 years. No other meats.
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Clements has been there forever.
True Organic
I buy most of my chicken from them.
You can also call them, if you have special requests (I want the chicken chopped into 16 pieces, etc.) as they do not have the facility do do so at the Market.
They will bring it on Saturday to your order.
Alas, they will not have capons again until Autumn.
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I think you are thinking of the Clarks. They are in the middle of the north market. I am pretty certain that they only sell eggs. The Clarks are based out of Port Perry IIRC. Really really lovely people and both easily in their 80s. They were also profiled in Toronto Life this month. I remember seeing the Star article up at their stand the day it came out. Mr. Clark was so demure (almost embarrassed) about the attention. I had to laugh.
St. Clements is a completely different operation, but they are also really lovely people as well.
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St. Clements only does poultry unfortunately. But their chickens are excellent quality.
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Here is the Star article on Clark's the egg people. http://www.thestar.com/living/article...
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Thanks for digging up the article...it was a really nice read. They sound like such lovely people. I will pay them a visit very soon. But from the article, it seems they only sell eggs now.
I am a bit confused still... the farmer's name is Clark but their business is called St. Clements? Or are they two different operations? If St. Clements is a different operation, can someone give me their contact info?
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Here is a guide to the north side Farmers' Market, with phone numbers.http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/shopp...
I had Clarks (eggs) and Clements (poultry) mixed up until Otonabee straightened it out.
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I'm not saying Fresh's Mennonite chickens, or Gasparro's, are cruelly treated, just that they are raised by savvy business persons, not by grandparents with a small flock in the garden. I agree, they are the best we can get, but the producers have to deal with disease, close quarters, pecking, parasites as best they can. These problems are difficult to overcome when the demand is so great.
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Gasparro's a couple of blocks west of Ossington on the south side of Bloor carries Mennonite free range chickens for 2.69/lb.
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great...that's closer to where I live so that's great to know..anything else good there?
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All their meats are quite good. The house made fresh sausages are tasty and hefty. You can order fresh duck, goose and turkey through them.
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My first thought was Fresh From the Farm
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I second that first thought...
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Sobey's has antibiotic free chickens, they are delicious, but not sure if they are local. Fiesta farms carries both fresh and frozen organic chickens. I've bought the Hallelujah frozen breasts, they come from Newmarket.
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