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Explore eco friendly seafood and make your diet more sustainable.

written by

Michelle Sroka

posted on

November 21, 2023

Recently, a list of the “most fraudulent foods” at the grocery store caught my eye. 

It’s a compelling title. What do you imagine is on that list?

Would you be surprised to know that seafood is at the top of it? 

The most common way food fraud happens with seafood? It’s labeled as one type of fish in the store - when it’s really another. And this is a problem that’s very close to home here in the Triangle. A case study done by UNC students determined that 90% of the time, fish labeled as “red snapper” in local restaurants or stores was actually a different type of fish - vermilion snapper or tilapia. 

Why does this matter? Red snapper sells for a higher price point than vermilion snapper or tilapia. Consumers are paying for a higher quality fish - but receiving a lower quality product. 

Another source of fraud? Not clearly labeling or communicating when fish comes from a fish farm. Similar to livestock operations that feed grain, these fish farms often feed fish a mixture of GMO-grown food, which can include soy, corn, and vegetable oils. 

These cases of food fraud mean that we shouldn’t just be concerned about where our meat comes from. We should know where our seafood comes from, too.

The Sustainable Seafood Difference

We source seasonal, local seafood on a small scale, so that you can access food that you can trust. Here’s how our seafood is different. 

  • Sourced from the North Carolina coast: Our seafood provider, Hook & Larder, drives out and purchases seafood directly from local fishermen. This builds direct, personal relationships and supports small businesses. 
  • Wild-Caught: No farmed fish! All our fish is wild-caught, using sustainable and small-scale fishing practices. This also means our fish do not receive supplemental feed. 
  • Seasonal: Our seafood supply varies with the year. This helps you source fish with optimal quality. It also supports conservative methods of fishing to avoid overfishing. 
  • Living Wages: All small-scale participants - the fishermen, the seafood provider, and the farmers - are paid a living wage for their labor. 

Does that sound like something you’d like to support? We’d love for you to try our seasonal seafood. We think you’ll notice a difference in taste and quality - as well as peace of mind about the practices you’re supporting.

And if you want to try our seasonal seafood – but need help cooking it? Check out our seafood recipes! 

seafood

food raised right

More from the blog

Can we care about animals - and still raise them for food?

Can we care about animals - and still raise them for food?

I probably spend the most time with the pigs on our farm. Part of this is practical: since pigs can’t sweat, we spray them down twice a day to help them wallow in the mud and stay cool.  But part of it is emotional, too. I enjoy being around the pigs. When there’s a lot on my mind, or I’ve spent too much time on the computer and need to get outside, wandering over to that week’s pig paddock is one of the ways I can clear my mind.  Pigs are highly emotive and responsive. When I spray them down with the hose, they like to sit back on their haunches, prick back their ears, and snap playfully at the water as it showers down on them. And then joyfully roll around in the mud afterward, of course.  But they’re responsive to humans in general, too. They are naturally curious and, in the case of our heritage breed Red Wattles, gentle. They’ll come up and sniff you, rub their mud-streaked bellies over you, and let you scratch their ears.  And maybe this is the part where you start to wonder: But aren’t you raising them for food?  Why would you want an emotional connection to an animal that you are raising for food?  I understand where this question is coming from. I was a vegetarian for nearly a decade because I didn’t like the thought of killing animals, especially within the framework of our industrial food system.  But actually, it isn’t a problem or moral quandary for me. Yes, we grow fond of and attached to our animals, including our pigs.  Yes, we still send them to the butcher or process them on our farm for food. And yes, this still makes sense to me.  I would gently suggest that the idea that we shouldn’t have any emotional connection to our food - that we can only eat meat that comes from animals we withhold our emotions or affection from - is a sign of our disconnection to the way food is grown.  That is, after all, one of the premises of industrial agriculture. Designate animals with one sole purpose - “becoming food” - and then shut them away in buildings, cramped quarters, or far away from humans who might interact with them beyond the farmer.  And the farmer, too, should be as disconnected as possible. After all, this is an efficient machine.  The problem, from a regenerative perspective, is that growing food is never just about growing food. Food is the gift you receive at the end of your work, but it’s the work itself - and the consequences of the work beyond the food - that is the point.  The work, on our farm, is caring for the land. That means working alongside animals to nurture native plants, clear forest areas to make existing trees healthier, and create habitats for birds, pollinators, and wildlife.  And that means becoming attentive and thoughtful - to animals and to the land. Watching, learning, and yes, developing bonds with the habitats you’re nurturing and the animals that are helping you do so.  Is it sad to load up animals and take them to the butcher at the end of the season? Yes, it often can be. But I don’t feel guilty about it. I know that we’ve given them the best life possible, and that we’ve partnered with them to leave our farm better than we found it each year.  And if that doesn’t make sense, that’s okay. I’m not saying that everyone has to agree with me. I’d simply like to advocate for a way of farming and consuming meat that includes this experience - one of affection and bonding between animals and humans.  After all, this is one of the many ways we try to do things differently on our farm. We don’t want to just provide you with food that meets your standards - non-GMO, no vaccines, no antibiotics, grass-fed and pasture-raised.  We also want to help you reconnect with that food. And part of that is knowing the animals, hearing stories about them, and yes, maybe even having an emotional connection with them, despite the end goal of providing meat to you.

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