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Father Noga says the practice helps local farmers and the local economy
YOUNGSTOWN
“Where’s the beef” is a popular line from a television commercial of a few decades ago.
“On local farms” is the answer Father Edward Noga, pastor at St. Patrick Church in Youngstown, gives.
As a result, one of the newer traditions at venerable St. Patrick Church, 1420 Oak Hill Ave., is using locally raised beef to make the meatballs for its long-running Sunday spaghetti dinners.
Four years ago, Father Noga decided to “keep it simple, and keep it local” by committing to purchase beef for the dinners solely from area farms.
The church’s spaghetti dinners take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month from October through April. Both carry-out and sit-down dinners are offered.
Since Father Noga’s commitment four years ago, the purchasing of beef for the dinners has generated more than $15,000 for local farmers.
One of the farmers who has benefited from St. Patrick’s decision is Seth Sharp of Premium Pastured Meats, who raises grass-fed beef, pastured pork and poultry on the family farm in the Alliance area.
“It’s good to see organizations like St. Pats commit to local farmers so that I can help feed my community good, wholesome food while also providing for my family,” Sharp said.
Father Noga said the church also has purchased beef from a farm in northern Trumbull County through the Lake to River Food Cooperative, a Youngstown organization dedicated to coordinating orders and deliveries of locally grown products to customers throughout the Valley, said Gianna Cioffi, Lake to River co-op manager.
Composed of 35 farmers and value-added food entrepreneurs, the Lake to River co-op provides marketing, sales aggregation and delivery of products including fruit, vegetables, pastured and conventionally raised meats, eggs, dairy products, granola, kale chips, and nut butters, all available for purchase on the Lake to Rivers Online Market at localfoodmarketplace.com/laketoriver/products.aspx.
“We’re such small potatoes, I don’t know why people have made such a big deal about it,” Father Noga said.
He said buying local beef can be more expensive and admitted that some members of the church think it could be purchased for less, thus leading to a better profit from the dinners.
But, the pastor said, since he arrived here 30 years ago, he has been buying local when possible.
“Maybe it’s part of my goofiness. I have nothing against chain restaurants, but I like local restaurants such as the MVR and Golden Dawn,” Father Noga said.
“It’s not just beef. It’s amazing what is grown locally,” Father Noga said.
“I hope it’s a trend. I know we plan to keep buying locally raised food. It’s good for local farmers and the economy,” he said.