Interest in the hundred mile diet and local eating may be a relatively new phenomenon for most people, but not for Greg Wilson.

Since purchasing the Butcher’s Block nearly 25 years ago, Greg Wilson has taken great care to make sure his products are the highest quality he can find. Much of the time that means purchasing from local farms; all of the time it means knowing exactly what is in his coolers and on his counters and where it comes from. This commitment is similar to a growing food movement often referred to as the pasture to plate-to-plate philosophy.

This type of conscientious thinking around the food supply contends that consumers should  be able to ask any food-related business exactly where its products come from. And in the case of a butcher shop like Wilson’s that often means understanding how the animals are fed and cared for.

“We know what’s going on with the products here where the [big name competition] may not,” says Wilson. “We know who we
buy off of and how they run their businesses because we’ve bought off the same people for years. We do a lot of custom work for local farmers with local beef, chicken, pork, lamb, sauces, soups and we always have pushed that. I guess lots of people are starting to catch up to us. Or are at least trying.”

According to Wilson, he’s seen the interest in food quality rise fivefold in the last decade, with much of that movement even more recent. And that means new customers are seeking out what he’s been selling for 20 years.
 We’ve definitely seen many more people become interested in where their beef comes from or how it is fed, for example,” says Wilson. “But the number is still pretty low, actually. Maybe five percent now, where it used to be only one percent.”

Despite the great care that goes into finding products and providing the best customer service possible, the Butcher’s Block maintains highly competitive prices. This means that the shop keeps even the most price conscious people coming back rather than shopping in larger supermarkets. For this reason, Wilson’s seen his storefront retail business increase dramatically.

“Businesses has definitely changed and we’ve gotten more out of the wholesale and into the retail in the last five years and that’s really worked out. People come in and pay right away so you don’t have to collect or deliver and it’s more fun interacting with customers.”

On top of all the local farm meats, the Butcher’s Block carries dozens of other local products, ranging from steak sauces to apple pie. Additionally, Wilson, who was a chef before he purchased The Butcher’s Block, believes that a healthy community is the key to a healthy business. As such, he is committed not only to a healthy food supply and to local buying but to supporting various local charities and especially local sports teams.

“I can’t even count how many people we’ve helped out or sponsored,” says Wilson. “But I have kids of my own and that’s what you do in a small community. You take care of each other however you can.”