For the last few years, Radical Roots has been selling pasture-raised meat at farmers markets in Providence. In the summer, they are at the Armory Farmers Market in Providence’s West End neighborhood and from November through May, the Wintertime Market on 10 Sims Avenue. Alycia and Ryan Salvas have been on a radical journey to nourish their family and community. Their 87-acre veteran- and woman-owned farm in eastern Connecticut is home to rare heritage animal breeds like Lincoln Red and Scottish Highland cattle and American Mulefoot and Red Wattle hogs. They spent years researching and hand selecting every animal on their farm for nutrient density, flavor, and valuable breeding qualities. Mulefoot pork, for instance, is renowned for its rich marbling that contributes to exceptional flavor and tenderness.
Radical Roots’ ground pork is super versatile to cook with and is luxuriously delicious and flavorful. It has a slight sweetness and nuttiness that can be attributed to the pigs’ forest foraged diet. Their beef jerky is also super tasty. Theirs is minimally processed, resulting in a savory, smoky taste that complements the grassfed beef’s natural lean texture.
I first met the Salvases at the Farm Fresh Wintertime Farmers Market on 10 Sims Avenue in Providence a few years ago. What immediately converted me into a repeat customer is not only the quality of their products, but also their personability and ethos around cultivating food.
Alycia and Ryan have a passion for sharing their philosophy on regenerative agriculture and raising animals on pasture. Starting Radical Roots back in 2018 was catalyzed by Ryan’s deployment and return from Afghanistan and the couple’s inability to get pregnant. Remarkably, after committing to healthy living and growing and raising their own food, they were able to start a family. It was not their original intention to feed people outside their family but they recognized a real demand for good meat.
Now five kids and 87 acres later, they will be soon expanding to another nearly 100-acre property in Coventry, Rhode Island. They are nowhere done growing and have only become more passionate about their mission for sustainably grown high-quality proteins.
Ryan and Alycia’s methods are rooted in regenerative growing practices that create a sustainable feedback loop between nature and the farm. “All the nutrients remain on the property,” Ryan says. For instance, their cattle forage on pasture and their pigs feed on acorns in the forest on their property. The nutrient-rich processed animal waste goes back into the land to sustain what will feed the next generation of animals. In contrast, conventional farming tends to value efficiency over ecological balance, often relying on synthetic fertilizer, chemicals, and fitting as many animals as possible into small enclosures.
They consider the methods they use “lazy farming” and practically a no brainer. “We let our animals and the land do the work for us. We don’t have to rely so much on our own labor and machinery this way,” Ryan says. He adds, “These are indigenous practices that taught our forefathers in New England how to survive.” He shared that Radical Roots wants to honor the ancient practices of native populations that have allowed humans to coexist in harmony with the natural world for thousands of years.
Ryan also cited that the current system in farming tends to favor large-scale conventional practices over smaller, family farms. When I asked why they stick to going against the current when there are fewer incentives for doing so, Ryan shared this proverb that reminds us of our responsibility to future generations: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
Radical Roots Farm will be at the Farm Fresh Wintertime Farmers Market on 10 Sims Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island, Saturdays 9am – 1pm from November 2, 2024 through April 26, 2025. In the summer, you will likely find them at the Thursday Armory Farmers Market in Providence (at Dexter Park) from 3:30pm – 7pm. They also sell by the cut, bulk boxes, monthly meat shares, and whole/half animals. They are customer focused, happily willing to cater to the customer’s needs and take on special orders and unique arrangements.
Amber Ma lives on the west end of Providence with her husband and two cats. She loves gardening, shopping at farmers markets, and cooking with local and homegrown ingredients. She is also passionate about transit, sustainability, and pollinators. She is a volunteer at the Community Cat Center in Johnston. She and her husband went car-free in 2022 and are always exploring new restaurants in the city by foot, bike, or bus.
