If you’re in Houston and interested in local food, you might have been to Georgia’s Market on I-10 and Dairy Ashford.  It used to be Sandy’s market, and we started going there when the owner sponsored a community chess club (husband is crazy for chess and he’s take our older kids).   Now it’s under new ownership.

The new owner, it turns out, owns a local ranch in Waller County and supplies the store with local grass fed beef, pastured organic chickens, and pastured eggs.  Local and/or organic produce is also emphasized.  It’s kind of like a farmer’s market, but in a grocery store setting with grocery store hours.  Convenient!

Her meat is grass fed, antibiotic and hormone free.  When I was buying chicken, I noticed a photo album in the meat section with pictures of the chickens and how they are raised.  You can see your hen pecking away in the grass.

Georgia also offers the option to buy 1/8, 1/4, or 1/2 of her cows, at a rock bottom price – just $4.00/lb. hanging weight for local grass fed beef.

Georgia’s is known for their selection of tea.  They have jars and jars of bulk tea ingredients – everything from jasmine to peony, so you can create your very own gourmet concoction or medicinal brew.  They also sell coffee and bulk spices, including a variety of bulk gourmet salts (pink sea salt, black salt, organic kosher salt.)

They have bulk bins for various grains, but I think their prices aren’t as good as Central Market and I rarely buy from them.  OK, maybe yogurt pretzels for a snack while I’m shopping.  I admit it.

I was in last weekend, and they were running a killer sale.  Local, organic, pastured chickens for $2.99 a pound!  I bought 20# because that’s all my budget could take.  Georgia has her chickens dressed the old fashioned way.

They run “hidden” sales like this all the time, which are written on a chalkboard at the entrance.

The produce prices are about the same as my favorite grocery store.  The last few times I’ve been in, bananas were cheaper at 39¢/lb.  Tomatoes are currently running around $1/lb.  They sell large organic baking potatoes for $1.29/lb. – HEB carries 5# for $6, but those are little russets, not baking potato size.  Last weekend I bought a local seedless watermelon grown in Hempstead for $2.49, half the price of HEB’s watermelons.

Currently, the local free roaming eggs are $3.99 a dozen, but they have several types and varieties to choose from at different price points (organic Omega eggs, etc.).  They carry fresh goat milk (not canned) and several varieties of yogurt.  They also sell kombucha.

You’ll find most of the big organic labels here – Annie’s, Bob’s Red Mill, Organic Valley.  I don’t usually buy organic packaged goods, so I don’t know how the prices stack up.  I did get lunchbox sized organic raisins, $1.79 for a package of 9.  Yes, that’s more expensive than the HEB store brand of little lunchbox raisins (which come in a 14 pack for about the same price), but since grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed crops and on the dirty dozen list, I’m okay with paying a little more.

Georgia’s also has a restaurant inside the store, with fresh, organic dishes, soups, and a salad bar.  I’ve never eaten there, though, because I never shop at meal times when they’re open.

Georgia’s Market happens to be on the way to the grocery store I usually shop at, so I stop in often when it’s shopping day.  Sometimes I buy a lot, sometimes a little- but I’m glad to support local farmers so I always at least try to have a glance around.  The prices on dry goods are similar to Whole Foods – in a word, pricey – but they have great deals on fresh foods, produce, and meat.

Update, Winter 2010: Georgia’s is doing some remodeling so they may carry different items now.

Check out my other store reviews:

HEB Bunker Hill (#109)

Central Market