MY STORY.
Andrew Magazine is a native New Yorker, but spent the last several years becoming a devout Appalachian. A dancer by training, butcher by trade, and homesteader by permacultural necessity, Andrew has a hunger to learn and share all things about applied anatomy. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Dance from Skidmore College, ’13, and took that study of dance near and far, having trained and worked with companies in Israel, Europe, and New York. Having been in his first physical therapy appointment at age thirteen (and at least a thousand thereafter, dealing with chronic pain and professional injuries), Andrew developed a keen understanding of musculoskeletal mechanics and their applications. Physical therapy “homework” sparked inquiry that led Andrew from ballet class to contact improvisation; he was hooked on learning how bodies work.
After traveling and working, establishing an identity as a dancer, Andrew sought out more from the world. A third generation New Yorker, he was hungry for hard skills one doesn’t learn in the city. In 2016, he completed his Permaculture Design Course at Earthaven Ecovillage in Western North Carolina, followed by a stage with Vinland Restaurant in Portland, ME (the world’s only 100% locally sourced restaurant, down to the salt). From there, he trained in whole animal breakdowns with Bryan Mayer at Fleisher’s in Red Hook, Brooklyn. After three months and a new high proficiency, Andrew had found his skill.
Having grown up in a “foodie” family, his dance training and his innate sense of culinary wonder provided him the ideal vault from which to launch headfirst into carcasses and meat grinders. Putting this newly developed skill to work, Andrew made his way through the ranks of Hudson and Charles under J. Fox and Kevin Haverty. NYC’s most ethically sound whole animal butcher shop, Hudson and Charles equipped Andrew with a reliable team of mentors and peers as he ventured south to Appalachia. Andrew now resides on the homestead and educational farm, Wonderland Hollow, that he shares with his best friend, Christina. He shares the land with an ever-changing crew of critters, big and small from horses and cows to turkeys and pigs, with the fort held down by Tracy Belmont, the greatest dog who has ever lived. He spends his days sharing all he’s learned in his several years in the butchery retail industry--he teaches meaty workshops and helps others learn about processing their own animals, from pasture to plate.