Some people are lucky to find their passion at a young age, and Castle Rock native Jordan Hinton is one of them.
When she was 8 years old, she began participating in 4-H, a program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that teaches youth about farming, livestock care, woodworking, cooking and more. Jordan did this until she was 18. She also raised pigs, while her sister had steers, and participated in Future Farmers of America (FFA) in high school.
“That is what got me interested in having a career in agriculture,” says Jordan, who’s now the owner of local butcher shop Salt Craft Meat Market.
Jordan went on to study animal science and agriculture business at Colorado State University. She then earned a master’s in meat science, where she learned more about the quality of meat, food safety and how to raise animals so they produce good meat.
With a deep understanding of food quality, animal raising and agriculture, Jordan and her husband, Ralph Hinton, opened Salt Craft Meat Market in downtown Castle Rock at 611 Wilcox St. in the fall of 2022.
They chose the name “Salt” because it’s the ingredient you add to a dish to bring out the best, natural flavors.
“Bringing out the best is what we want to do in the community here in Castle Rock,” Jordan says.
From the locally raised meats for sale to the friendly, welcoming atmosphere, the desire to bring out the best is felt throughout the local butcher shop.
While Jordan still raises pigs with her husband, she spends a lot of time at Salt, sharing her knowledge and love of agriculture with the community.
“You don’t need to know exactly what all the different cuts of meat are. We’re here to help you find something for dinner, and it doesn’t need to be intimidating,” Jordan says. “I think if you can meet the people who are raising your food and you can trust them, then that goes a long way.”
Salt offers high-quality, locally raised meats — including pork from the Hinton’s own pigs and beef and lamb sourced from Colorado farmers and ranchers. The shop also aims to make mealtime easier with deli sandwiches and a selection of grab-and-go meal kits and side dishes.
“We try as much as we can to make everything from scratch,” Jordan says. “So we don’t use any seed oils when we cook. … Since the meat’s already high quality, we try to put a lot of effort into making it the best food we possibly can.”
In addition, Salt offers catering and charcuterie. It also sells milk from Morning Fresh Dairy in Fort Collins, baked goods from CastleDough in Castle Rock, pickles from Denver’s The Real Dill and ice cream from Little Man Ice Cream.
“We do as much of it local as possible,” Jordan says.
Looking back on her career, Jordan reminisces about how she got into the agriculture industry.
“Being in 4-H and FFA and having those opportunities was crucial for me,” she says. “There were people who helped me when we didn’t really know what we were doing with animals, and that’s kind of what Ralph and I try to do now: help the next generation of 4-H and FFA kids.”
Some of the pigs Jordan and Ralph raise get sold at Salt, and some go to children in 4-H and FFA, who care for and show them at county and state fairs.
The Hintons are inspiring younger generations to pursue careers in agriculture, starting with their own kids. They have three children, ages 10, 7 and 4. The oldest is in 4-H and the middle child will join the program next year.
“Bringing out the best is what we want to do in the community here in Castle Rock.”