Giving Thanks: A Virtual Farm Tour

by Deanne

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Join me on a virtual tour in honor of the farmers who supply locally grown produce to three of the restaurants we’ve reviewed from California to Arizona and then on to Arkansas. 

The dedication farmers give to their work can not be measured in dollars earned.  For me, it is so easy to lose my connection to the land and forget how hard it is to grow food. So today,  I want to give reverence for the bounty all farmers produce.  For them it is not about preparing for some odd Thursday in November, instead, they just keep giving to us all year long.  Even those of us that live in the cold states, we still get to enjoy apples and root veggies this time of year.

Since it is November, let’s start in warm and sunny Napa Valley and take a peek at the garden that grows right outside a restaurant.  This special place has two acres that provide 20 percent of the restaurant’s produce year-round and inspiration for the restaurant’s culinary team.  Francine visited Mustards Grill: Napa Valley, CA  and provided a review.  She snapped the above picture of the garden.

Next, join me as we will  head to Arizona for a look at a family farm that provides a supply of fresh produce for Desert Roots Kitchen:  Tempe, AZ 

I am glad I went on this virtual farm tour because I got a chance to read the blog of from Sunizona Family Farm.  This picture comes from a  blog post about the day a team of three guys harvested over seven tons of spaghetti squash in one day.  Check it out, it is quite impressive!

Now let’s travel a little further east to Arkansas where I reviewed The Root – A Local Cafe:Little Rock, AK  

The Root has a whole list of farmers on their website.  For you meat lovers out there who are joining this virtual tour, I selected Falling Sky Farms and a picture from their facebook page that shows the turkeys growing earlier this fall.