The Farm at South Mountain

Since the 1920s, the Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, has been producing agricultural products just on the outskirts of an urban center. The Farm has an interesting history and was originally part of a large parcel of land owned by the wealthy Dwight Heard, for whom Phoenix's famed Heard Museum was named. Planted with over 100 pecan trees, the Farm is now a welcome escape from the concrete and asphalt of Phoenix's increasingly modern downtown area.

The Farm's property includes a pecan grove, certified-organic gardens and both casual and high-end dining options for visitors. The Farm's
restaurant main restaurant, Quiessence, features a seasonal, ever-changing menu with produce from the Farm and other local purveyors. The Cafe is a wonderful place to order a "basket" lunch of a salad or sandwich on weekends, and diners are welcome to eat on a picnic table in the pecan grove or on a shaded patio. After a harsh Phoenix summer, lunch in the pecan grove is pure bliss.

The Farm is not only a pleasant place to visit for a bit of relaxation, but it is also educational for a society that has become increasingly removed from its agricultural roots. At the farm, guests are welcome to wander the fields and see the baby romaine lettuces, Italian basil and other culinary delights growing in its well-tended gardens. If you are in Phoenix between October through May, take a few hours to visit the Farm - you will be glad you did.

Produce from the Farmer's Market

Over the weekend, we visited the new local Farmer's Market and picked up this beautiful produce. Farmer's markets have generated a lot of buzz over the last few years and have fast become an important part of the movement toward eating local, sustainably grown organic foods. While it is easy to dismiss such a movement as a fad, a short visit to one of these culinary gatherings will quickly convince anyone interested in food that they just make good sense.

Farmer's markets are chock full of the freshest ingredients one can obtain for the kitchen. Just look at these crisp white turnips with the bits of soil still clinging to them and the pristine bok choy that has obviously not travelled halfway around the world to reach the consumer.

In so many communities around the United States, small farmers are providing a variety of wonderfully fresh food directly to consumers. These foods are seasonal, which means they will generally taste better than foods grown out of season in foreign countries. As most good cooks know, the quality of your cooking is only as good as the ingredients you use, which means that fresh seasonal produce is a must.

These peppery turnips inspired a fall Shepherd's pie in which the turnips found their way into both the filling and the mashed potato covering. Here is a photo of the turnips sauteeing with other aromatic vegetables in the skillet:

Shopping at farmer's markets is a wonderful way to support local farmers and obtain the very best foods for your family. To locate a farmer's market or other source of locally grown foods in your community, visit Local Harvest and type in your zip code: http://www.localharvest.org/