Friday night I experienced one of the most lovely evenings one could imagine! In Union County, NC there is small but thriving organic farm at the corner of Way-On-Out-There and Are-We-There-Yet. They grow “beyond organic” produce, which means pesticide free (blog post explaining that term is coming soon) produce for Atherton Market and for 7th Street Market on Saturdays. The Ross family hosted their first “Farm to Fork Dinner” at their farm, and it was one of the happiest nights of my foodie life!

It was the ultimate in “eat local” and “eat seasonal”!

Upon arrival, we could feel the peace of country living flowing in and the stress of city-life ebbing away.  We breathed in the fresh air and blooming flowers. We toured the organic vegetable gardens, strolled among the blueberry bushes, marveled at the edible flowers and herbs, and smiled at “the ladies” who greeted us from behind the chicken wire. Dinner was being created by Roots as we toured the farm. Then we gathered, about 30 of us, to hear from Baucom’s Best about the exceptional quality of the pastured chicken we were going to enjoy at dinner (did we ever!). The food was blessed, and we were grateful to sit down to what we knew would be an amazing meal (Roots has an exceptional reputation here in the Carolinas!) I was so excited, my real-food-foodie-heart was about to burst! And then the serving dishes were placed on the pristine white tablecloths for us to eat “family style” and we dug in. Perfection pictured below:

Local greens, flowers, and beets, with parmesan “crackers”

Pasta with herbs and vegetables from the garden

Main Course: local pastured chicken

Dessert: Strawberry Milkshake and Biscotti

Almost everything on the menu was from the Ross’ farm, Bell’s Best Berries, but any additional ingredients were definitely local. Chicken came from Baucom’s Best, another local union county farm.

The beauty of the farm is indescribable. Not enough adjectives to properly put into words.

This “Bells Best Berries” Farm also happens to be where I spend my Fridays, helping the Ross family prepare for Saturday’s Markets and CSA members (Community Supported Agriculture). Can you imagine a more lovely place to “work”?! It’s a beautiful commute, and the benefits are innumerable. If you have any questions about their CSA membership or buying produce from the markets, you can contact them on their Bells Best Berries Facebook page. I will include more pictures from the dinner below, if you care to look. I hope you too will find your own local sources of organic or pesticide free produce and be able to participate in a Farm to Fork dinner in your area. Let me know if you do!

A big thank you to the Ross family of Bells Best Berries farm, Roots catering and Baucom’s Best farm! Let’s go ahead and get another one on the calendar!

Encouraging Health,

Organic Eater

all photos taken with my iPhone. Thank you for being awesome, Apple.