Meet your Farmer

The Farmer’s Plight and Learning More about Agriculture

June 28, 2013

by Craig Evans, Web & Social Media Manager

Tweet

In what is becoming an annual tradition at SPE Certified, we like to take one day out of our busy summer schedules to learn more about the humble beginnings of our food.

It’s easy to imagine a boxed mesclun salad on a supermarket shelf or even a beautifully plated corn farrotto in a restaurant, but each ingredient begins somewhere. Oftentimes the hard work and dedication that goes in to producing these raw ingredients takes a backseat to the process of preparing a finished dish.

With more and more consumers becoming interested in the provenance of their food, never has the farmer’s contribution been more important than it is today. Which is exactly why Senior Culinary Nutritionist Natalia Hancock feels it’s important that the SPE Certified team -- including our dietetic interns – appreciate the care and effort that goes on behind the scenes.

Last week we visited D’Agata’s Fine Family Farm, CT , Oxen Hill Farm, CT, Hastings Farm, CT and Cook Farm, MA on an eye-opening day out. Typically these farmers are working 12-16 hour days outside. It’s testament to their commitment that they were all happy to take the time to show us around. It’s an experience that the whole team would highly recommend – you can contact each farm to arrange a tour using the websites linked above.

Although raw, non-homogenized milk cannot be sold legally in supermarkets, it can be purchased directly from some dairy farms.

The staff at Hastings Farm were kind enough to let us try some of their farm-made cheese and Greek yogurt. And it was delicious.

Fermented silage is required in great quantities to feed over 20 dairy cows at Hastings Farm.

Artichokes growing in the greenhouse at Oxen Hill Farm.

Fresh produce at Oxen Hill. You can’t beat the smell of fresh strawberries and basil!

SPE Certified Executive Chef Anthony Moraes poses with a new friend.

If you’re interested in learning more about farming, we would strongly encourage you to contact the farms mentioned above via their respective websites and request a small, guided tour.

farming, agriculture

Latest Posts Subscribe to the SPE RSS feed