It’s been about three years since we started the Locally Grown Meal and our latest has fall written all over it! from chicken purchased from Larry Heitkamp of Sebeka, vegetables from the Fergus Falls Farmers Market vendors including Homegrown Gardens, R & D Gardens, Loads of Crop, Dave and Janet, to name a few plus apples from Rivers Bend Orchard.
The focus of the meal is, obviously, local. Whether it is baked by a local cottage industry baker, is a spice mix made from a local vendor or vegetables or meats locally raised and produced, the aim is to source it from local farms and people.
That looked like a challenge in the beginning. It was February and where in the world are you going to get locally grown lettuce much less veggies in the midst of a Minnesota winter?
And that, my friends, is the fun challenge. And it really isn’t too much of a challenge when you connect with local growers.
From our bison dinner in Vicky’s vineyard
I, personally, don’t have a lot of storage, but I know people who grow it. It starts with conversations during the market year and learning who has storage and who doesn’t and also being mindful of what is growing in a particular season.
Pheasant which was accompanied by locally harvested wild rice from the Otter Tail River
There won’t be fresh, locally grown asparagus at this meal, for example. Root vegetables are key so we turn to carrots, potatoes, onions, rutabagas for veggies and local apples for pie. Plus the chicken.
Finding the growers and producers is just a Facebook or Minnesota Grown search away.
Our meals have centered on seasonal produce plus pheasant (that was an interesting search, but successful!), ham, eggs, chicken , bison and lamb.
Thanks to our chef Leon who brings it all together with his love of preparing great foods and, with his wife, earn best dinner hosts honors!
We look froward to presenting the details and more info on the local growers in coming posts.
Bon Appetite!
