By: Syrie Roman-Legnon
How many of us can honestly say that we know where the food we eat comes from? That has been the main purpose behind Feed Your Soul's Farm Tours. The last tour of this season took place last Sunday. Early in the morning we took our seats on the big yellow school bus with the same excitement as a kid on their first day of school. The group was a great combination of young couples, professional cooks, chefs, home cooks and people looking for an adventure. Adventure we got. As the city landscape turned into quaint country homes, the road made way for beautiful open fields and perfectly blue skies.
The first stop was Flavor Farm in Lockport, a farm utilizing sustainable methods to grow a fantastic variety of peppers, prized micro-greens and a curious number of heirloom tomatoes. We met George Kappelt, the soft spoken powerhouse behind the juicy, delicious heirloom tomatoes, bright green spicy peppers, fava beans and micro-greens. He took his time and explained to the group every single detail that goes into his crops, from the kelp and fish fertilizer to the different tools and methods he uses to make sure he minimizes his farm's carbon footprint. We walked over to a little tent on the side of the road to meet William J. Cooper, the character behind Koop's Kitchen, a brand of local sauces made from the best ingredients. Mr. Cooper talked about his childhood and how a passion for fresh ingredients and a love for traveling inspired him to create his delicious line of sauces. Everyone had a chance to taste and buy. My pick was the Rollercoaster Jerk and the Texas Barbecue; honestly I could bathe in them.
The group hopped back on the bus and headed over to T-Meadow Farms also in Lockport. The place is pretty much what I picture heaven to be like...peaceful, green, roosters crowing, hens clucking, pigs oinking and Loogie the llama greeting you from afar. We met farmer Rich Tilyou and his wife and began our journey through hog heaven. These pigs have quite frankly a better life than my spoiled dogs! They graze freely, eat fresh fruit, frolic in the mud, play and pose for pictures. You will be surprised to learn that this relatively small farm right here in Western New York is responsible for single-handedly re-populating the United States with endangered Gloucestershire Old Spot hogs, They are being sold and served in the finest restaurants throughout the state. Funny how in order to preserve this breed of hog the best thing we can do is eat them! And I am ok with that. If you have never tasted a heritage breed, antibiotic free, free range, farm raised pig; you don't know what pork tastes like. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on some of this stuff, the flavor is absolutely amazing. You can contact the farm and buy product directly or you can get it at the Williamsville Farmers Market. The Tilyou really cares about what they do, the pigs are a part of that family; they're happy and you can taste it. Happy cows may come from California, but I'm certain happy pigs come from T-Meadow Farm! After sampling some ridiculously good sausage and ham salad we got back in the bus wondering How could this get any better?
We drove a little further to Orleans County to Leonard Oakes Estate Winery. The winery is part of LynOaken Farms, a beautiful farm with miles and miles of apple orchards, peach groves, and vineyards. Lunch was served in the vineyard, the air was crisp and the food was delicious. Chef Bruce Wieszala from Bistro Europa was in charge of lunch: pulled pork sandwich, fresh corn and beet relish, and potato salad accompanied by Leonard Oakes Frontenac and Riesling. After lunch, we experienced firsthand what it takes to produce wine, from picking the grapes, extracting the juice, storing and bottling. The tour was lead by Jonathan Oakes, winemaker and part of the Oakes family. We were treated to a delightful sampling of all the Leonard Oakes Estate wines in their great tasting room! The tasting room as well as the farm is open to the public. It is a great day trip with the family, where you can pick your own apples, or merely soak up the atmosphere of the tasting room and quaint shop.
It is so exciting to see that there is so much to choose from right here on our door steps! We have to support our local farmers and eat local sustainably-raised food. This is the best option for making way for even more things to develop in our community. I don't know about you, but it helps me sleep better at night knowing exactly where my food is coming from, resting int he knowledge that I'm feeding my family real food, free of pesticides and additives, full of flavor and life and unlikely to ever be part of a recall. I call it happy food.
My friend Roy, a chef, said it best: "There is something really special here and to be quite frank something really cool. Something that really flips its middle finger to the government ran factory farms and antibiotic and pesticide pumped vegetable farm. A swift middle finger salute to the overpowering entity that uses "Organic" as a selling tool rather than a way of life and in all actuality, what is more punk rock than that?"
Many of the farms throughout our region are open and ready for fall harvest visits. You can check them out here, here, here and here. If an on-farm visit isn't for you or just won't fit in your schedule, make sure to visit your local farmers market before the season is over!
----
Images by photographer Nathan Peracciny
Woman. Puerto Rican. Wife. Culinarian. Loves to cook, eat, drink, write and read, Syrie Roman Legnon can't swim, curses like a sailor and is convinced there are few better things than a really cold beer.
View image
How many of us can honestly say that we know where the food we eat comes from? That has been the main purpose behind Feed Your Soul's Farm Tours. The last tour of this season took place last Sunday. Early in the morning we took our seats on the big yellow school bus with the same excitement as a kid on their first day of school. The group was a great combination of young couples, professional cooks, chefs, home cooks and people looking for an adventure. Adventure we got. As the city landscape turned into quaint country homes, the road made way for beautiful open fields and perfectly blue skies.
The first stop was Flavor Farm in Lockport, a farm utilizing sustainable methods to grow a fantastic variety of peppers, prized micro-greens and a curious number of heirloom tomatoes. We met George Kappelt, the soft spoken powerhouse behind the juicy, delicious heirloom tomatoes, bright green spicy peppers, fava beans and micro-greens. He took his time and explained to the group every single detail that goes into his crops, from the kelp and fish fertilizer to the different tools and methods he uses to make sure he minimizes his farm's carbon footprint. We walked over to a little tent on the side of the road to meet William J. Cooper, the character behind Koop's Kitchen, a brand of local sauces made from the best ingredients. Mr. Cooper talked about his childhood and how a passion for fresh ingredients and a love for traveling inspired him to create his delicious line of sauces. Everyone had a chance to taste and buy. My pick was the Rollercoaster Jerk and the Texas Barbecue; honestly I could bathe in them.
The group hopped back on the bus and headed over to T-Meadow Farms also in Lockport. The place is pretty much what I picture heaven to be like...peaceful, green, roosters crowing, hens clucking, pigs oinking and Loogie the llama greeting you from afar. We met farmer Rich Tilyou and his wife and began our journey through hog heaven. These pigs have quite frankly a better life than my spoiled dogs! They graze freely, eat fresh fruit, frolic in the mud, play and pose for pictures. You will be surprised to learn that this relatively small farm right here in Western New York is responsible for single-handedly re-populating the United States with endangered Gloucestershire Old Spot hogs, They are being sold and served in the finest restaurants throughout the state. Funny how in order to preserve this breed of hog the best thing we can do is eat them! And I am ok with that. If you have never tasted a heritage breed, antibiotic free, free range, farm raised pig; you don't know what pork tastes like. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on some of this stuff, the flavor is absolutely amazing. You can contact the farm and buy product directly or you can get it at the Williamsville Farmers Market. The Tilyou really cares about what they do, the pigs are a part of that family; they're happy and you can taste it. Happy cows may come from California, but I'm certain happy pigs come from T-Meadow Farm! After sampling some ridiculously good sausage and ham salad we got back in the bus wondering How could this get any better?
We drove a little further to Orleans County to Leonard Oakes Estate Winery. The winery is part of LynOaken Farms, a beautiful farm with miles and miles of apple orchards, peach groves, and vineyards. Lunch was served in the vineyard, the air was crisp and the food was delicious. Chef Bruce Wieszala from Bistro Europa was in charge of lunch: pulled pork sandwich, fresh corn and beet relish, and potato salad accompanied by Leonard Oakes Frontenac and Riesling. After lunch, we experienced firsthand what it takes to produce wine, from picking the grapes, extracting the juice, storing and bottling. The tour was lead by Jonathan Oakes, winemaker and part of the Oakes family. We were treated to a delightful sampling of all the Leonard Oakes Estate wines in their great tasting room! The tasting room as well as the farm is open to the public. It is a great day trip with the family, where you can pick your own apples, or merely soak up the atmosphere of the tasting room and quaint shop.
It is so exciting to see that there is so much to choose from right here on our door steps! We have to support our local farmers and eat local sustainably-raised food. This is the best option for making way for even more things to develop in our community. I don't know about you, but it helps me sleep better at night knowing exactly where my food is coming from, resting int he knowledge that I'm feeding my family real food, free of pesticides and additives, full of flavor and life and unlikely to ever be part of a recall. I call it happy food.
My friend Roy, a chef, said it best: "There is something really special here and to be quite frank something really cool. Something that really flips its middle finger to the government ran factory farms and antibiotic and pesticide pumped vegetable farm. A swift middle finger salute to the overpowering entity that uses "Organic" as a selling tool rather than a way of life and in all actuality, what is more punk rock than that?"
Many of the farms throughout our region are open and ready for fall harvest visits. You can check them out here, here, here and here. If an on-farm visit isn't for you or just won't fit in your schedule, make sure to visit your local farmers market before the season is over!
----
Images by photographer Nathan Peracciny
Woman. Puerto Rican. Wife. Culinarian. Loves to cook, eat, drink, write and read, Syrie Roman Legnon can't swim, curses like a sailor and is convinced there are few better things than a really cold beer.
Bravo!