What is Farm to Table?

Understanding and reconnecting with nature to create conversations about food. That's really what it's all about.

What is farm to table?

If you have ever wondered what is this farm to table phrase which keeps popping up in articles, food events and Instagram accounts, and if it is a fad, then be assured that it is a phrase you need to understand because it isn’t going anywhere.

If you have ever seen or heard or been the recipient of a food item that someone grew or made themselves, that is essentially farm to table. It is knowing where that food product came from and how it was grown. It is the start of a relationship that puts you back into communicating with others about what level of thought and work goes into making food happen.

Farm to table is old fashioned and high tech, but the principles are the same. To reconnect people with actual food. It is an emotional relationship that reaps multiple benefits, mentally rewarding, involves great food and leaves you with more questions of why. You may become engaged in the politics, science and psychology of farming, ranching, fishing, foraging. And that’s good! In this post-industrialized world , with a big help from marketing, millions consume pulped, sugared and dyed ‘foods’ for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some children don't know what actual fruit looks like!

Farm to table helps us reconnect with each other and understand the symbiotic relationship between Earth and Man and the natural cycle of life. It is in understanding nature and food, and no matter what food choice we make, vegetarian, vegan or carnivore, that we communicate the mutual respect for each other and what will eventually become our food. You should be able to have a conversation with your farmer to know why green beans are late this year because of the heavy rains, or why we should wait a few more weeks for oysters due to late storms. We should be interested to hear when a farmer has surplus and what we can do to help out and learn how to pickle, can and ferment.

When we start understanding is when we start growing.