Farm Tour with Chefs for Farmers
November 2, 2019
For the first time, we hosted one of our Farm Tours during the fall! The organizers of the Dallas food festival Chefs for Farmers asked if we would do a tour as part of their weekend lineup of events, and we happily obliged.
The first stop of the day was at Profound Microfarms. Jeff and his wife Lee Bednar founded Profound Microfarms in 2014. Profound grows over 150 varieties of leafy greens, rare culinary herbs, edible flowers and microgreens for Chefs in Dallas and Collin Counties. They grow in 17,000 square feet of technology controlled greenhouse environments utilizing hydroponic and aquaponic systems. Farmer Jeff spent 3 years of learning everything he could, experimenting and growing. During those 3 years, Jeff became a Collin County Master Gardener, a certified Permaculture designer and visited as many farms as he could.
After grabbing a cold Highpoint Porch Ale from Pegasus City Brewery, we headed into the greenhouses to check it out.
In their words, Profound Microfarms was started because “we wanted to make a profound impact on the health of our family, a profound impact on the health of our community and the environment.” They do not currently sell retail, but you can find their stuff on some shelves such as at Patina Green Home and Market on the square in McKinney, and you’ll find their names on over 60 restaurants all over DFW.
At one of our North Texas Farm-to-Table Symposiums in 2017, Jeff and another local farmer Nelson Carter (who we will meet later) got to talking about how they both spend too much time driving product into Dallas, when they need to be on their farm working. They agreed to each take the other’s deliveries once a week, and this grew into a full blown local grower’s distribution hub called Profound Foods, making it much easier for farmers to sell to chefs.
Before getting back on the bus, we enjoyed some incredible Chubby Dog Farms pork belly with fish sauce caramel wrapped in grilled greens from the farm by local chef Julio Ortiz.
The next stop was at McKinney Roots. There wasn’t a lot growing as they are working on big projects, but their mission is so compelling, it was worth the visit. McKinney Roots is a five-acre donation garden founded by two moms in McKinney that wanted to do more to help the community. Nearby winery Caudalie Crest poured chilled rose and white wine for the guests while Executive Director Tom Henry walked us through the history of the nonprofit and the huge expansion plans they have for the next three years.
Often when a family receives food from a food pantry, it’s all shelf stable non-perishables, not fresh nutrient dense food. McKinney Roots grows and supplies fresh produce and eggs directly to organizations and services that are feeding the hungry. The cascade of effects from improper nutrition on growing minds is severe and long-lasting; children below the poverty line are sick more often leading to tardiness and struggles in classes due to poor nutrition. McKinney Roots aims to end that struggle in Collin County.
Chef Andrea Shackelford from Harvest Seasonal Kitchen served up a creamy red fish and shrimp bouillabaisse before we jumped back on the bus.
Our last stop of the day was to see farmer Nelson Carter at Cartermere Farms. The farm sits on 300 acres of land anchored by a 38-acre lake, for which the farm takes its name. Farmer Nelson started Cartermere after a career in the tech industry in 2013.
Cartermere Farms is dedicated to the production of truly natural, organic eggs, chicken, honey, seasonal vegetables and herbs, utilizing no pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers or any other non-organic crop management practices. Additionally, they strive to exclude all unnatural medications, vaccines, antibiotics and GMO-inclusive feeds in our livestock. In doing so, they are dedicated to treating their customers with transparency and honesty, and to treating nature with the respect it deserves.
Local chef Junior Borges provided the last tasty bites of the day, chicken liver mousse on herbed lavash and deviled eggs with fermented cucumbers and hot sauce cured yolks, all courtesy of Cartermere’s chickens. Cartermere Farms frequently host tours and classes, and you can buy their produce through Rock Farmers Market.
It was a great crew, and we already can’t wait until April 25th for the next Farm Tour!
