February 22nd, 2013 • Posted by Jenny S. Gaintner • Permalink
local food, local farms, sustainable farming
I just finished reading Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm, by Erin Byers Murray. It is a wonderful read about a small town oyster farm and the cast of characters who work there. Its main focus is on the relationship between the farmer and the food on your table, and it got me thinking about the local farms that we source from here at The Grill at Harryman House.
Rooster Hill Farms is by far my favorite place for beautiful heirloom tomatoes and
lettuces. The proprietor Pam McComas-Ecker tends to the charming little
gems as if they were children and our Sous-Chef Amanda Brennan
practically explodes with excitement when they arrive from the farm
truck to our back door. Pam and her husband Erol were in for dinner the
other night and were just giddy at the prospect of an early planting
season.
Another local farm delivering us some great products is Liberty Delight Farms. The proprietor Shane Hughes supplies us with all-natural steaks and the ground chuck used for our 4.4 mile burger, so named for the distance between the restaurant and the farm. Chef Thomas Casey and Shane developed a friendship over a few mojitos in our tavern talking about their shared passion for the importance of local sourcing and sustainable practices to maintain a healthy community.
Fortunately for us these relationships continue to thrive, bringing with them the wonderful bounty, tastefully prepared and served right here at The Grill.
