While revolutions in food processing techniques led to the rise of fast food and overstuffed grocery stores bursting with products from every shelf, today people are starting to realize that eating healthy involves more than counting calories or ingredients, but also making a connection to the source of from where all your food comes.
The Farm-to-Table movement, sometimes called Farm-to-Fork, refers to a rise in social conscience, with greater management of how food is grown, harvested, stored, processed and packaged, transported, sold and then eaten. At the heart of the Farm-to-Table movement is the deep understanding that local food, grown to match the natural variances of the seasons, and transported only minimal distance, is in its optimum condition to provide flavor, freshness and nutrition. Many advocates of the Farm-to-Table strongly believe that genetically modified organisms (GMO), pesticides and other scientifically modified foods are not healthy for either the human body or the planet as a whole, and advocate for smaller, more sustainable farming methods that abstain from pesticides, GMOs and other contaminants. Many growers are returning to the land to re-plant and nurture long-forgotten lines of heirloom and wild variants of fruits and vegetables, focusing more on the quality of the food than proceeding with a ruthless capitalist eye on the bottom line.
Farm-to-Table is more than just about growing, farming and harvesting food. Starting in California, in and around the Berkeley-San Francisco area, many restaurants have sprung up over the past 20 years that focus on providing every diner with fresh, local, and sustainable food. Now cafes, grocery stores and restaurants all across the country are now climbing on board this popular evolution in our relationship with food, and offer full menus replete with locally-source, sustainable, organic fruits, vegetables and animal products.
Professional chefs and experienced foodies have begun turning towards Farm-to-Table to craft delicious, authentic meals with a strong focus on seasonable availability and minimal processing. Michelin starred restaurants in major cities now allow their diners to eat along with the seasons, in many ways recreating the healthy diet and lifestyle of our ancestors centuries ago. A variety of popular cookbooks, television shows and online programs from respected cooks and culinary experts now feature recipes and meal plans based on the Farm-to-Table concept, allowing even beginner home cooks to take advantage of this healthy dietary trend.
For any diner or gourmand who is interested in exploring the gustatory delights of the Farm-to-Table movement, there are many popular rating websites available online that can direct you to a nearby restaurant. In nearly every major city in the country, one or more top-quality restaurants now feature top-quality food made in line with the Farm-to-Table concept, using seasonally-available, fresh food grown, harvested and minimally processed by local farmers. Diners benefit from eating fresh, nutritious food, while restaurants and local farmers close the cycle by helping to sustain and improve the environment while making a living conscientiously.
For home cooks interested in obtaining fresh, local fruits, meats, cheeses and vegetables, the best place to start is your city’s farmer’s market, or by contacting your state’s Agricultural Department. They will be able to connect you with local farmers in your area who practice organic, sustainable small-scale farming techniques that will improve your overall health while supporting local businesses. Many meetup groups and social networks offer ways to meet fellow enthusiasts of the Farm-to-Table movement in your area, where you can find and swap recipes, restaurants, and local farms to find sustainable, quality food.
Eating abundant amounts of fresh, local food that is produced responsibly and sustainable is welcomed by all major religions and faiths, seen as proof of both productive stewardship of the Earth as well as improved harmony with the wondrous other forms of life that share this planet with us. Fresh, delicious recipes will allow any beginner home cook to savor the many benefits of the Farm-to-Table movement.