Farm-to-Table Dining Experiences

California is undeniably the land of plenty—the largest agricultural producer in the country. And it doesn’t get much more farmer than the region surrounding Sacramento. This fertile acreage, with remarkable soil and abundant sunshine, means Sacramento has incredible access to the juiciest fruits, freshest vegetables, and an ever-increasing array of artisanal, farm-based products. Area chefs take advantage of the bounty by forming close relationships with farmers and sourcing ingredients that will end up on diners’ plates that very same night. Taste the results at favorite eateries including Ella Dining Room & Bar, Mulvaney’s B&L, Waterboy, and The Kitchen Restaurant.

"Be part of Sacramento’s annual Farm-to-Fork Celebration, a two-week affair that gathers farmers and chefs to showcase the best in food and wine."

Sacramento’s chefs also craft their seasonally driven menus by shopping at local farmers’ markets—more than 10 sprout up at different locations year-round. For a novel experience, join a Market-to-Plate Executive Chefs Tour, offered by Local Roots Food Tours. Walk with chefs as they shop, get tips on what to buy and how to prepare it, then relax with lunch made from the day’s bounty. Chef Oliver Ridgeway, who focuses on hyper-local sustainable ingredients at Grange, also offers market walks on Wednesdays, followed by a three-course lunch.

If you’re visiting in September, you’ll want to be part of Sacramento’s annual Farm-to-Fork Celebration, a two-week affair that gathers farmers and chefs to showcase the best in food and wine. To cap off the festival, celebrated chefs prepare an exclusive farm-to-fork meal at an iconic city landmark for hundreds of food-loving attendees.

Think Dalai Lama meets Alice Waters. At Wildsoul Enchanting Gatherings, founder Ben Crosky calls attention to his favourite Bay Area locations with a health-and-wellness-focused trifecta: yoga, farm tours, and creative culinary experiences. Through a series of on-site yoga classes followed by meals cooked from foods harvested from local farms, Crosky aims to “strengthen the ties between creator and consumer.” Sessions typically include a 90-minute outdoor yoga class, an hour-long farm tour, and a multicourse meal using ingredients sourced from neighbouring farms. Learn about the history of apple orchards-turned-vineyards in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, or sample the blue cheese from Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes Station, north of San Francisco. Choose from locally sourced breakfasts, wine-pairing dinners, and other events in evocative and inspiring surroundings.

Situated on a stretch of land in Hopland, close to Anderson Valley’s noteworthy wine country, sits the under-the-radar rural escape for citified urbanites called Campovida. The working farm and winery, with a 13-acre certified organic garden, four bee hives farm, two vineyards, and a hops barn, offers tours and retreats for those looking to unplug and get their hands dirty. Guests can work in the fields, tending to the more than thousands of herbs, vegetables, and flowers on-site, then enjoy chef prepared farm to table dinners at a communal table overlooking the ground’s trellised grapes, espalier apples, roses, and pear orchards. Some might call it the real-life garden of Eden.  

A second-generation farm built on the idea of producing the best tasting fruits and vegetables on the market, Capay Organic dates back to the early days of the organic foods movement. Over the years, the Capay family has introduced new crops and techniques, becoming next-gen pioneers in sustainable cultivation of varied crops, including cherry tomatoes, ambrosia melons, and even sweet-smelling sweet pea flowers. Farm tours and activities for the whole family are also a hallmark at Capay Organic. Hop on a tractor and listen to a farmhand talk about what is in season. Get your hands dirty and help harvest produce, then take it home with you. Spread out a picnic beneath a shady tree to soak in the view of cultivated fields, orchards, and golden hills in the distance. At the farm, July means the annual tomato festival, and September brings Capay Crush, a harvest grape celebration. Check Capay’s calendar for seasonal farm dinners and sign up for “Meet the Farmer” dinners at such nearby Sacramento restaurants as Grange at the Citizen Hotel.

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust, known to locals as MALT, provides unprecedented access to the farms and ranches of West Marin. Otherwise off limits to the public, these celebrated establishments, most of them situated in rolling coastal hills about an hour north of San Francisco, open their gates for occasional tours and tastings led by MALT members and educators. A day with MALT might mean a burrata cheese-making workshop with SF Milkmaid Louella Hill, an Italian Harvest dinner at Moore Ranch in Nicasio, moving cattle across the pastures at Stemple Creek, or a field-to-fork supper at Fresh Run Farms in Bolinas showcasing the culinary talents of chef Sarah Hodge from Cowgirl Creamery. Some events, like sheep-shearing and nature-oriented experiences, can be great fun for families. Farm tours and food events sell out far in advance, but sign up for MALT’s e-newsletter, and you will be the first to know about these coveted gatherings.

Nestled high in the mountains above the beaches of Santa Cruz, Love Apple Farms is the exclusive produce provider for Michelin-starred Manresa restaurant in nearby Los Gatos. At Love Apple, it is all about top-notch crops and impeccable farming practices—and not usually about tours and tastings. But at special seasonal dinners, farm tables are arranged among garden beds for alfresco dining as evening falls, with, on fog-free nights, views of Monterey Bay in the distance. Past menus have included such mouthwatering dishes as fresh green peas with lemon oil and coconut-pearl tapioca, and main courses such as braised lamb shanks with polenta, mustard greens, and triple-cream. Prior to the meal, guests meander through garden beds with a resident farmer, who sheds light on Love Apple’s organic and biodynamic practices.