Farm-fresh produce is richer in nutrients than anything you can find in a grocery store. Unfortunately, fruits and vegetables start to lose their nutritional value within 24 hours after harvest. However, locally grown food is harvested at its peak of ripeness and nutritional content, and it reaches your plate almost immediately. Poor eating habits have been linked to a variety of health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, tooth decay, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, and some types of cancer. There are no strict rules that a restaurant must follow to be considered a farm-to-table establishment.
However, most of them will proudly name the farms they get their products from. Additionally, most farm-to-table restaurants prefer foods that are grown naturally, as opposed to farms that use harmful pesticides or added hormones. If a restaurant that claims to be farm-to-table is unwilling to provide sourcing information, this should be a red flag. Supporting local businesses can create new relationships between vendors, farmers, restaurant owners, and customers. This can also help boost the local economy.
As a result, the menu may change seasonally, allowing certain dishes and treats to be available for a limited time only. This depends on the specific community, but in most cases it gives farm-to-table restaurants access to fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, fish, dairy products, and more. Restaurants that serve food from farm to table need to make sure they comply with state and federal laws related to agriculture, animal slaughter, and fishing. For the more adventurous diner, it's always exciting to see what new dishes the restaurant will offer. “Farm-to-table” restaurants may not be the perfect solution to all factory farm problems, but they are a step in the right direction that you can take today.
Local farms are often confined to smaller areas and radii, so the food that travels is reduced with locally sourced crops. When it comes to sustainable agriculture and livestock farming techniques produce crops and food while protecting the environment. There are many answers to this question but the simplest one is that eating at a farm-to-table restaurant is much more beneficial for you as a customer. Once you start eating this way you won't want to go back to processed artificial flavors. It's true that farm-to-table restaurants often have more obstacles than other restaurants. A farm-to-table restaurant has more freedom to let flavors stand out on their own instead of hiding them with extras.
The concept was pioneered by chef Alice Waters in the early 1970s when she founded Chez Panisse.
