From Seed to Sauce: One Plant's Journey from Our Farm to Your Table
By Kristin Vaughn
(A heirloom Pineapple Stripe growing at Merc farms)
If you follow us on social media or have been by the Merc lately, you are sure to have heard us going on about "Merc Farms." When it comes to food, we are pretty serious. We are concerned about what goes in to the things that you (and we) feed our families. Since opening, the Blue Door Cafe & Bakery, the Mercantile has been committed to creating meals with fresh, local, safe and delicious ingredients. Everything that we prepare for you is made in-house, from scratch. In our marketplace (as well as our kitchen), you can find eggs, produce, and condiments from local farmers. In order to foster the spirit of farming, sustainability, and reducing the amount of genetically modified food in the food-supply chain, we chose to begin our own farm, lovingly nicknamed "Merc Farms."
About 500 yards away, on a hill behind the Mercantile, we had a large greenhouse brought in and set up, as well as a custom-made hen house. We currently have a coop full of chickens that will begin giving us our own "Merc Eggs" pretty soon. After they start laying, we will sell these, along side other local farmer’s eggs, in the Marketplace and use them in our baking and menu items that call for eggs. The greenhouse is home to many plants, and if you have eaten here in the last 3-4 weeks, you probably had something that we have grown on the farm.
(Merc Farms greenhouse at twilight)
Merc Farms is proud to share that the owners recently signed the "Safe Seed Pledge." We invite other farmers and businesses to acknowledge the importance of non-GMO seeds and food and ask that you also sign this pledge!
"We pledge that we do not knowingly buy, sell, or trade genetically engineered seeds or plants."
Click here for more information on how to participate today!
While we haven't officially opened it to the public, we wanted to use this week's blog post to tell you about something we are working on (and are really proud of!). Here is the story of a tiny, little seed that grows up to make a big hit in the restaurant world!
From seed to sauce: one plant’s journey from our farm to your table.
(Sprouts coming up at Merc Farms)
Our seeds have a heritage and rich cultural history all their own. We use Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, which are exactly what they imply: they are heirlooms that have been passed down, seeds that have not been altered in any way through gene splicing. This ensures the preservation of genetic diversity of the area and produces a vegetable with richer, deeper flavors and better nutritional values.
After deciding which varieties of tomatoes that we wanted for our sauces, we planted the seeds in our greenhouse. Having a greenhouse is beneficial, as it can extend the growing season, provide protection from hungry animals and helps to produce a heartier, richer tomato. But we live in a climate that is very amenable to growing a successful crop, and a greenhouse certainly isn't required. You can grow lush, tasty, and healthy tomatoes in your own garden!
(Merc Farms Greenhouse Plants)
To start seeds, you should begin by soaking them in water. Then choose a seed starter mix (this is easily found in your local gardening or hardware store and is a mixture of the best nutrients and minerals to get your seeds off to the right start!). We planted them in pots and made sure there was plenty of warmth and light after they began to sprout. Keeping them well (but not over) watered is also key to getting the perfect tomato.
The growing time on tomatoes is about 65-70 days on average, and we were very excited to pick our first crop! In keeping with traditional growing and harvesting methods, we let these tomatoes ripen on the vine and then picked them as soon as they were ready.
After picking, these tomatoes were taken directly to our kitchen, where our chef and cooks use them in our menu items. After cooking them, adding some incredibly secret spices, those tomatoes are magically turned into amazing sauces! We also slice them for sandwiches and burgers and also for a super yummy marinara sauce! Today if you come to the Merc, you can enjoy them on our flatbread features, Mozzarella Cheesestick Appetizer, and as the base of the Bolagnese sauce for our Pasta Bolagnese on Friday nights. And one really special treat: we have made the sauce available in our Marketplace so that you can take a jar home and enjoy it with your family tonight!
The importance of being able to plant, harvest, and use our own produce is something that needs to be taught and shared more with our family and friends. With many of today's food companies and restaurant chains cutting corners in an effort to save money, it is more crucial than ever that we are able to supply our own clean, natural, and chemical-free food. The Draper Mercantile is committed to returning back to the roots of local agriculture and horticultural society. Decades ago, the Merc was one place where seeds were bought, traded, and sold. The owners and staff are excited about being able to be a part of this tradition and are proud that we are involved in this movement. Please join us and plant your own seeds today! Have any questions? Stop by the Merc or Draper Blooms and we will do our best to help you in your own journey. Until then, keep planting and enjoying these summer delights, as they won't be around much longer!