The Farmer and The Dog

It seems as if chefs are not the only celebrities in the food industry these days. The new hero of the farm to table movement is, you guessed it, the farmer. And according to the Inquirer, local (Lancaster county) farmer, Tom Culton, is the leader of the pack.

Thirty year old Culton is a third generation farmer--his family has actually been in the Lancaster area since 1740--and has updated his produce as well as his personna. Not content to sell the standard carrots and celery, Culton peddles such gourmet veggies as purple Brussels sprouts (his signature item), Flageolet beans and Rouge vif D'Etampes pumpkins.

Never heard of some of these items? Chances are you will, especially if you dine among the high end restaurants that Culton sells to. Once a week he sends a truck to New York and you can bet the establishments in Philly snap up his wares at the local Head House Square Farmers Market.

All of which has got us thinking about adding some celebrity farmers to the mix for book 2 in the Lick Your Plate! series. Some chefs have their own gardens or even farms from which they can pick their wares. Others rely on the local communities to supply them with very fresh produce.

All we can think is that farmers and dogs go very well together. . .