Davenport Farms turns crops into ready-to-eat meals
By Susan Krawitz, photo by Ilene Cutler
As if just growing crops wasn’t challenging enough, farmers must also find successful ways to market and sell them. Since 2009, the farm stand for Davenport Farms, a 100-acre mixed vegetable operation in Stone Ridge New York has found a way to close the gap from farm to fork by selling hot, ready-made meals that incorporate their own fresh crops.
Though the farm wholesales produce to customers all over the Hudson Valley, their farm stand has been a major outlet for their produce for over thirty years. But times and tastes change, said fifth generation farmer Bruce Davenport, and he’s recently seen a steady increase in the demand for ready to eat food. Food markets in New York City were his inspiration for installing a steam table, hiring a chef and serving hot meals.
“Lots of supermarkets down there have about half, if not more of their space devoted to prepared food,” he said. “They recognize people don’t always want to go home and cook. I recognized that must be true here too.”
Nick Brewer has been the chef in charge of the farm stand’s dinners-to-go since spring of 2012. A 2006 CIA graduate, Brewer and his wife Tessa, a high school Spanish teacher, came originally from the Plattsburgh area. Brewer hails from a family of ag and food loving folks, including a Cornell Cooperative Extension master gardener and a cadre of professional chefs and cooks. Before marriage and family (the Brewers have two toddlers), Nick was focused on a life as a restaurant chef, but quickly realized the requisite 70-hour work-week wasn’t a good fit. Working at the farm stand is. “This is the dream job I never knew I wanted,” Nick said.
With kitchen assistance from Bruce’s son Quin, Nick fills the steam table with delicious meals five days a week. He especially likes preparing “anything I can grill or barbecue” and maximizes the use of locally grown as well as homegrown products in his creations.
“I live an episode of Chopped every day—I have the world’s largest mystery basket. More often than not, I come in, look around at what’s ripe, and go from there.” said Nick.
In spring, spinach and kale are major players; in summer, bell peppers, and tomatoes are often featured, and sweet corn is sold roasted on the cob. Main dishes include classics like Tuscan chicken and vegetable couscous, and innovations, such as parmesan risotto cakes, and pulled pork and collard greens egg rolls with peach mango barbecue sauce.
Fall and winter specialties feature roasted squash dishes. “I’ll use sugar pumpkins for pumpkin bisque,” he said, “and some Twilight Farm’s beef (raised literally down the road from the stand) for stew and stroganoff,” he said. His offerings can also be found in the refrigerated case in the form of healthy and innovative salads and wraps. Whenever possible, his dishes are gluten-free.
Nick’s collected a vocal and appreciative fan base that’s already started asking if he’ll return in March when the stand reopens after its winter break. He will indeed return next year, he said, and in the downtime, will offer catering services and teach cooking classes as well.
“The person making the food is a key component to the whole thing,”
“The person making the food is a key component to the whole thing,” said Davenport, but admits that the success of the steam table is also based on his own willingness to listen to his customers and re-think the way he packages and sells some of his crops “You can’t be in a business and not change over time,” he said. “I’m in the food business and I have to give people food the way they want it, not necessarily the way I’ve always done it. If they want me to just sell them an acorn squash, I’m happy to, but nowadays, some want it cooked and with a fork in it.”
A version of this story first appeared in the Our Bounty column in the BlueStone Press.
About Susan Krawitz
Susan Krawitz is a freelance writer and editor. To learn more about Susan visit her website. Learn more about about Davenport Farms and visit their Facebook page.