Our buckwheat cover crop, meant to nourish the soil, has become a pit stop for Monarch butterflies on their cross-country voyage home.

In 2018, tomatoes are being used in creative cuisines around the world in unique and delicious ways. And, as we once again enter the long-anticipated summer tomato season, we thought we’d take a more in-depth look at this incredible crop.

Mother Nature is used to doing what she wants. So, what should we do? At The Chef’s Garden, we aren’t joking when we say we grow our vegetables “slowly and gently, in full accord with Nature.” That’s because we’d rather hold hands with Nature than wrestle with her. Farmer Lee Jones says pairing chefs’ wishes with Nature’s whims relies on delicate choreography. “We let Mother Nature dictate. We can’t outsmart her,” he says. Think of it as a dance. A tango, let’s say.

Signs of spring here in Huron, Ohio range from the proverbial robin to the gentle (and not-so-gentle) showers – and, of course, the brilliant green shoots of new peas. At The Chef’s Garden, we eagerly wait for fresh peas to emerge – and here are just five of the reasons why we’re so enthralled with this marvelous vegetable.

Although this scenario happened years ago, it’s easy to picture the scene. Bob Jones, Jr. had just spotted French breakfast radishes that weren’t harvested in time. He wasn’t very happy about this development, as these radishes were – and still are – in demand from chefs because of their mildly peppery flavor and note of sweetness, and because of their succulent, crunchy and tender texture.

Chef Matt joins the Culinary Vegetable Institute as Chef de Cuisine. Matt says he is excited "to be able to taste an ingredient fresh off of a farm and to explore all aspects of color, flavor and texture is very important. Knowing where the product is from and how it was farmed is just as important as the way it looks, tastes and feels.”