Regions: Midwest

This majestic 16-acre property was originally developed in 1917 for the A. Watson Armour family, a distinguished family in Chicago society. We were very excited to discover it, and this is our first visit. Upon arrival, Elawa Farm looks like a very fancy place, with impressive, brick-faced manor buildings, green lawns and groomed hedges populated by cherubic garden sculptures. But don’t be fooled. This is a real working place, a historic farm and garden whose fields produce a plethora of organic goodness and also serves as a unique center for hands-on learning and food access programs for the local community. Guest chefs Rob Martino, Frankie Vazquez, Spencer Koppi and Angelyne Canicosa are the chef team behind Vie and Vistro Prime, two celebrated restaurants in the Chicago suburbs from Paul Virant. Vie has collected a long list of awards over the years for its ever-changing prix fixe menu featuring local ingredients from area farms. Virant’s other popular spot Vistro re-opened last year as Vistro Prime, a neighborhood steak house specializing in wood-fired steaks and sides. They’ll love cooking over fire in the field kitchen.

It’s hard to believe, but the last time we were here at Blue Moon was in 2015. We’re very excited to be back again to see what Farmer Kristen and her team have been up to since then! The Blue Moon crew are longtime and beloved regulars at the Westside Community Farmers Market in downtown Madison, offering 50+ varieties of farm-fresh veggies, starting in April with Spring vegetables and organic seedlings that home gardeners can plant in their own plots, all the way through Fall harvest in November. Growing food in the Upper Midwest is not what it was 17 years ago when Kristen first started her community farm after getting the farming bug in New York’s Hudson Valley. Climate change and disrupted weather patterns have brought new challenges. Kristen will tell us how Blue Moon is adapting to serve the needs of the land and keep Madison’s community larder rich in delicious, local, nutrient-dense vegetables. Meanwhile, guest chef Evan Dannells will transform all those delicious vegetables into a summer feast in the field kitchen. His Madison restaurant Cadre combines French-inspired cuisine with Wisconsin-grown produce, meat and cheese. Yum.

Rolling green hills, colorful cut flower beds, heaps of peak Summer vegetables and herbs, a drove of happy pastured pigs. This 6-acre agricultural oasis outside Madison is worthy of a second night. Especially with guest chef Dan Fox helming the pans in the field kitchen. Chef Dan has cooked many memorable events in Wisconsin with us over the years. He’s also caught the eyes of Madison Magazine and James Beard quite a few times over the years for his creative farm-to-table menus at Heritage Tavern. He is deeply committed to sourcing from local Madison farmers like Kristen. He also has a passion for pigs. In 2011, he founded Fox Heritage Farms, where he raises heritage breeds including Mangalitsas, Red Wattle, and Tamworth for his own restaurant and many other Madison and Milwaukee-area chefs. Expect to see some of that delicious pork on the menu.