Forty-seven people attended the TOPP-sponsored tour of West End Farm in Plymouth, NE on June 8, 2024. West End Farm raises over 50 different vegetables, herbs, berries, and melons, along with herbs, flowers, and honeybees. The farm sells its products directly to consumers, primarily through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, local farmers markets, and an online store.
Farmer Katie Jantzen showed tour participants her perennial crop beds, high tunnel, annual vegetable crop production plots, and honeybee hives. She described various considerations for organic production and fielded questions
about plant spacing, government programs, mulching practices, equipment usage, crop rotation, and more. Tour attendees included fellow vegetable farmers, members of the farm's CSA program, local gardeners, and retired agricultural professionals. One attendee said, "It was great to meet other people with similar interests. I made several good connections," and another noted, "Thanks for doing this tour. I appreciate seeing where my food grows!"
After the tour, local caterer Colleen Schoneweis of Colleen's Catering in Beatrice gave a short talk about how she manages food waste in her business through composting, as well as other sustainability considerations in food service. She also described the custom menu she made for the farm tour lunch containing 19 different items from West End Farm. Lunch was the highlight of the day! One participant said, "The food at lunch was the best! I love the idea of connecting farmers directly with caterers for events like these." The menu included frittata with caramelized onions and sauteed spinach; lentil and rice salad with asparagus; lettuce salad with salad turnips, sundried tomatoes, capers, and herb vinaigrette; roasted sweet potatoes with charred lemons; charred kale salad with citrus and green tahini; kohlrabi pickles; pickled rhubarb; and rhubarb oat bars.
Comments