Kingsland Walk Celebrates Earth Month with Farm to Table Dining

The last week of April is a special time for the culinary department at Kingsland Walk Senior Living University City, MO. In honor of Earth Month, we will be celebrating and embracing the Farm to Table concept. While the terminology is often overused, the idea is a basic one that stems from the days when the food you ate came from the farm you lived on or nearby. Practices may have changed but utilizing the produce and livestock from local farms and growers has many benefits. For example, did you know most produce loses nutrients within 24 hours of harvesting? Have you ever noticed how fresh meat is moister and more flavorful?

Farm to Table also helps strengthen the local economy by providing jobs and keeping money in the hands of businesses run by our neighbors and friends. It helps to build relationships between the farmer or rancher and the customer. Both sides benefit greatly from sourcing local items. If items become scarce, or pricing becomes high, this valued relationship can be instrumental in helping us to continue to provide the exceptional food our residents have come to expect from us with minimal interruption.

I’m making BBQ pork steak with blue sweet potato puree, grilled tomatoes, sauteed baby watermelon radishes and cremini mushrooms, grilled asparagus, and cool chocolate chip mint cookie. All the items I am using are sourced locally through Local Harvest Grocery Store https://localharvestgrocery.com/lhg/, Patchwork Farms http://www.patchworkfamilyfarms.org/, Double Star Farms http://www.doublestarfarms.com/, Ozark Forest Mushrooms https://www.ozarkforest.com/, Earth Dance Farms https://earthdancefarms.org/, and Laughing Bear Bakery https://laughingbearbakery.org/. I chose pork steaks because many who aren’t from St. Louis may have never heard of or seen them; they are a staple at backyard barbecues in this area. I was able to incorporate local ingredients into a delicious meal.