You can't eat more fresh or local than right out of
the garden when you stay on a farm. This requires a stay during
growing season, but in many parts of the country that can be almost
three quarters of the year. Remember that veggies love the
summer and fruits, like apples, can bear as late as
September/October.
Many of us allow our guests to 'graze' for their meals when they
stay with us. Of course, you should always ask first if it's
okay, since small farms often sell their produce at farmer's
markets. If our veggies and fruits are our business, we will
likely sell to you too. Not bad when you know your food was
picked just hours before consumption.
You may also be lucky enough to stay on a farm with
chickens. If so, you can either collect or buy the farm's
free-range eggs. These eggs are surely not like any you have
had before. Their yellow yolks are deeply colored from a
daily diet of grasses, bugs, and worms. Once you've had these, you
can never go back.
In fact, if you return home with plans for a chicken coop or a
bigger garden, you aren't alone. There's even a term for it now -
urban farming. Heck, in Corvallis, Oregon, they have a tour of back
yard chicken coops once a year!