I am a big fan of the NPR food radio series Stirring the Pot by Stefanie Sacks. On a recent trip, returning to Estia’s Little Kitchen from my Estia’s Back Porch location in Darien, CT, I happened to catch Stefanie’s show featuring her friend Dan Gibson and his Grazin’ Angus Acres farm. Yesterday, with Stefanie’s introduction, I was invited to visit the farm in Ghent, NY and spend time learning about what it means to be a restaurateur selling “Animal Welfare Approved” products.

As a child, traveling from state to state on vacation in the Ford wagon was always a family experience. My father was a grain merchant for Cargill. He ran shipping and milling operations for one of what we now refer to as the Big 3 (Cargill, IBP, Smithfield). Riding in the back of the wagon was my chosen spot. It kept me away from my sisters, allowed for a little extra room and provided a view of America from 3 large windows. Through those windows I watched American farmland, row after row. Read Full Article »