farm to table
When Kosch initially moved to his
farm, he kept 700 apple trees but ended
up clearing five acres thinking he
would grow grapes, but later decided
to put in a vegetable garden. He and
his wife, Erin, now grow a majority
of the restaurant’s fruits, vegetables,
and herbs without using pesticides or
chemicals. With roughly 10,000 plants
in the ground, each year the farm
produces heirloom tomatoes, kale,
cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
acorn squash, zucchini, fingerling
potatoes, and beets, just to name a few.
If the food is not from the ground or
hoop house, then look no further than a
growroom utilizing hydroponics for The
Boathouse’s microgreens that are grown
year-round, including arugula, bull’s
blood beet, daikon radish, dark opal
basil, kale, and purple kohlrabi, among
others. In the summer when seasonal
dishes require more of these ingredi-
ents, Kosch harvests up to 30 pounds of
microgreens a week. Hydroponics has
proven to be not only more convenient,
but also more cost-effective.
However, the same cannot be said
for the rest of the farm where the
family also raises Muscovy ducks and
chickens. Several months in advance
each year, the farm receives a shipment
of 25 birds that Kosch and his family
raise and prepare for the Thanksgiving
main course at The Boathouse. Kosch’s
two daughters help with the animals
while Erin tends to the herbs and
flowers that are used throughout the
year to decorate the restaurant. “We
could buy the stuff cheaper, but it isn’t
about that. I enjoy doing it. It’s peaceful,
and I like working in the garden before
coming into work. It’s therapeutic and
helps keep me focused,” says Erin.
The restaurant hosts various events
throughout the year, teaming up with
other local businesses like the Bowers
Harbor Vineyard, where people go on a
viticulture tour before making their way
back to the farm where they can select
their own vegetables. Once back to the
restaurant, a meal is prepared using
the fresh produce they hand picked.
“We’re in an agricultural area and there’s
accessibility to farms here. Customers
love to see the process and appreciate
the time and effort that goes into this,”
says Doug, adding the chefs love going
to the farmers’ markets in the morning to
shop for the day’s meals. They also visit
the garden a few times a week to scope
out what is available so they can plan
the menu out for the week.
The combination of local farming and
short travel distances makes it more
likely to be organic and fresh. Local
food has been proven to taste better
and provide more nutrients. Rich Pirog,
associate director of the Leopold Center
for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa
State University, conducted a study
that shows, in the United States, “food
travels 1,500 miles on average from
farm to consumer.”
“IF THE FOOD
is not from the ground
or hoop house, then
look no further than
a growroom utilizing
hydroponics for
The Boathouse’s
microgreens that are
grown year-round.”
While many of us are not locavores, the
benefits can be experienced at places
like The Boathouse where the people are
engaged in their communities, support
local agriculture, share the joys of
farming, and help others appreciate how
food is grown and sourced.
groundbreakers
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