End world hunger. End malnutrition. Close the waste loop. Teach others how to live sustainably…read more Dine alfresco on the farm (more on that below.) Do Good Farm located in Winter Garden, near the Roper YMCA, is doing more than good. They are changing lives across the globe, all while reducing our carbon footprint through regenerative, sustainable farming practices.
Their small 1.5 acres farm is home to a luscious food forest, goats, chickens, hydroponic crops and so much more! They use no-till farming practices and no chemicals anywhere on the farm. The food grown is free of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and harsh fertilizers. According to Owner/Operator, Josh Taylor (owner of HouseBlends Cafe in Ocoee) they are able to harvest foods year round and are partnering with communities across the world to help train them in these sustainable practices - hoping to end world hunger.
Yes, they do offer a CSA where you can fill a crate every other week with fresh produce and eggs straight from the farm! BUT even more exciting than clean eating is their DINNER BELL.
Do Good Farm hosts The Dinner Bell al fresco dining experience a few times a year in the "cooler" months. We attended the November 2020 Dinner Bell and were blown away by the beauty of this small but mighty local farm! We were greeted with a lovely cider spiced from their allspice plant on property. This is an interactive dining experience starting with a self-guided tour as you follow the romantic fairy lights through the food forest to two stations offering hot appetizers and wine pairings.
Listen for the dinner bell and make your way to the main stage where Chef/Owner, Josh Taylor, prepares the two entree courses LIVE while also speaking about their mission and food practices (for example, why the grind the whole wheat grain to make flat bread and retain nutrients, etc...) Each course is served with a very nice wine pairing (Conundrum, Dreaming Tree, Josh, and others.) The sweetest part of the night is dessert served fireside, under the stars and beneath their gorgeous Neem tree (nature's bug repellent.)
They highlight which ingredients used in each dish are from the farm - it seemed to me that more than 85%, maybe 90%, of the ingredients used were harvested directly from Do Good, cooked a served to us that day. The staff was so gracious, welcoming and worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail was on point. And as if trying to end world hunger wasn't thanks enough, each guest took home a "giveaway" - fresh farm eggs tied with a bow.
The food was delicious and I even felt great the next morning even though we stuffed ourselves that night; which is a true testament to the quality of the food served. I cannot recommend enough that you go and experience Do Good Farm yourself! They offer farm tours, volunteer opportunities but if a lovely night out is your thing, sign up for the Dinner Bell! The proceeds from their CSA and The Dinner Bell go directly to their mission and to continue their work locally on the farm. We will be back to see what the evolving Dinner Bell menu produces in the Spring!
Check out their website www.dogoodfarm.org for tickets and information!