The barn we converted into a French style market.
I'll never forget the day Scott Craven of the AZ Republic called me for an interview about our farm . . . and then the story landed on Sunday's Living Section in a 3 page color spread.
*What the Washington Post says about The Simple Farm.
It was then, that we discovered the beauty of connecting to our community through good, natural and healthy food and the calm and peace our gardens seemed to provide.
Back in 2012 we opened our farm to the public for a weekly, Thursday morning market. Most Thursdays upward of 100+ folks would walk through our farm gates and shop our organically grown vegetables, herbs & fruit and eggs. The old horse barn was converted into a French style farmers market. Most valued cooking and preparing home meals with farm grown, local vegetables and herbs. Some just needed to come to a little sanctuary, a desert oasis, sit under the shade, drink coffee and enjoy a pastry - a way to be inspired and dream.
Even today, we still have folks tell us how our farm/goats/gardens have inspired them to do something similar. Some tell say, "our children grew up at your farm."
Our heirloom tomatoes.
A favorite - French Breakfast radish.
Our mantra then and it's the same now - we believe in the beauty and power of the family meal table - to restore and heal.
Our farm larder was filled with the season's harvest & beauty: organic vegetables, herbs, flowers and our sea salt caramels. It was pure joy to see baskets filled - knowing that the fruit of our labor would be a blessing to someone's meal table.
The Farm Larder
Connecting to our community through the table, beautiful food and health has always been important to us.
Closing the farm to the public was a difficult, yet necessary decision. The interest (back then and it appears to be resurrecting again): how to grow food, prepare meals for your family, canning, goat keeping, raising chickens, beekeeping, was pretty huge. We held weekly classes on many topics that included those domestic life skills.
We know that everything runs its seasons and sometimes it's hard to stop something that seems so good and healthy. . . but for us, as we look back we know that decision was a necessary one. We needed to regroup - make a shift for our family and follow our calling to serve the community in a different way.
THE PIVOT
Things are still growing here at The Simple Farm and for those that haven’t been to our farm or our website for a while, we have shifted our focus to become a 501(c)(3) designated non-profit.
Our decision to be fully non-profit was based on this: about 13 years ago, using our own personal assets to get this farm up and running (on a property that we do not own - we lease), our goal was never to enter this adventure to make a profit, and, we totally hit our goal...we never made a profit! Our desire was, and is, to focus on serving people and trust God for our provision. This frees us up to continuing to make this farm a place of connection and learning, encouraging people to draw closer to God through enriching our relationships: with Him, with people and with His creation: nature...animals, trees, plants.
Through our classes, farm dinners, volunteer opportunities, we are delighted to create an atmosphere here (which many call an Oasis in the Desert) in which time seems to slow down a bit and the soul is refreshed as one takes in God's beauty and breathes in His peace.
We invite you to join us in this ongoing adventure. Your support means so much to us. Keep us on your radar. Sign up for our newsletter. Pray for the work here and feel free to encourage us (we thrive on encouragement). Participate in the workshops or farm dinners. Support the work through becoming a Friend of The Farm.
Wood Fired Pizza Ovens - Central to our Farm Dinners
Our pivotal shift was to partner with local chefs for our farm dinners which created shifts in the Gathering Garden. We added a few new arbors, Michael along with a good friend built 8 beautiful tables, the wood fire pizza ovens took center stage and the outdoor kitchen became more functional.
It is the place where we gather with you, our AZ community for moonlight, multi-course, fine-dining experiences prepared on our wood-fire ovens by some of the valley's amazing local chefs.
We are grateful for the local culinary scene and feel honored to connect around our farm's tables with some of the valley’s award-winning chefs.
Chopped Chef May 2021 Dinner
Over 100 food & farm lovers joined us for a special fund raiser for Cancer. Five Food Network Chopped Champions along with Adam Allison made the evening so special with their special multi-course, fine-dining experience under the stars. Chef Adam gifted each guest seated at The Chef’s Table with a signed copy of Phoenix Cooks along with some special surprises.
