December 19, 2017 – Earthbound Farm’s farm stand, beloved in the region for the organic groceries, special events and casual, accessible, and high-quality organic farm-to-table dining experience it provides, will close for about three months of major renovations on January 7th.
“The farm stand has been an iconic part of Carmel Valley for the past 25 years, a destination for what is organic,” says Jonathan Bagley, the farm stand’s general manager. “The goal is to serve our mission and serve our guests in the best possible way and that becomes increasingly difficult when the infrastructure is so badly in need of repair,” Bagley added, noting that the foundation of the more than 100-year-old historic building, which was moved to the property from actor Clint Eastwood’s Mission Ranch in Carmel, needs to be replaced.
Earthbound will also take the opportunity to reconfigure the farm stand to best serve its customers.
“We’d like to redouble our efforts in the food service department and give that the pride of place that it deserves,” Bagley says, noting that even as organic produce has become ubiquitous in mainstream grocery stores, the Farm Stand has continued to distinguish itself by the dining experience it provides.
“I think one of the unique and wonderful aspects of the farm stand is that it lends itself to a picnic—we even have picnic tables right under the redwoods,” Bagley says, in addition to the café tables that dot the patio. “There is no other place [in the area] where you can provision yourself with an organic lunch and have it on beautiful grounds.”
And the kitchen is exceptional. When it opened in 2003, Earthbound’s organic café was only the third fully-certified organic kitchen in the United States and remains one of the few in the area. (While increasingly local restaurants use organic ingredients when possible, it is rare for restaurants go through rigorous organic certification of their own operations; the café at Happy Girl Kitchen is one that used to be certified organic but no longer is due to the managerial demand it presented.)
“To do a truly certified organic food service operation requires a tremendous amount of attention to detail and paperwork,” Bagley says. “It’s a logistical and economic barrier, and that makes us extremely unique in the product we’re able to provide.”
Over time, the Farm Stand became known not only for the produce that founders Drew and Myra Goodman grew—and, eventually, the other farmers that grew for Earthbound, the country’s largest organic produce label—but for its salad bar, hot prepared foods, baked goods, and the special events at the onsite farm, such as pop-up dinners, farm tours, cooking and wreath-making workshops and children’s bug walks, among many others.
Going forward, Bagley says that to keep meeting the expectations of its discerning guests, it will continue to offer all of these foods and events, and in addition, emphasize hyper-local and hyper-seasonal ingredients and products more than ever.
“We’re really sad for our guests and staff at this moment,” Bagley says, referring to the temporary closure, “But the future is really exciting.” The major renovation, he adds, “shows Earthbound Farm’s commitment to this property and to Carmel Valley and how much they mean to the company.”
BEFORE YOU GO: Following brief holiday closures for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and New Years’ Day, the Farm Stand will reopen to clear inventory from January 2 through 6. It will then close for renovations on January 7. The time frame for reopening will depend upon construction, but the hope is to be open again by Earth Day on April 22.
Earthbound Farm’s Farm Stand • 7250 Carmel Valley Rd. • 831.625.6219 www.ebfarm.com/ourstory
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
