On the Road, Part 1: The Charm of a Farm

Red Acre Center in Cedar City, Utah recently hosted its yearly Utah Farm & Food Conference. (Hi, Symbria!)

Red Acre Farm Stand, Cedar City, Utah. Pretty cute, right?

This city dweller learned about biodynamics, soil health, no till farms, brewing, and canning. Before this trek, I didn't even know what some of those words meant. 

On the first morning we gathered before dawns early light for coffee and waited for the bus to arrive. It was a moment that separated the wheat from the chaff as industry pros met hobbyist and, well, me, still half asleep.

On the bus we traversed from Cedar to Zions Canyon, over Highway 89, a stop in Kanab before returning via the Kaibab Indian Reservation and Colorado City (did you know they have a winery!? No joke!) 

First stop, Kate's Tiny Truck Farm in Rockville, Utah.

While many townships in this area have experienced unfettered growth, Rockville's leadership have maintained the small town charm. There are no water shares left, meaning there is zero building permits allowed. 

This is a Silkie Chicken, named for its fluffy plumage. Get this: the earliest surviving Western written account of Silkies comes from Marco Polo, who wrote of a "furry" chicken in the 13th century during his travels in Asia. (TBH, I didn't know Marco Polo was more than a pool game.)

Kate is one of the first graduates of Red Acre Center's Utah Farm Training program, which educates new farmers to be agricultural stewards. On her little plot of land she is making big impact and has started a CSA for her community. 

We then traveled through Zions and on Highway 9 where we passed a herd of bison.
When we arrived at Zions Mountain Resort, it felt like we had reached the top of the world in one of the most remote places on earth. (That's my opinion, but in all honesty, I think the top of City Creek is rural.) 

The ecotourism resort has luxury accommodations and a farm-to-table restaurant, Cordwood with gorgeous views and a menu full of buffalo. I mean, Bye, son.

But how do they keep that restaurant full of fresh greens, year around?
Their greenhouse uses aquaponics which combines aquaculture and hydroponics to grow plants and fish together in a recirculating system.
The frigid howling wind outside was miles away from this serene, warm, quiet, botanical paradise.

On our way down the mountain toward Mt. Carmel Junction, billowy clouds resembled the white sandstone mountains reaching toward the sky like waves on the ocean. Cedar trees had been cleared for grazing cows. Roads darted off into the desolation, wanting to be explored. And, as we headed into Kanab, lively conversation ensued.

Open next week's email to read about the rest of our journey into the wild and hear why this cosmopolitan critic cried for a cowboy's prayers.