NEWS & NOTES
Sustainable agriculture thrives at Tufton Farm GROWTH INDUSTRY
Part of the Monticello plantation, Tufton Farm provided abundant crops and served as a primary source of food for those who lived at Monticello during Jefferson’s time. Today, Tufton is still an important food source at Monticello. Under the guidance of Evan O’Neill, Monticello’s farm associate,
After learning his way around the apiary under the tutelage of volunteer beekeepers Paul LeGrand and Leslie Bouterie, O’Neill has taken over the responsibility of caring for more than 30 hives of bees. Critical for pollination of the gardens, the bees also produce the honey used
thyme, sage, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes. Led by Chef David Bastide, the café’s culinary team aims to connect history with food — sharing the pleasures of sustainable, organic and locally sourced ingredients. Jefferson’s enthusiasm for local agriculture and his love of seasonal produce is a central theme at the café,
Tufton is expanding its operation in 2023 with a new greenhouse, more beehives and a wider variety of vegetables grown on its 1.5 acres under cultivation. O’Neill is also establishing innovative technologies and sustainable standards, such as on- site composting, crop rotation and cover crops to build up the soil structure. “The main goals of Tufton Vegetable Farm are to sustainably grow and distribute the freshest possible
along with the culinary legacy of generations of Monticello’s enslaved gardeners and cooks who raised the vegetables and prepared the food for Jefferson’s table. Chef David Bastide says Tufton is essential to Farm Table’s mission and that he is constantly
trying to include more items from the farm on the menu. “We are using produce to create daily or weekly specials and give the vegetables their own voice at the café and use them as an educational piece,” says Bastide. “For example, when sea kale, cardone, orache or other lesser- known vegetables are growing in the gardens at Tufton, we want to share something with our guests that they might not have eaten before.”
Monticello Farm Table Chef David Bastide and Tufton Farm Associate Evan O’Neill
produce to our Monticello Farm Table café and to provide high- quality produce for our products in The Shop at Monticello,” says O’Neill. “The farm prides itself on implementing sustainable practices and eliminating all pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.”
in Monticello products including soap, beer, shortbread and hot sauce. Visitors to Monticello Farm Table café can enjoy fresh vegetables grown minutes away at Tufton, including kale, spinach, arugula, rosemary,
TONS OF TOMATOES
Tufton Farm produces between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds of tomatoes that are served at Monticello Farm Table café and used for Monticello products such as bloody mary mix. Many of the tomatoes are Jefferson heirloom varieties, such as red fig and yellow pear tomatoes. Tufton also grows about 1,000
pounds of sweet and hot heirloom peppers that are used to make Monticello’s pepper jelly and hot sauce. For a selection of these and other Monticello food and drink offerings, visit monticelloshop.org/ entertaining/food-drink .
6 SPRING / SUMMER 2023 6 SPRING / SUMMER 2023
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