One Smokin' Farm Stand – Tierra Vegetables

Winding around the maze of farm and vine-patch-lined country roads, I am taken deep into the heart of Sonoma County. I’ve been known to get lost wondering for days on end, only to return with a basket full of goodies straight from Sonoma soil. This time I ventured only a few blocks off Highway 101 at Windsor, before I had to make a stop – the quaint yellow-painted farm stand in front of me was calling, neigh, screaming my name. I headed the call and pulled off, parking beside a vast stretch of royal purple basil. In the shade of the farm stand and a wispy willow tree I realized just what I had found – Tierra Farm Stand is much more complete and expansive in its goods than others I’ve found. First there were the Halloween-esque caldrons of organic heirloom beans like Anassazis and rare Rio Zape, which are dappled with maroon zebra stripes. The central array of veggies included all shade and shapes of zucchini and summer squash, neon green nopales, wool from farmer Evie’s mother-in-law’s sheep, and smiling sunflowers. Two huge bins of sweet red burger onions lay to one side, and on the other were more crates of sweet strawberries, marbleized Italian sauce tomatoes and pepper – lots and lots of peppers. Mi Tierra is one of the only places in the county to smoke their own chipotles, their own hot pepper blends and make fresh, organic chili powders. Their smoke house even makes room for the aforementioned onions – Evie let me stick my nose over a few of her homemade smokehouse onions I was totally smitten – and a little hungry. Everything that is sold here comes from this very farm, even the products like Verde jam made with Jalapenos and New Mexican chilies or fresh sauerkraut (yes, it is a raw and a living food). Talk with the Evie or her handy farmers and she’ll let you in on her secret zucchini grilling recipes or bean ideas. You can taste Mi Tierra at local restaurants too, like Derk’s Parkside Café on Santa Rosa Ave. Buy your next meals’ ingredients in one of the handy $21 boxes assembled with that day’s best picks, or select your own combinations of farm-fresh bounty. The stand is open Tuesday through Friday 11a-6p, and Saturday 10a-4p between April and Christmas, and only Fridays and Saturdays during the winter months.

One bite of Tierra’s seascape strawberries and I just have to run to the kitchen and start waxing culinary creative, or I might blow a fuse. On the way, however, I think I’ll stop at Cyrus, just for dessert, to see what he’s doing with Evie’s berries. Starting with such fine fruit, I expect to be floored…