Green Dirt Farm

Watch Green Dirt Farm's web site carefully if you'd like to attend one of these chef-prepared 'farm dinners;' once the annual lineup is announced, tickets disappear almost overnight. Ticket prices can be more than $100 per person, but gourmet dining in this rustic barn is an experience you won't soon forget. In July 2012, Kansas City chef and restaurant owner, Patrick Ryan (Port Fonda, www.portfondakc.com) crafted a Mexican-inspired meal showcasing the farm's grass-fed lamb and award-winning sheep's milk cheese, with exquisite wine pairings. He and his staff prepared hors d'oeuvres with farm cheeses, rustic bread and light-as-air chicharrones. The first course featured ultra-fresh heirloom tomatoes, with tender pork belly and farm cheese, and toppings of arugula and roasted tomato vinaigrette. Pleasantly spicy second and third courses featured the farm's lamb and cheese. Dinner concluded with a Mexican take on fresh peach cobbler. Oil lamps and tall candles, with terracotta pot of herbs, decorated the wood dining table. Powerful ceiling fans and open barn doors provided relief from stifling heat. So did cold towels offered before the third course, and switchel - a refreshing combination of ginger soda, lemon balm, mint and lemon juice. Memories of this amazing food and perfect wine pairings will linger long after your farm dinner experience.