It’s nice to know that while restaurants in Chicago and New York are  having lettuces air-lifted in, over frost-bitten fields, we have fresh greens growing in our backyard.  Well, practically…

Scarborough Farms is the newest addition to our list of favorite local, family-run farms, and it actually was started in somebody’s backyard.  About twenty five years ago Ann Stein, known for her green thumb, was asked by a local chef to grow some basil.  She obliged and Scarborough Gardens was conceived, right in her own backyard.  And lucky for us she didn’t stop with basil.

Over the years the family’s farming business has grown considerably, providing produce, not just to Southern Californians, but to chefs nationwide.  Though they’ve changed their name from Scarborough Gardens to Scarborough Farms to reflect their growth, their foundation remains the same.  Producing the best quality produce, while maintaining eco-friendly farming practices.  And, just as Ann did twenty five years ago, they encourage chef requests to this day, whether for a special blend of greens or for an herb they don’t yet offer.

Which is why we are excited to say we are now carrying our new “Mendo Mix”- our special blend of tender greens, lovingly put together for us by our friends over at Scarborough.  True to their promise, they created a custom blend just for us!  We hope you notice how crisp, light, and flavorful their fresh greens are.  If you’re searching for the perfect greens to add to your home cooking, the farmers’ markets in Studio City, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and Larchmont have been carrying the Scarborough Farms’ products for years.  And recently they started bringing their produce to Calabasas and Long Beach as well.

Though they’re known for their signature frisee, they also carry a fine line of greens and baby vegetables, as well as what they call “Teenie Greens”- a cute name for the slightly more mature version of their microgreens.  Still a family farm, it is now run by Ann’s son, Jeff, and their commitment both to the quality of the products they grow, as well as the earth they till, makes them an ideal addition to the Mendo family.

Kenter Canyon Farms – Featured Farmer

To get the right flavors in a great sandwich you need to start with the freshest and best ingredients, from the highest quality proteins all the way down to the last little leafy piece of greens.  If you’ve ever wondered what you’re getting when you order something with “Organic Farmer’s Market Greens” on our menu, you should be happy to know that you’re getting just that – the freshest, highest quality, locally grown produce you can find.  We would love to share with you about the great farmers who produce the beautiful lettuces we receive fresh every day from Kenter Canyon Farms.

Owned and operated by Andrea Crawford and husband Robert Dedlow, Kenter Canyon farms now harvests over 80,000 pounds of produce per year from its three locations in El Centro, a winter farm in Baja California, and Fillmore.  Andrea’s talent for growing fine produce stretches back to her love for gardening growing up in Kentucky, and became more serious while waiting tables at Chez Panisse in the Bay Area.  During her time in San Francisco, the kitchen crew of the restaurant would regularly borrow from her backyard garden.  Quickly her gardening hobby became full time employment, and she began selling lettuces to Chez Panisse.

In 1985, Andrea moved to Southern California and started Kenter Canyon Farms, utilizing the biointensive method of farming, an organic farming technique focused on getting as much from a small amount of land as possible, while improving the earth.  Today, Kenter Canyon Farms grows a large variety of plants, mostly herbs and lettuces, and is committed to staying local – once harvested, produce arrives to Downtown LA distributors within 24 hours.

Working with our distributor and Kentery Canyon Farms we have developed a custom blend of certified organic greens called “Mendocino Mix”, which includes green romaine, green tango, mizuna, lollo rosa, triple red, red oak, and purple Osaka mustard – all grown on their ranch in Ventura.  So every time you’re chewing on those greens, eat well and enjoy knowing you are getting the best, and at the same time, promoting small sustainable, local farming!