Ashburn Column: Food and Fun at a Farm

If you have ever read any of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, maybe you imagined the hearty meals described in them the way I did. The idea of a farm-fresh breakfast of newly-laid eggs and salted bacon always made my mouth water. I guess it still does. Which is why my ears perked when I heard about a local farm that delivers its goods to Ashburn.

Fields of Athenry is a family-friendly farm less than 30 minutes from Ashburn where you can buy some of the best locally grown, competitively priced, fresh, free-range organic meat and by-products. After trying FOA, I have to tell you the number one reason to eat their products is the taste.

We decided to visit Fields of Athenry, which owner Elaine Boland heartily encourages. The place brims with obviously well-cared for pets and "profits." The kids enjoyed mingling with the gentle dogs, wandering chickens, squawky turkeys, languid lambs, and other assorted animals scattered over the property. Elaine talked to me at length about how she raises her animals, what she feeds them, how she develops the feeds, and the theories surrounding chemical-free eating and health. Her extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject is infectious.

When we left, my kids eagerly packed up eggs they had just collected from the henhouse, a side of bacon, and a chunk of cheddar. The next morning, I was almost in a farmhouse kitchen on the prairie-- the smell of frying bacon and fresh eggs wafted from the stove as I made my family a breakfast that tasted better than I’d even imagined.

FOA (FieldsOfAthenryFarm.com) hosts monthly farm-to-community health outreach series. From 3-5 p.m. on June 20, Laura Collins, author of "Eating with Your Anorexic" and founder of www.feast-ed.org will speak about how healthy, family-centered eating can combat eating disorders.

Note: In addition to pre-ordering FOA food online for pick-up in Broadlands or Reston, the new Vintage 50 restaurant in South Riding will also have a dedicated meat counter of meats from FOA opening soon.