Long Meadow Ranch isn’t just a winery – it’s also Napa’s largest producer of fruits + vegetables. Let’s explore the culinary farm at Long Meadow Ranch. 

A little over 20 years ago, young Chris and Timmy Hall planted a small organic vegetable garden on their parents’ property, Long Meadow Ranch. The brothers spent countless hours tending to their crops and decided to sell the surplus at a local farmers market. This first harvest not only served as an introduction to farming and sales, it ultimately inspired the Long Meadow Ranch culinary farm.

What is a culinary farm? 

A culinary farm is simply a farm that grows fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers that will be used to produce fresh and delicious dishes. In this particular instance, the culinary farms at Long Meadow Ranch provide produce, olive oil and wine for the family’s Napa restaurant, Farmstead, and to local Farmers Markets.

What grows in Long Meadow Ranch’s culinary farms?

Long Meadow Ranch boasts two separate culinary farms and over 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.

Six acres of the Rutherford Estate property are set aside for this purpose, along with another 4-acre property adjacent to the Farmstead restaurant. Together, the two produce an astonishing 100,000 pounds of produce each year. Farm manager Jess Arnsteen adds, “We’re the largest produce producer in Napa County.” Jess grins and then admits, “We’re the big fish in a small pond, because everything (in Napa) is wine grapes. You go a few counties over, we’re probably the smallest producer of vegetables.“ His admission, while likely true, makes the 100,000-pound harvest no less impressive. 

Produce

Because part of the farm’s purpose is to supply the restaurant, Jess and the rest of the farm team work closely alongside the chefs to select crops that are attractive, delicious and in demand. During our November visit, the garden was alive with colorful crops including gorgeous purple radicchio, neon green romanesco, and the most perfect persimmons. 

Jess seeks out new and unusual varieties, some of which have been bred for flavor by renowned chefs. He explains, “Seeds have been bred for thousands of years. Now, you can only breed for one thing – usually for plants to get really big and resistant to disease. When you get a chef in charge of a breeding program, he’s breeding for flavor. Then, you get new varieties like habanada (a mild habanero pepper), honeynut squash (a smaller, sweeter alternative to butternut squash) and garleek (a cross between garlic and leeks).” Coincidentally, all of these newer chef-bread varieties have recently been planted at the Long Meadow Ranch Culinary Farm. 

Honey

The honeybee colony at Long Meadow Ranch pollinates many of the crops grown at Rutherford Estate, and produces amazing organic honey that is used in the restaurant and sold at Farmers Markets. 

Eggs

Around 300-400 pasture-raised chickens supply Long Meadow Ranch with hundreds of eggs each day. The chickens happily gobble up fruits and vegetables deemed too “ugly” for sale. In turn, their manure is used for compost, which helps those same crops thrive. 

Long Meadow Ranch: Produce, Wines + More! 

In 1989, founders Ted and Laddie Hall purchased 640 acres of land in Mayacamas. The property, known as Long Meadow Ranch, had once produced grapes, olives, apples and hay. However, after decades of neglect, the forest had swallowed up much of the farmland. The Halls set to work restoring the property, producing their first vintage of organic wines in 1994. Along the way, they discovered an abandoned olive orchard, which they nursed back to health and now use to produce both flavored and extra virgin olive oil. Today, Long Meadow Ranch encompasses over 2000 acres across three counties, and Hall’s diversified operation includes wine, olive oil, produce, eggs, beef, honey and more. 

Does Long Meadow Ranch farm organically?

Long Meadow Ranch has farmed organically from the beginning. Their wines, olive oils, and produce are certified organic and farmed regeneratively. The farm team describes their philosophy as “full-circle farming”. Jess elaborates, “Waste from one enterprise is a resource for another. The waste from our chicken house ends up as compost and mulch for garlic. Produce that’s beautiful goes to Farmers Markets and the restaurant. If it’s super ugly, we take it home or feed it to the chickens. There’s really no waste. When you incorporate all the different aspects and enterprises into one, like a real ecosystem, you’re able to achieve that.” 

Want to get your hands on the produce from Long Meadow Ranch’s culinary farms?

If you’re in Napa, there are a few different ways to taste the incredible organic produce grown at Long Meadow Ranch’s culinary farms. 

Shop at the Farmer’s Market

Long Meadow Ranch participates in numerous Farmers Markets across Napa Valley. On Fridays, from November through April, they host the Farmstead Farmers Market at their Rutherford Estate. Here, shoppers can peruse a stunning selection of Long Meadow Ranch’s seasonal produce, honey, olive oil, and more. 

Not available to visit on a Friday? Here’s an up-to-date list of Farmers Markets where you’ll find Long Meadow Ranch produce and products! 

Schedule a farm tour

If you’re interested in learning more about organic farming or just entranced by the beauty of the Rutherford Estate culinary farm, schedule a farm tour. Guests will enjoy a guided, hands-on tour of the farm, diving into farming techniques and pollinator management. Afterward, enjoy a sampling of their seasonal produce, honey and olive oil!

Dine at Farmstead Restaurant

There’s nothing that compares to fabulous produce in the hands of a talented chef. At Farmstead Restaurant in St. Helena, guests can enjoy Long Meadow Ranch’s sustainably raised grass-fed beef, paired with their organic wines and spectacular sides made from produce grown on their very own culinary farm. If you’re in Napa, we highly recommend dining at Farmstead Restaurant.

Article and photography by Hilary Rance.