I am a little behind on things but did not want to miss telling you about my most memorable moment at the Mom 2.0. conference this past May. Tree Top invited a few bloggers to join them for a fun and educational day at one of their local farms, Tanaka Farms in Irvine, California. This was by far my favorite thing I did that entire weekend. Besides the gorgeous weather, beautiful farm and all around fabulous time, the event at Tanaka Farms was also special because I had the opportunity to experience it with my stylish partner in crime Nicole Feliciano of MomTrends and my savvy blogging manager Brooke Stewart of Power Moms Media. Two women that I have developed not only a powerful partnership with but a deep friendship with as well.
Farm to Table
We were given a brief history of the farm, some background on Tree Top and then a tour of the farm. While on the tour we were each given a bag and as we went through the farm we picked our very own vegetables right out of the ground that would become the ingredients to our lunch. Talk about literally farm to table!
Many people visit Tanaka Farms for the seasonal strawberry picking and to buy from their locally grown produce stand. They host tours daily and are very popular with the local mom groups and schools for field trips. They offer four popular tours throughout the year; The strawberry tour, cookout tour, watermelon tour and a pumpkin patch tour. We got to participate in the cookout tour and it was so fantastic – I highly recommend this for your next family get together.
After we gathered our vegetables we washed them and then took them to be seasoned. Then we were each given a nice fresh piece of Salmon to be cooked alongside our veggies. We rolled up our hand picked – gourmet lunch in tin foil and placed it on the grill. My mouth was watering!
Cooking like this reminded me of my Dad, who died two years ago. At our cabin we used to make what he called “Hobo Dinners” which is very similar, we would pick our meat and all our vegetables and condiments and roll them up and throw them on the fire. Cooking like this actually made me tear up a little that day, but they were happy tears. Memories of him can strike me at any moment.
The meal in which we had the opportunity to hand pick out of the ground, season and cook on an open fire during the Cookout Tour was so finger lickin’ good I have dreamed about it ever since. The veggies were fresh, crisp and delicious and the Salmon was to die for. I absolutely urge you all to go and try it out for yourself!
Tree Top is dedicated to local farming
We were able to learn about local farming from the farmers at Tanaka Farms and learn about how Tree Top is committed to using local farms for all of their products.
- Tree Top is a grower-owned cooperative based in Washington’s apple country. So naturally, they’re passionate about fruit, and Tree Top sources locally whenever possible.
- Tree Top apple juice is made with 100% USA apples.
- For more than 50 years they’ve been focused on being the world’s premier fruit-based company, producing wholesome products including top-quality juices and sauces and premium ingredients.
- Located in the heart of Washington’s apple country, grower-owned Tree Top is a global business firmly rooted in the co-op’s small town heritage and rural values. Since 1960, we’ve been delivering products and ingredients that reflect our passion, our attention to quality and our craftsmanship.
- Tree Top partnered with Tanaka Farms for the afternoon to celebrate responsible farming practices and the growers who contribute to the food that we all love.
- Tree Top is currently owned by more than 1,000 apple and pear growers in the Pacific Northwest.Most of their growers and their families have been nurturing apples and other fruits for generations. Their livelihood depends on taking good care of their orchards, their employees and their communities.[scrollGallery ID=98]
Thank You Tree Top for the most beautiful day. It was not only a day about learning about a quality brand like Tree Top, local farming and good clean eating. It was also a memorable day spent bonding with my friends, having an inspiring meal and remembering my Dad. Best thing I did all weekend!
Disclosure: I was invited on this experience and nothing more was expected of me. I share this experience with you to inspire healthy eating, the importance of local farming and produce buying, the fun for families at Tanaka Farms and a brand I respect and trust,Tree Top.
