When I think of farmers, it’s hard to shake the image associated with all those childhood sing-a-longs of “Old McDonald”—the big red barn, the American denim overalls, the thin piece of straw sticking out his mouth as he rides a tractor or visits the chickens, etc. I certainly never pictured Old McDonald sending out a text about his new dairy products or composing a mass email about his livestock.
Last week I met with Amanda Earley, the manager for Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar (223 Pennsylvania Ave, SE), to discover that there was a whole lot more going on with farmers these days, especially for restaurants like Sonoma to stay competitive as they strive to serve only sustainable, locally grown foods.
“We’re working on trying to be a restaurant infiltrated in the neighborhood, but also doing something that takes care of others around the world,” Earley said.
To do so, Sonoma offers more than just a warm décor and a developing rooftop garden. Their menu changes, often depending on what local farmers and food sellers have to offer, so the cuisine always fresh and in season. Beyond creating a space central to Capitol Hill and what is available from farmers in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, Sonoma also prepares their food in a sustainably responsible way.
“A lot of times, for example, we get an entire lamb, and we try to use as much as possible, utilizing all parts for different things.”
The end result: better products with no mystery behind them.
“By supporting your neighbors, small businesses, producers and companies, you’re not wasting energy on transportation of the goods. If you get your food from China, you’re wasting so much on energy and you don’t know how the food was produced or the workers’ conditions,” she said. “If you have a better idea who the people are, you’re in the type of business that you want to support.”
To facilitate a community between the people who cultivate the food, the people who prepare the food, and us lucky people who get to eat the food, Sonoma hosts a variety of different events throughout the year. This summer, for example, featured a series of Farm Dinners, where guests enjoyed their meals in the company of the local farmers to learn more about what goes into producing delicious, local food. The restaurant’s blog also details many upcoming and past events, including the 10 percent discount on all private parties during the month of August.
Earley said that in addition to supporting local businesses, Sonoma wants to, “become reintegrated into the Capitol Hill neighborhood, especially with everything blowing up on 8th Street and on H Street.”
“It’s all about supporting your neighborhood,” Earley said. “If nothing else, just do good in the world and have the world do back to you. It’s important for us to support our neighbors and local farmers, because we know how hard it is.”