“Many hotels boast farm-to-table sourcing, but a select few go the extra mile and oversee active farmsteads, gardens, and even cattle to source their restaurants’ ingredients on property.“

For food-obsessed travelers, farm-to-table dining is an essential part of an immersive travel experience, where each activity on the travel itinerary is deeply rooted in the destination. 

But farm-to-table dining is more than just a culinary trend—it’s good for both the planet and the palate. By sourcing ingredients from local or even on-site farms and gardens, restaurants reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting food across long distances, an important step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond its environmental impact, farm-to-table dining can support local farm workers and promote biodiversity by featuring seasonal, organic produce on menus. 

Many hotels boast farm-to-table sourcing, but a select few go the extra mile and oversee active farmsteads, gardens, and even cattle herds to source their restaurants’ ingredients on property. These resorts elevate the dining experience and hold their employees and practices to a higher standard, including land and resource stewardship as part of their destination’s draw. 

For foodies seeking authentic, local dining experiences served with sustainability in mind, here are five farm-style resorts and restaurants across the US. 

North Stars: Gender Equality, Heritage Value, Production & Consumption

Nearly fifty years ago, Blackberry Farm started as a six-room inn, where the owners served meals made from family recipes. Today, the inn has grown into Blackberry Farm, a destination that can only be described as an estate resort, famed for its upscale Southern hospitality, world-class culinary experiences, and views of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The family and food-focused ethos is still the undercurrent for the Blackberry Farm experience, especially at The Barn, the estate’s James Beard award-winning restaurant. Inside a restored turn-of-the-century barn guests enjoy a multi-course meal of “Foothills Cuisine,” a style of food that is distinctly southern but goes far beyond traditional barbecue. The menu is constantly rotating to reflect what is seasonally available, but often features dishes rooted in Appalachian culture like squash soup, fresh-caught trout, and artisan cheeses and breads.

Most of the ingredients used to prepare these meals are sourced directly from Blackberry Farm’s active Farmstead and Garden, located steps from the restaurant. The restaurant is fully committed to transparency and sustainability, and allows guests to tour each of these areas to meet the donkeys, chickens, goats, sheep, and other farm animals used to produce meals.

North Stars: Production & Consumption, Energy Efficiency, Wildlife & Ecosystems

In upstate New York, Wildflower Farms Resort sits on 140 acres of rolling meadows and pristine woodland in the Hudson Valley. Thanks to sustainability-minded owners, 33 of these acres have been designated for agricultural conservation to support continued farming in the area. Much of the property remains undeveloped wilderness and guests have the option to stay in suites or be immersed in nature at private, freestanding cabins and cottages that offer tranquil views of the Shawangunk Mountains. The resort is named for the actual Wildflower Farm, a six-acre farm where animals and produce are raised for inclusion in dishes at Clay, the resort’s signature restaurant.

Serving New American cuisine, Clay’s name is a reference to the clay soils where its produce is grown. While the menu’s specific dishes are always changing with the seasons, farm-fresh ingredients like cabbage, apples, asparagus, and Brussel sprouts elevate each dish. Guests can approach the culinary experience from a new perspective by electing to gather eggs in the morning and forage for shiitake mushrooms on a chef-guided hike.

North Stars: Production & Consumption, Water Management, Waste Management

Set against the stunning backdrop of Wyoming’s North Platte River Valley, Brush Creek Ranch elevates the travel experience with its steadfast commitment to sustainability and authentic ranch experience. This sprawling, all-inclusive ranch blends rugged Western heritage with the latest eco-conscious practices to preserve its natural surroundings.

In addition to being a lauded luxury ranch, Brush Creek is home to two cattle herds managed by the on-site ranching team who graze on 30,000 acres of native grasses. To protect these natural resources, Brush Creek Ranch meticulously plans its water filtration, crop rotation, and waste disposal to minimize environmental impact.

Central to Brush Creek Ranch’s sustainability efforts is the on-site Brush Creek Farm, where organic farming methods are used to manage the rich soil nourished with livestock and produce waste. This self-supporting farm system produces the freshest seasonal ingredients that guests can enjoy firsthand in the resort’s various dining venues. Dishes are prepared with ranch-raised Wagyu beef, smoked trout, and roasted beets and carrots.

North Stars: Production & Consumption, Energy Efficiency, Heritage Value

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm is a celebrated landmark, with roots tracing back to the 1930s. The inn’s architecture was designed by famed architect John Gaw Meem, aka “the Father of Santa Fe style” and captures the essence of New Mexican hacienda-style buildings, blending traditional adobe structures with a charming boutique ambiance. Committed to sustainability, Los Poblanos embraces modern eco-friendly practices from organic farming to solar energy, while preserving its historic buildings and cultural heritage.

Campo, its signature restaurant, overlooks the Sandia Mountains and dishes up traditional Southwest meals with ingredients sourced from the property and other local farmers and herdsmen. Even the cocktail’s liquors are made with botanicals, lavender, and simple syrup made on-site.

North Stars: Production & Consumption, Water Management, Wildlife & Ecosystems

Escape to Appalachia with a stay at Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm, a family-owned lodge-style resort in Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains. Surrounded by 3,300 acres of rugged woodlands, the family has carved out a modest farm to support its culinary offerings to guests.

Whether guests choose to stay in the lodge, cabins, cottages, or silo, breakfast and dinner are included in their stay. Guests gather together each morning and evening at Lewis Mill Restaurant where dishes are crafted from the farm’s fresh produce, grass-fed meats, and honey from the lodge’s beehives. To support its culinary operations, the Farm at Fort Lewis raises chickens, pigs, and a herd of cows, practicing rotational grazing to preserve the land. Meals are served family-style, where everyone is welcome to share and sample all dishes including fresh green beans, harvest vegetable salad, and grilled beef tenderloin.