{Friends} Brogue HyrdoponicsA family owned and operated business for over 25 years, Brogue Hydroponics was founded by Bob and Nancy Kilgore in 1987. They have grown to six greenhouses in which they grow an incredible variety of lettuce, herbs and edible flowers. Hydroponic technology involves growing vegetables in a nutrient dense solution within a controlled environment--this allows Brogue to grow incredible produce year round. Ma(i)son purchases incredibly aromatic and flavorful herbs, tender and delicate lettuce and greens as well as edible flowers from Brogue and could not be happier about it. Often times we get asked how a farm-driven restaurant survives during the barren winter months...we just smile and think of Brogue. www.broguehydroponics.com Lime Valley Mill FarmAlyson Bryan and Lime Valley Mill were one of the first farms that Iwe contacted when we arrived in Lancaster. Upon first meeting us at their farm she and her staff were a bit unsure of all of our enthusiasm and grand plans, but they bared with me. Alyson has been an incredible asset, friend and supporter of Ma(i)son since day one. She has been not only providing us with incredible produce from day one, but also spreading the ‘gospel’ of Ma(i)son. Lime Valley will be growing a bountiful roster of vegetables exclusively for us in the coming months as well as providing us with exquisite lamb and beef when available.www.limevalleymill.com Tulip Tree Hill FarmTulip Tree Hill Farm is a small, charming farm in Southern Lancaster County that is owned and operated by Kathleen Stolzfus. The farm encompasses four-acres of land with nearly one -third of that being occupied by pasture and grasses. In addition to the incredible produce she grows the farm is occupied by half a dozen, a handful of Bantam chickens, 22 Khaki Campbell ducks, a pair of geese and a honeybee hive. We met Kathleen at her stand at Central Market and immediately struck up a relationship. She is one of Ma(i)son's newest purveyors and has an incredible array of boutique produce that will make its way into Ma(i)son's kitchen over the next year. She also grows wonderful wheat grass which we juice to nourish the staff!http://www.tuliptreehill.com/farm.html Mili's BakeryBread is extremely important to us and was a huge priority for the restaurant. After tasting a few of Amy’s breads, we knew there was serious potential. We were looking for bread with character, with a starter involved so that it would have that yeasty, rich aroma and complex flavor we were looking for. We also knew that we wanted to develop a loaf for the restaurant that could be used in countless contexts. As the French and Italians do, bread can find a home in almost any dish. So, together Amy and I developed our ‘Pain Maison’ which is a blend of ciabatta and sourdough and a wonderful all purpose loaf that will eternally have a place at Ma(i)son’s table. Amy’s partner Karen has also had a very large role in providing us with bountiful sweet treats along our journey. She is our go to in a pinch for incredible seasonal desserts that never disappoint. Amy and Karen are quite a duo and have also been a huge part in making Ma(i)son what we have become. www.milisbakery.com Buck Hill FarmBuck Hill Farm is run by Andrew Buckhalter and located in Lititz, PA. We have been working with Buck Hill since the early days of Maison. This year should be an especially fruitful relationship as we sat down in January to go through seed catalogs and the upcoming growing season together—stay tuned! Also, if you are interested in joining a great local CSA, Buck Hill is an excellent choice. www.buckhillfarm.net Wenger FarmAlex’s family farm is located in northern Lititz and he was also one of the first farmers we came to work with in Lancaster. He is an incredibly enthusiastic young farmer whos interests lies in strange and unusual crops of centuries ago from ancient Mayan root vegetables to Frais De Bois. Alex will be growing an incredible array of custom vegetables, fruits and edible flowers and herbs for the restaurant and will play a vital role in our future growth. The InfantreeRyan Martin and Ryan Smoker were the first people in Lancaster whom we contacted regarding this project. Together they own and operate The Infantree, a design studio in downtown Lancaster. They assisted us in creating our branding and bring our vision of Ma(i)son to life. They will forever be a huge part of bringing Ma(i)son to fruition and we look forward to continually working with them down the road. www.theinfantree.com Susquehanna PermacultureThis is a farm run by Brandon Tennis and Abby Sullivan. They operate a market stand at Eastern Market in downtown Lancaster and produce some of the most beautiful craft produce we have had the pleasure of using. As great as they are at farming, Susquehanna Permaculture is much more than just a farm. They are also an educational organization who’s aim is to offer educational opportunities in permaculture, naturalism and awareness, sustainable agriculture and many more. Farm FromageCreated by Howard Fields , an a ex-corporate worker turned artisanal cheesemaker and monger, is one of Lancaster County’s most dynamic artisan additions. Howard created a link between the excellent local cheesemakers and a broader marketplace. Often times, many of these cheesemakers are somewhat isolated as they don’t use automobiles and are thus limited on their potential to reach broader markets. A long time cheese enthusiast and recent cheesemaker himself, Howard not only bridged this gap but also has spent countless hours in seminars, workshops and the like helping these local cheesemakers hone their craft and learn more European cheesemaking techniques. Just like us, Farm Fromage is very young but has a bright future. www.farmfromage.com Sweet Stem FarmA multi-generational farm located just West of Ephrata in Lancaster County, Sweet Stem Farm specializes in ‘uncommonly good pork, lamb and beef.” They practice a ‘high-touch’ approach rearing their animals without the use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics and free of synthetic hormones. Their beef is 100% grass fed and raised on pasture as well as their lamb. Their hogs are free-roaming in spacious straw-bedded greenhouse-style hoop barns. Ma(i)son has recently created a program with Sweet Stem Farm in which we will jointly be raising hogs for the restaurant. We select the hogs when they are delivered as piglets, monitor their growth, contribute our vegetable and kitchen scrap to their diets and then ulitimately will receive the whole animal. These Ma(i)son hogs will be raised exclusively for us and is a huge step in our relationship with Sweet Stem Farm as well as a susbstantial milestone is our quest to get as close to the source of our ingredients as possible. www.sweetstem.org Groff's FarmWe first met the Groff's at their market stand at Central Market. They are two of the most lovely people we have met and there stand continually features some of the most beautiful and petite vegetables around. Their farm is located in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania and has been on the same plot of land since Earl's parents bought the property in 1946--Groff's Farm is a true family-owned and operated farm. They have been farming in Lancaster County for 61 years. We purchase a range of seasonal vegetables from the Groff's including French Breakfast radishes, spinach, asparagus, spring onions, watercress, lamb's quarters and so on. They continually impress us with the quality of their produce and we look forward to a long and bountiful relationship.