by I’ve been following Outstanding in the Field via the internets for the past few years and when I found out they were finally coming to Texas, I wanted in. So, earlier this year I purchased a couple of tickets for an October event they were hosting in the thriving metropolis of Dodd City, Texas.
Outstanding in the Field is a farm-to-table dining experience where the dining table is literally on the farm. This means the animal friends you make while touring the farm before the meal used to be friends with the piece of meat on your plate. And that somehow makes it extra delicious. Our experience at Sloans Creek Farm in Dodd City was no different than the beautiful pictures on their site that sold me on the event. The unexpected part was learning more about the farm, the farmer’s life, and their family’s commitment to using heritage livestock breeds with a long history in Texas.
OITF is the brainchild of artist Jim Denevan and it puts him on the road, traveling from farm to farm all over the country, for about six months of the year. In addition to OITF, Jim also does large scale drawings on earth, sand and ice. We also had a chance to sit with Jim for a little while and it was a unique opportunity to pick his brain about OITF, his art, interesting characters he’s met on the road and everything else you talk about after multiple glasses of wine.
The tickets aren’t cheap, but if OITF is coming to your town in 2013 it’s a worthwhile experience. You’ll get to learn about a local farming operation, meet some new friends (humans and animals) and get a chance to talk to the interesting folks that put on OITF. Tickets sell out fast, so if this is your kinda thing, sign up on their mailing list and they’ll keep you in the know.
Below are a few pictures from the experience:
Gorgeous photos! Tell me, is it weird to see livestock before you eat it? I know it’s a better way to eat meat but did it make you sad?
It was a little weird, but great to know that the beef, pork and duck we were eating was raised in ideal conditions. The farm was really incredible and their commitment to organic farming (although he’s officially uncertified) was admirable.
very cool. I had the same question. love that last photo!