Sourcing Local in North Texas: A Practical Guide

Every week of the year there's something good growing within 90 miles of Dallas. The trick is knowing the calendar. Strawberries in April, peaches in June, tomatoes through July, hatch chiles in August, persimmons in October. We build our menus around what's actually ripe — not what looks good in a stock photo.

For meat we work with two ranches: Lightsey Farms in Mexia (chicken and eggs) and Burgundy Pasture Beef in Grandview (cattle, raised on grass and finished on grain). Both will sell direct to caterers and committed home cooks.

Produce comes from the Dallas Farmers Market every Tuesday and Saturday morning, plus a standing weekly delivery from Profound Farms in Lucas. Bread is from Village Baking Co. — the one bakery in town we trust to deliver consistent loaves at scale.

If you're cooking at home, our advice is simple: pick one ingredient you cook with constantly (we'd start with eggs), buy the best version of it you can find from a producer you trust, and notice the difference. After a month you won't go back.