Where does your food come from?

Do you know where your food comes from? McDonalds? Kraft? The Chinese restaurant around the corner? Vending machine? AM/PM? Walmart? Safeway? Whole Foods? Your local, independent grocery store? Farmers Markets and Farm Stands? CSA's? Your own garden?

Today Eric, Megan, and I got up close and down and dirty at Tara Firma Farms, our local CSA. We held chicks, fed and pet goats and pigs, and talked with cows.

Full disclosure: I frickin love this place. Tara Firma, to me, is heaven on Earth. It is a model for food production and needs to be both recognized and celebrated as an economically viable, sustainable, healthy and delicious choice.

The Tara Firma list of amazing never gets tired. These farmers love animals and food, and it shows. For me, it was love at first bite.

Today we took the 25-30 minute drive up 101 just past the Novato Narrows and barely into Southern Petaluma. Megan had been saying how she wanted to come up with us, so the three of us strapped on our trainers and prepared for a muddy Monday Farmday.

It's always an adventure when we go to the farm. The animals are rotated from paddock to paddock to mimic herd movement and maximize grass productivity. This tends to make for a wonderful game of "where are the chickens and cows today?"

We got close to the cows today. And they were very interested in us, too. This herd is all black with the exception of "White Face" and the few dark brown calves that I lovingly refer to as "Veal". Megan and I got our moo's going, and the cows responded in three part harmony.

After the cows, we walked the path past the farm store, biodynamic gardens, the massive compost pile, and all those ladybugs to see the PIGLETS! Three pens were set up with four litters of piglets, the cutest little animals you've ever seen.

The oldest litter was up and running, chasing each other around in circles and diving under their lean-to huts. Oh my god. They looked like spotted puppies with curly tails. Precious! The younger piglets were entangled in sleeping, twitching pig piles. Piglets might be some of the cutest animals EVER.

Next came more pigs. These older guys were hysterical. Eric had a great running commentary for them, very "Walk on the Wild Side." With the aide of his voice overs, the pigs enjoyed rooting and snorting and digging and instigating and eating potatoes from my hand and being the noisiest eaters ever (save one or two people I know) and scratching and scratching and scratching and scratching...

Seriously, we could have stayed here all day. But it was starting to rain, and we still needed to buy some bacon.

Our day at the farm was wonderful. There's something magical and very fulfilling about knowing where your food comes from. The food simply tastes better, too. But don't take my word for it. Please, come and find out for yourself.