YARD TO TABLE ORIGINS
The name "Yard to Table" is in reference to the 'Farm to Table' movement, which was born in the 1970s by a group of food activists.
The works of Wendell Berry,Wes Jackson, Michael Pollan and Alice Waters, among others, serve as the base from which farm to table advocates educate customers and followers about the link between farmers, farm communities, ancient food-production practices, and the food we eat.
Suburbia cannot foster all of these links, but it is clear that the land that is available can be and should be utilized in a more fundamental and utilitarian manner. By filling the space which would traditionally be 'lawn' or 'yard' with edible plants, we can transform our outdoor living spaces from being static, passive and distant to being healthy, sustainable and providing.
If you aren't convinced yet, perhaps some motivations to change the mentality about the way we use our land are: scarcity of fresh, local ingredients; poor flavor of ingredients shipped from afar; lacking nutritional integrity of shipped/stored ingredients; the disappearance of small family farms; the disappearance of heirloom and open pollinated fruits and vegetables; and the dangers of a highly-centralized food-growing and -distribution system, to name a few.
If everyone with access to land were to become involved with growing their own food, then many of these issues cited could be amended and our local environments would be made to benefit simultaneously with our bodies.
ABOUT US
Yard to Table Landscape has the mission to install gardens that are sophisticated and tailored to the client's vision and needs. From formal to native and edible designs, we will strive to create a pleasing outdoor space.
Sarah and Ruben are a Designer-Horticulturist team. They have experience designing, installing and maintaining landscapes that are both formal and natural. Sarah received her Bachelor in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont and holds a Masters in Agricultural Production from the University of Lleida in Spain. She has experience working on tree, flower and organic farms in the Northeast (Maine, Vermont, Connecticut) and in Spain.
Ruben was born and raised in Spain and has extensive experience propagating native species and planting them in agro-forest ecosystems. He and his family have maintained formal edible gardens near their home in Northern Spain for generations. Ruben is also a longtime mountaineer and climber. He has transferred his vertical skills to the art of technical tree pruning and removal.