January-February 2019 • Nebraskaland 47
What is a year-round staple in your pantry?
Our house-churned butter is something we are never
without. We are fortunate to partner with Nebraska dairies to
bring us delicious cream that we culture, churn and squeeze
by hand.
How do you handle Nebraska's long winter?
Canning, pickling and preserving. We dedicate a lot of
time in the summer and fall toward capturing Nebraska
fruits and vegetables in the height of their season. If they
grow it, we jar it and then reach for it to brighten up our
winter menus. So much so, we opened Provisions in the fall
of 2014; offering our house made preserved items, cured
meats and coffee in an everyday retail format.
What is the biggest misconception about the local
food movement?
Eating "local" and the "farm to table" concept may
have started out as a food trend but the momentum has
grown and it's not going away. There is an awareness and
a consciousness that is out there now and it's created a
powerful level of accountability for our food producers,
grocers and chefs that wasn't there before. More and more
consumers are looking for local food options and are
expecting to see it on the shelves and menus. We have a
tendency to limit the scope and power of local food. Its reach
and representation goes far beyond local farmers markets. It's
changing the way we think about agriculture, conservation,
nutrition and policies that define our city, state and country.
How has your experience sourcing local ingredients
and working with Nebraska farmers influenced your
understanding of Nebraska's landscape?
It's gratifying on many levels to be able to witness and
explore the passionate ways Nebraskans are producing
food. I've been able to spend time with ranchers in the
Sandhills and the Niobrara River Valley and have had daily
interactions with Omaha's urban farmers. Nebraska has
this special duality of rural and urban farming and I think
it's probably one of our greatest assets. Every producer