To support local farmers, especially those who practice sustainable agriculture, is, bottom-line, the Mission of the Red Devon.

WHY IS SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SO IMPORTANT NOW?

• Right now…we have 2 million farmers left to feed a population of 300 million people in this country.
• Right now…farmland is being lost to development in the U.S. at the rate of 2,880 acres per day.
• Right now…food travels an average of 1,500 miles before being consumed.
• Right now…if each us ate just one meal a week made from local, organically grown produce, the U.S. would conserve 1 million barrels of oil per week.

IT’S ALL ABOUT MAKING CHOICES

In supporting our local agriculture we are supporting our local economy.  When building Red Devon, we further leveraged this support by hiring local artisans to build the market, bar and restaurant and we decorated the space using local shops and vendors.  And yes, we bank locally, too.

Supporting local and sustainable goods over factory-farmed food and big-box brands is, of course, the equivalent of choosing to protect the environment. So when it came time to rehab the old Stage Stop Restaurant in Bangall, NY, we did it the green way: we incorporated geothermal and solar heating and cooling systems in the makeover as well as a green roof (really green…it’s grass and wild flowers). We recycled old timber in the renovation, kept the good old floors and, of course, the wonderful old bar.

We serve fair trade organic coffee, organic breads and produce and use only biodegradable or recycled paper products in the Market.

Chef Sara Lukasiewicz knows that fresh local foods grown without lots of chemical are also the best-tasting.  That’s why our restaurant menu and market offerings change with the seasons.   It’s how we were meant to eat; it’s good for us and good for the land.   It’s why our relationships with our local farms and farmers are the cornerstone of our mission.

There is still more we want to do. We will continue to work to support local farming but now we are looking for ways do it throughout the year, which, in our climate can be difficult, though not impossible. Maybe you could help us…Anyone know a good greenhouse produce-grower in the neighborhood?

So…welcome to the Red Devon and the harvest and beauty of our local farmland — where we encourage you to “eat the view!”