BOZEMAN — When you hear the phrase “farm to table,” fresh and local might be the first words that come to mind. At Bodhi Farms, those words are central to everything they do — and soon, that vibe will be available year-round.
“To be able to see where your food comes from seems to have an impact on people that we really didn’t even imagine out of the gate,” said Rayner Smith, co-owner of Bodhi Farms.
Located just outside Bozeman, Bodhi Farms is a permaculture eco-resort.
WATCH: Bozeman eco-resort gets grant for year-round farm-to-table greenhouse
“I have a clever acronym for how I describe what we do — fresh,” Smith said. “Farm, restaurant, events, spa and hotel.”
For the past five years, Bodhi Farms has been doing it all with a focus on sustainability.
“Any food that comes on the property, its waste stays on the property, and we utilize that to feed our farm animals and to compost and create soil,” Smith said.
In the summer, the farm’s restaurant relies entirely on ingredients grown in its acre-and-a-half production gardens.
But in the winter, getting fresh ingredients is more complicated.
“Our garden now produces vegetables from May to September. That’s our capacity for growing vegetables here in Montana — it’s so chilly,” said garden manager Addy Czartoski.
In colder months, the restaurant has turned to other local farms for fresh ingredients, but that’s about to change.
Bodhi Farms has received a $10,000 agritourism grant from the Montana Department of Commerce to build a 30-by-80-foot eco-powered greenhouse.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so cool! I’m so excited to be able to produce more,” Czartoski said.
Last year, the farm grew about 2,000 pounds of produce for the restaurant. Czartoski hopes the greenhouse will double or triple that amount.
The greenhouse will also have an educational purpose. Bodhi Farms offers programs, including a kids' camp, that teach visitors about growing food.
“You get a kid who’s like, ‘I would never eat kale.’ Then you show them a kale seed, have them plant it, and later they pick their own leaves and try it right there in the garden. They’re just like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe we grow this,’” Czartoski said.
The grant combines agriculture and tourism. For Smith, it’s another way to connect visitors with sustainability.
“We like to say we trick people into learning something when they’re here. Whether they planned on learning it or not, hopefully they walk away knowing something about sustainability and how they can incorporate it into their lives,” Smith said.
The new greenhouse is expected to be producing by April.
To learn more about Bodhi Farms' programs, visit this link: https://www.bodhi-farms.com
