Imagine a world with the sweetest carrots, peppery radishes, and leek scapes with a musky, garlic bite. This is a world where produce is given loving care by farmers who never take a day off and who live a stone throw away from the planting beds. Every morning the crops are pruned and tended, and by mid-afternoon the day’s vegetables are picked and whisked away. Washed and cleaned, they are roasted, chopped and pureed into the food of two-Michelin-star Manresa restaurant. A silky smooth puree of parsnip rests below roast squab, and turnip milk is steamed into a frothy foam atop a root vegetable risotto. From soil to plate, the vegetables rarely touch the inside of a refrigerator.

Everything about Love Apple Farm owner Cynthia Sandberg’s home feels magical, vibrant, and robust. The Santa Cruz sunlight streaks through the trees onto the planting beds, feeding the produce with vital nutrients, as volunteers and farmers spread throughout the two-acre farm. One woman pulls out spotted leaves from red Russian Kale, acting as a human pesticide. These leaves have been attacked by pests, and this is the farm’s way of naturally protecting against attackers. Another woman feeds the chickens with vegetable scraps. The air is rich with the earthy, musky smell of vegetables — life is thriving all around.

The relationship between Love Apple and Manresa is truly codependent. Each Manresa cook saves compost scraps to return to the farm, putting back into the land what is taken out.  The restaurant is the farm’s exclusive consumer, making it possible for Sandberg to focus on the special needs of the restaurant, something most farmers are unable to do. Her specialty? Biodynamic techniques. No artificial chemicals are used, instead, fermented herbal and mineral preparations are applied as compost additives and field sprays. Sandberg also uses the astronomical calendar to determine planting times and harvesting.

A typical day at the farm begins as one might imagine, just as the sunrise is peeking out above the Santa Cruz Mountains. Love Apple Farm is home to a flock of chickens, who provide more than half of the egg supply to the restaurant, and a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Dali. The morning chores include feeding these hungry animals, mending the planting beds, sowing seeds, and weeding. In the afternoons, the farm workers and volunteers all enjoy a lunch together made with products from the farm. On Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays the farm is open to the public for tomato sales, the namesake of the farm. And closing chores include collecting the chicken eggs, closing the greenhouses, and covering the planting beds with frost blankets. In the evening the farm workers again share meals together with the produce of the farm. Occasionally cooks from the restaurant join the farmers and treat them to Manresa-style prepared meals.

25 miles down the road in Los Gatos, Manresa’s chef David Kinch has been serving his dish Into the Garden since 2006, an item that showcases the relationship between Love Apple Farms and the restaurant.  A mixture of seasonal vegetables are chosen daily, each plate is unique and different. Some of the produce is served raw, some is cooked softly in its own juices, and everything is served on a dusting of a dehydrated chicory dirt. Raw slivers of solar yellow carrots nest between shaved beets and Bordeaux spinach, vegetable jus foam playfully dots nasturtium,  and bright green pea tendrils peep out. With each bite the earthy, honest flavors of the garden come through, a perfect mix a creativity, reverence and culinary sophistication.

Walking through Love Apple Farm, it’s easy to see where Kinch draws his inspiration. Arugula flowers remarkably seem more pungent then their leafy moniker, flower beds are packed with borage flowers full of vanilla and almond aromas. Bite into ruby streaks mustard greens and your mouth is afire of horse radish flavor, then chew on flowering cilantro which has double the tang of the standard variety. On this farm the produce is fresher, more vibrant, and succulent than anything you have ever tasted. It must have something to do with all that love they are putting into it. In a country where so many people depend on commercially produced fruits and vegetables, or even worse, frozen and canned products, Love Apple Farm is a beacon of hope, a ray of sunshine and a omen for the future of farming and restaurants everywhere. Or at least one can dream. And on this two-acre of farm land in Santa Cruz, California that dream is reality.

Eatin’ and a Drivin’, Drivin’ and a Eatin’

The wide open road offers the traveler many things. Peace and calm, long stretches of land full of solitude and reflection. Broad picturesque views and rolling mountainsides dot the land, with a car often the only inhabitant for miles. Quirky road side stops, local flavor changing from city to city, mile to mile. The road can nourish the soul, the mind, and the stomach. Stops along the way break the monotony of driving and offer a slap in the face of the culture and food of the land.

Heading west from Los Angeles, a detour north is unescapable, for the immense caverns of the Grand Canyon lay within a days drive. Topped with snow, even a few minutes in the national park are breathtaking, the surreal views showcasing the bounty of the landscape. Driving west toward New Mexico, a stop at Whataburger is a must. The pride of the southwestern hamburger joints, this juicy burger is best alongside a mikshake and fries, true road trip style.

Late night driving west into Texas is lonesome. The road becomes impossibly dark and unnervingly empty. Morning sunshine brings clouds so low you can reach out and touch them and a true Texan lunch of barbecue. With large outdoor grills full of brisket, chicken, half-smokes, ribs, Rudy’s BBQ is a mainstay of San Antonio. The meat is tender and juicy, covered in dry rub and then dipped in Rudy’s homemade sauce. Baked beans and coleslaw are a must for sides, and the sweet creamed corn offsets the spicy meats. Finished off with an ice-cold root beer, this giant sized lunch is serious business in Texas.

Home to the Alamo, the river-walk,  and a diverse spread of Southwestern culture, San Antonio is also a great place to try local Mexican cuisine. Hidden back a woodsy area at outskirts of San Antonio, El Bosque is stomping ground of the locals with a lot of flavor. The signature dish, chili rellenos stuffed with a sweet and spicy mixture of beef and raisins, is reason enough to make the trip. And you won’t be able to get enough of the Tex Mex staples of beans, rice, taquitos, and enchiladas.

Heading further West, the sky fills with a dramatic mixture of pinks and reds as the sun sets on Texas.

Pull into New Orleans in the deep night and the city is still alive with party goers walking Bourbon Street. Whether you spend the night driving or drinking, breakfast in New Orleans is definitely beignets at Cafe du Monde. Listen to street performers belt out jazz classics at this famed waterfront cafe, watching tourists and locals traipse through the cities historic streets. Hot, powdered sugar covered beignets and cafe au lait provide a great start for a day of exploring NoLa.

Walk the streets, take a step back in time and marvel at the beauty of a city rebuilt. Outdoor cafes and bars offer spirits in true New Orleans style with live music; shops provide cajun spices, gumbo seasoning, and cookbooks, true souvenirs for the foodie traveler.

A trip to New Orleans must include a good southern meal and Acme Oyster House really shows off creole cuisine. Fresh oysters, shucked at the bar, greet guests into this award-winning New Orleans staple. And when in NoLa, a po-boy and gumbo are definite musts. Juicy shrimp, breaded and fried are stuffed into a soft roll, topped with tomatoes, lettuce, and tabasco spiked mayo. Served in a bread bowl, spicy, earthy and full of flavor, Acme’s gumbo shows off what makes this dish a New Orleans favorite.

From New Orleans there is no where to go but North into Tennessee. A must-stop for a the foodie road tripper, Memphis is another city who boasts the best barbecue. At Blues City Cafe, ribs slathered in sweet, spicy sauce, crispy fries and buttery toast really hit the spot. And nothing says the south like a tall glass of  sweet tea.

Finally, the east coast appears as the monuments of Washington DC graze the skyline. Maryland crab defines this area of the east and crab cakes at Eastern Market make a lovely lunch. Peruse the vendors of the market, purchase meats and vegetables, pastries and fresh flowers. End with a a market lunch, a juicy crab cake on a delicate, sweet roll and large heaping of coleslaw.

From west to east, the foodie traveller can certainly eat their way across the country. From road stops to pit stops, eating plays a big part of driving long treks. One might say it’s even be the reason for the trip after all. With a good friend by your side and a good meal in your stomach, any day is a great day to start a foodie road trip.