Fresh Take: How Farmer Lee Jones Bought Back His Family’s Ohio Farm

W hen I first met Ohio farmer Lee Jones, I was struck by what he told me about where his farm, The Chef’s Garden, sits. Close to the shores of Lake Erie, where humid winds meet sandy soils that were once the bottom of the lake itself, Lee’s farm happens to be located in one of the best climates for growing vegetables in the country. That’s helped Lee as he’s transformed his family farm into a playground for chefs looking for rare and unique specialties that he grows year-round in greenhouses.

His tale of how he bought back his family’s farm is equally enthralling, and oh so inspiring. I’m so glad he shared what it took in my video interview with him. Lee’s a man of purpose, and as you watch the short film, I’d love for you to reflect on the foods you eat and how you might get more variety into your daily diet. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you in June!

— Chloe Sorvino, Staff Writer

Order my book, Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed and the Fight for the Future of Meat, out now from Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books.

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What’s Fresh

Farmer Lee On The Importance Of Small Scale Farming

Watch as Forbes staff writer Chloe Sorvino sits down for a chat with farmer Lee Jones, the owner of The Chef’s Garden, at the 2023 Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit.

What A Sriracha Shortage Teaches Us About Supply Chains

The story of Huy Fong Foods, maker of the iconic rooster-labeled hot sauce, shows why partnerships are essential.

What Brand Founders Can Learn From The Foxtrot Fiasco

Foxtrot workers were laid off without notice and are now suing for back pay. Their experience is a teachable moment for the grocery industry.

What Red Lobster’s Closures And Looming Bankruptcy Means

The nation’s biggest seafood chain is now in the middle of the biggest restaurant equipment auction to date, as Red Lobster plans to close about 50 restaurants.

Noma Returns To Kyoto For A Pop-Up This Fall, Celebrating Its Finale As A Restaurant

The world’s best restaurant is returning to Kyoto this fall for another pop-up event. With the entire team of Noma traveling to Japan, it will be the last chance to experience Noma’s restaurant service for the foreseeable future.

Field Notes

Freshly made baguettes from a baking class at my neighborhood’s Partybus Bakeshop. Here’s your reminder to get out there and try something new!

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Chloe Sorvino leads coverage of food and agriculture as a staff writer on the enterprise team at Forbes. Her book, Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed and the Fight for the Future of Meat, published on December 6, 2022, with Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books. Her nearly nine years of reporting at Forbes has brought her to In-N-Out Burger’s secret test kitchen, drought-ridden farms in California’s Central Valley, burnt-out national forests logged by a timber billionaire, a century-old slaughterhouse in Omaha and even a chocolate croissant factory designed like a medieval castle in northern France.