Sobremesa Farm Grows in Harmony with Nature

Robert Frew and Juan Carlos Arango started Sobremesa Farm in Bloomington to grow food and community. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

For Robert Frew and Juan Carlos Arango, growing food goes hand in hand with growing community, and they created a farm in Bloomington, Indiana, dedicated to doing both. Even its name, Sobremesa Farm, reflects that vision.

“Sobremesa is the Spanish tradition of relaxing at the table at the end of the meal,” Frew says. “It’s a time of community, where stories are shared, and people connect with each other. We chose the name to reflect that sense.”

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Frew and Arango have been true to their vision since 2013 when they purchased the 9-acre cow pasture in northern Monroe County.

The co-owners and a small staff of four employees grow a wide variety of fresh lettuces, herbs, onions and greens, including crops from Africa, Asia and Mexico.

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

What they produce is available for purchase at the farm’s on-site Sunday market, where Frew and Arango invite customers to tour the gardens with them to make their selection.

“We actually harvest for them right at that minute,” Frew says. “This distinguishes us from farmers markets because the food is not put in a cooler for hours or days. It is 100% fresh, harvested from the garden while you wait.”

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Freshness is just one of the benefits.

“We have expanded to new types of crops that give people a chance to experiment with different flavors and gain additional health benefits that different crops with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties provide,” Arango says. “The Mexican herb epazote is one example. Not only does it add flavor, it helps with digestion. We work to educate ourselves about these and share that with consumers.”

See more: Mother and Daughter Duo Keep the Losure Farms Legacy Alive

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Home Grown

Not only is Sobremesa Farm committed to the community of consumers, but it also is dedicated to the land. As volunteers with the National Wildlife Federation, both Frew and Arango are longtime advocates for natural lands and responsible stewardship.

However, they admit there was a huge learning curve to creating a farm based on sustainable methods in harmony with nature.

Aidan Coon and Don Masumbuko mix a special blend of fermented fertilizer called bokashi, which the farm uses to grow an array of vegetables and fruits. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

They chose a permaculture approach, which is a system using natural waste rather than fertilizers to create healthy soil and grow nutritious, diverse produce.

“Permaculture focuses on three tenets: care of people, care of land and taking only your fair share from the land,” Frew explains. “We don’t use pesticides and fertilizers that migrate to the water table. It’s a focus on regeneration, not extraction and soil degradation. The idea is to design your property in a way that imitates nature.”

They created ponds and a rain-collection system, practices that allow springs to reappear on the land. Fish in the ponds provide natural fertilization, creating a simple, sustainable way for them to grow food and stay true to the permaculture tenets they believe best serve the community and the land.

See more: McGaughey Farms Celebrates a Century of Conservation

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Educating the Community

Sobremesa Farm’s approach has gained recognition beyond the local community. At Farm Aid in Noblesville last year, the farm was featured as part of the event’s focus on climate change.

“Being in the national spotlight gave us an opportunity to highlight the individual farmer’s role in caring for the health of the land through sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices,” Arango says.

They continue that commitment through events like the one to be held at Sobremesa Farm in September, where internationally known agronomist Jairo Restrepo will conduct a workshop on regenerative farming.

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

“Farmers have seen the importance of employing sustainable practices on farms of various scales to mitigate the effects of climate change,” Arango says. “Many of the practices taught at the workshop are easily applicable for farms of various sizes – even the home gardener.”

A focus on educating the community, along with providing healthy food that respects the land, is at the heart of Frew and Arango’s mission for Sobremesa Farm.

“It is so satisfying to be able to share what you have grown with others knowing there is nothing comparable in terms of taste and knowing that the practices you have used to grow it have sustained the land,” Arango says.

See more: Award-Winning Hoosier Farmers Cultivate Climate-Conscious Farming in Indiana