By Erica Noonan, Globe Staff
Chef-owner Jeffrey Fournier of 51 Lincoln in Newton Highlands needed to be in the kitchen, but still wanted to hand-pick his produce.
The solution? A rooftop garden.
With some advice from his friends at Allandale Farm in Brookline, Fournier created a container garden using the 1,800 sq. ft available on his eatery's roof, and even MacGyvered a little pulley system to lower produce to his kitchen door.
Growing produce steps away from the kitchen means peak freshness, savings, and no carbon footprint. Jeff is hoping that his budget can support a small greenhouse for seedlings, 51 Lincoln spokeswoman Chris Lyons told us.
With no shade at all, the garden is perfect for sun-and-heat-loving vegetables, she said. And he's set up a simple irrigation system to water the heirloom tomato plants, peppers, squash, herbs, spinach, kale, radishes and more.
Fournier hopes to eventually chart what's growning when (and presumably what he'll cook with it each night) on 51 Lincoln's website.
If all goes well, she said, Fournier may even build a winter greenhouse, heated by kitchen exhaust.
Do you patronize a restaurant that grows its own food? Tell us in the comment section below.
Locavore is a Your Town blog about local eating and gardening. Want your event featured? Send story ideas and hi-res jpeg photos to enoonan@globe.com
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