A Culinary Experience from Farm to Table
By Kristie Keller
When you think of unique culinary experiences, Dangerfield, Texas, is probably not the first place that comes to mind. But, if you travel a quick hour from Texarkana to the small northeast Texas town, that is exactly what you will find tucked in the middle of the piney woods at Greer Farm.
Owned by Eva and Sid Greer, Greer Farm is a true farm to table dining experience. Upon arrival at Greer Farm, guests are greeted by a charming 1850s era farmhouse that would be at home on the cover of Southern Living Magazine. If guests are lucky, they catch a peek at the farm’s peacock wandering across the yard or have the opportunity to bottle feed a baby calf.
First and foremost, Greer Farm is a working farm that produces vegetables, herbs, flowers, hay and timber. They also raise grass fed cattle, free range chickens and pasture raised pork, all available for purchase. Customers can also spend a spring or summer afternoon wandering through the farm’s fruit and berry orchards, picking blueberries, blackberries, figs and plums.
But what truly distinguishes Greer Farm is the culinary experience it offers through Chef Eva Greer. Chef Eva, who was born and raised in Belize, obtained a degree in culinary arts at the Houston Art Institute before settling in Dangerfield. For more than a decade, she has been teaching private cooking classes on the farm.
Depending on the culinary experience of her students, Chef Eva teaches everything from basics such as how to julienne a carrot to more advanced techniques such as preparation of a standing rib roast or butternut squash soufflé, both fit for Christmas dinner. Class participants gather around the large farmhouse kitchen, and under Chef Eva’s instruction, learn to prepare a number of recipes related to the class theme. Chef Eva tailors her menus not only to her students’ experience and adventure levels, but also to the season of the year. A summer class might focus on recipes using berries, from the farm of course, followed by an opportunity to pick berries to take home and replicate the new recipes. A holiday class might include succulent meats, made with farm-raised cattle and lamb, with accompanying sauces, seasonal sides and a special dessert. A children’s class might have an oriental theme, teaching the kids to fold wontons and roll spring rolls filled with meats and produce from the farm.
Rather than listening to a lecture or watching her prepare the dishes, Chef Eva offers a hands-on approach to her classes, allowing the students to chop, beat, stir, puree, and sauté, building their confidence, so they can replicate the recipes at home. The classes are perfect for a mother-child day, girls’ weekend or couples’ getaway. They last approximately three hours and end with a feast of the day’s work. After a day of cooking at Greer Farm, guests leave happy, full and a better cook than they were before.
While Greer Farm is close enough to Texarkana to make a short day trip, for those who would like to turn it into a weekend, the farm also has several lakeside cabins available for rent. And, for those who prefer not to participate in cooking classes but want to experience Chef Eva’s culinary skills, she offers private gourmet dinners for small groups in the farmhouse dining room. The lakeside cabins are a perfect option for guests who don’t want to drive home after the dinner.
Before heading home, guests can purchase Greer Farm jellies, jams or sauces, all made by Chef Eva, or a jar of Greer Farm honey, produced by bees on the farm. Their farm raised beef, chicken, lamb and pork are all also available for purchase, allowing guests to take the farm to table dining experience home.
