The farmer of Flatbed
And why wouldn’t you buy produce from a Neuroscience grad? Despite the degree from Oberlin, Rachel Kohn Obut is a fulltime farmer with a stellar local resume: she started Lunita Farm, developed the gardening operation at Sweetwater Spectrum and is the gardener at Flatbed Farm on Highway 12 in Glen Ellen.
“My interest in farming started at age 11 when I spent a couple of weeks at a farm camp in Pennsylvania, and loved milking cows and picking strawberries so much that I returned there to work as a counselor,” said the New Jersey native. “Years later, I took off a semester from college in southern France, and had another great experience. After graduating from college, I went straight to work as an intern on a farm, and haven’t looked back.”
It’s hard work, but she welcomes the challenges. “I love the huge variety, from field work, to harvesting, to sales and marketing, to construction projects, to equipment maintenance,” Kohn Obut said. “There’s always something new to learn. I love growing good food, and being part of the wonderful network of growers, eaters, and chefs.”
The farm is owned by Sofie and Chris Dolan and provides produce to their San Francisco restaurant, 25 Lusk. Kohn Obut is developing relationships with other restaurants, as well as selling to the public from the farm’s sleek, modernistic barn on Thursdays (1 to 5:30 p.m.) and Saturdays (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
In addition to fresh vegetables, herbs, eggs and olive oil, there’s coffee, pastry and conversation. And what is it she wishes she could grow? “Avocados, mangos, and chocolate!”
13450 Sonoma Highway, south of Arnold, in Glen Ellen. 707.494.9210
