Gibb’s Farm, part II: Good neighbors, fantastic food
May 5, 2008
A working farm that also operates as a high end guest lodge, Gibb’s Farm stands apart from countless other traveler accommodations in its longstanding mutually beneficial relationship with the local community, Karatu.
Generations of families have been a part of the Gibb’s Farm workforce - most staff have worked at Gibb’s for 10 years; many over 20 years. 99% local, the staff receives free healthcare - services that are extended to their families.
Gibb’s Farm backs the Karatu Education Fund that services several area schools, supporting the construction of new buildings and establishing a “sponsor a student” program that enables Gibb’s Farm guests to help local children attend secondary school.
In an effort to stem the tide of deforestation + proliferation of exotic species, Gibb’s Farm established an on-site nursery of native tree species that supplies a grassroots conservation organization named Mazingira Bora Karatu (translated: “A Better Environment for Karatu). MBK promotes environmental awareness and conservation, planting native trees and promoting rehabilitation of degraded lands throughout the region.
The actual farming part of the Gibb’s Farm operation is formidable: 30 acres of coffee, 10 acres of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs, a working dairy and pig farm, all of which are treated solely by organic pest management and fertilization processes. A remarkable 80% of the food served at Gibb’s is raised on the property, the remainder is sourced locally. The glorious raw materials are not wasted.
I’d like to preface this by stating that I come from a city that has a vibrant food culture and a lot of damn good places to eat. In addition, I’d been apprised prior to my trip that one can’t count on food safety in Africa so I had figured that I’d spend most of my time on the continent drinking beer and bottled water, eating bananas and hard boiled eggs. And while I found myself pleasantly surprised by meals in a number of places we visited, nothing rivaled eating in my hometown.
Until our first meal at Gibb’s.
It was like getting religion. Fresh and finely executed: Oven warm bread, tender meats with flavorful, light-handed sauces, crisp, bright vegetables and a main course finished with property grown French press coffee, bread pudding, pot de crème….can I get a…”Hell, yeah”? We barged into the kitchen and gave the staff a round of applause.
Alright, we’ve dug into Gibb’s Farm history, community, crops and incredible meals. Can there be more? Come into my lair, said the spider to the fly.
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Hi GLPT,
This is fun reading all of the posts. Thanks for the great write up. Don’t forget that on top of the 10 acres of vegi’s we also have 30 acres of organic coffee.
Thanks,
Kyle