Moody’s Bistro & Lounge Executive Chef and Co-owner Mark Estee and Chef de Cuisine Guy Frenette take literally the concept of farm fresh, locally sourced produce—so literally in fact that they have partnered with Sierra Valley Farms to offer a Dinner in the Barn summer series that will showcase both Estee and Frenette’s culinary skills and produce so fresh it was growing in the field hours before.

During the Dinner in the Barn series, to take place Saturday, May 31, Sunday, July 13 and Sunday, Sept. 21, diners will gather for a four-course meal served family style at Sierra Valley Farms, a serene setting near the Feather River and Sierraville. Estee and Frenette will improvise the menu based on which fresh, organic vegetables are available that day. The food will be paired accordingly with red and white wines.

"If you see a carrot at a farmers market or a grocery store you don’t always think about where that carrot is coming from," said Estee. "This allows people to make the connection between the food they eat and its origin. Actually being on a farm is a new experience for many people."

The atmosphere is as important as the fresh-picked produce. Sierra Valley Farms, which has been in Gary Romano’s family for 100 years, will provide a scenic setting for the event. Diners will enjoy the meals while seated inside a barn built in 1936 by Romano’s uncles. Once a hay and calfing barn, where the farmers separated the cows from the calves, the barn is now used for winter equipment storage and will be transformed into a rustic dining venue for the event. Through the open back door, diners will have a glimpse of the vegetable crops and a panoramic view of Sierra Valley. Live music will add to the festive atmosphere.

"When you go to a restaurant you eat, and you leave," said third-generation farmer and Sierra Valley Farms owner Gary Romano. "Whereas at the Dinner in the Barn series I talk about how we pick the vegetables and Mark talks about how he prepares them and why. It’s a holistic approach from the field to the fork."

Prior to the event, guests can participate in a tour of the farm to observe firsthand where their meal is coming from and to hear the stories behind each of the outbuildings, many of which were kept intact but renovated to retain the charm of the farm. One of the outbuildings is the former grainery where Romano’s uncles used to make oats, wheat and barley. As a child, Romano and the other kids would visit the farm’s dairy, pour sour milk into grains they had gathered from the grainery, then feed the pigs.

"After working with some of the Bay Area's best farmers at Oliveto Restaurant in Oakland for so long, I am really excited about Gary, what he and the other farmers in Sierra Valley do and our proximity to local products" said Frenette. "We are putting together a whole hog celebration for the end of September, so stay tuned"

The farm tour begins at 4 p.m. and dinner is served at 5:15 p.m. Each Dinner on the Farm event is $70 per person, plus tax and tip.

Located inside the historic Truckee Hotel on Commercial Row, Moody's Bistro & Lounge is known for its locally sourced ingredients served in an informal atmosphere reminiscent of Tahoe in the 1920s. The restaurant serves a variety of Contemporary American specialties in a range of affordable price points, as well as a seasonal drink menu made with fresh herbs and fruit. The lounge also is home to live jazz shows by top U.S. and international acts. Moody's is located a few minutes from Interstate 80 at 10007 Bridge Street in Truckee (on the corner of Commercial Row). For reservations to Dinner in the Barn, call Moody’s at (530) 587-8688 or for more information visit www.moodysbistro.com.