Superstition Farm in Mesa, Arizona, is home to a milking herd of 1,000 cows. Once a month, the farm becomes a restaurant, with seating being held in the alleyway between two open lot pens. The event is called "Chef du Moo", and the meal is all about featuring local foods, prepared by local chefs and paired with local wines.

Casey Stechnij, co-owner of Superstition Farm, explains the background and the goals of the event:

"Chef du Moo was conceived last year as we saw more and more people interested in local foods and farmers. They have been joining food buying groups (Community Supported Agriculture) and receiving weekly baskets of locally grown food.

Our farm is a pick up point for a few of these farmers. The problem was the farmers were not there and many customers became frustrated as they did not know what they were receiving and did not know how to prepare these wonderful foods.

So we decided let's get these farmers together, bring in their crops and have local chefs prepare them. Same farmers, same foods, different chefs. That way we can all get together, celebrate the harvest and interact. Close the loop between farmer and the end user.

Having the dinners outdoors and on the farm was also a key part of our dinner series. There are many local dinner opportunities, but they are often found in fancy, upscale and urban locations.

Eat the food where it begins its journey! Many people have shown some reluctance in eating near the cows, but once they arrive they have a memory they will never forget. It has been a wonderful experience for our family."

Superstition Farm is a true agritourism location. In addition to Chef Du Moo, the farm hosts school tours, horse riding lessons, summer camps and birthday parties. Visit the website at www.superstitionfarmtours.com .

Information and photos provided by Alison Crittenden, co-owner of Superstition Farm.