News Release Detail | Corporate - The Cliffs Communities

Farm-to-table club cuisine, gourmet markets, and interactive, educational classes support healthy living culture at The Cliffs

Travelers Rest, SC (September 12, 2007) – A year after it celebrated its inaugural harvest, The Cliffs Organic Farm continues to grow its influence within the The Cliffs Communities’ clubs and circle of Members and residents by offering innovative, interactive approaches to enjoying all-natural cuisine as a part of a healthy lifestyle.

Introduced in April 2006 as a part of the

Dozens of varieties of fresh produce, herbs, and flowers are grown year-round at The Cliffs Organic Farm.

master development plan for The Cliffs’ seventh private, master-planned community The Cliffs at Mountain Park, the Organic Farm has since enjoyed widespread endorsement by The Cliffs’ team of executive chefs, the communities’ 3000+ property owners, the company’s nearly 1,000 associates, and the area’s local farming cooperatives.

“The Farm is really an extension of our wellness programs,” states Jim Anthony, Founder and President of The Cliffs Communities. “Providing our residents an Organic Farm and combining it with talented people and programs that help them to live and eat healthfully, is just a small part of our commitment to make The Cliffs the best place in America to live, work and play.”

Spanning 10 acres within The Cliffs at Mountain Park community, the Farm operates year-round thanks to the unique microclimate of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and Carolina Preserve – a quality-of-life corridor connecting Asheville, NC to Greenville, SC that boasts 14 state parks, four national forests, one national park, and over 27,000 acres of freshwater lakes, designated Wild and Scenic Rivers, and dozens of naturally-occurring waterfalls. A full-time staff of three mans Farm operations, including the Farm’s Manager, Craig Weiner, whose experience includes a degree in Horticulture with emphasis in Organic Farming from Clemson University.

From Farm to Table

The Cliffs’ team of Executive Chefs determines, through seasonal menu development, those vegetables which the Farm will plant, grow and harvest throughout the year. They then incorporate those items directly into their menu selections and daily features. Most recently, The Cliffs Organic Farm delivered fresh summer squash and zucchini, butternut and acorn winter squash, pumpkins, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, sweet and hot peppers, microgreens, and herbs. All dining venues at The Cliffs contain many “wellness-approved” items on the menus like The Cliffs Power Salad served at The Cliffs Valley Clubhouse; Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho served at La Bastide, The Cliffs’ Country Inn and Restaurant; and Living Portabella Napoleon, served at The Lakehouse Restaurant at The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards to name just a few. .

Four of The Cliffs’ Executive Chefs at the greenhouses on the Farm.
“My focus is on how best to showcase these ingredients without sacrificing their integrity,” explains Joey Pesner, one of The Cliffs’ Executive Chefs. “I use uncomplicated recipes with few ingredients to keep the flavors clean, while adding a touch of refinement. When you are fortunate enough to have these resources at your fingertips everyday, it is inspiring for a chef. Our ‘seasons’ sometimes last only a couple of weeks, so our cuisine changes with what is being harvested.”

Pesner continues, “Farm to table cuisine is also a responsible way to source products. We source only the finest local seafood, natural meats and take advantage of the flavorful herbs and fresh picked produce from our organic farm. Getting many of our ingredients locally minimizes the unnecessary use of fossil fuels while supporting smaller independent farmers. The Cliffs Organic Farm is completely free from pesticides and fertilizers, which ensures only the highest quality, flavor and nutrition for our Members and their guests.” Hailing from serving as the Executive Chef at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown and as Banquet Chef at Hotel Adolphus – both four-star, four- and five-diamond establishments – Joey Pesner is among several of the notable culinary recruits The Cliffs has made over the past several years to enrich the club dining experience for its Members.

One of the innovative programs Members at The Cliffs enjoy is the Farm Educational Series, which includes classes on everything from how to make an all-natural herbal bath to organic gardening and, the favorite, the farm lunch program – allowing Members to hand-pick their ingredients and learn to prepare them into a savory dish with the help of The Cliffs’ talented team of culinary experts.

Sherry Hosier, a property owner and Member at The Cliffs, recounts her experience at the Farm Lunch Program: “My husband and I took a tour of the Organic Farm, then drove the short drive to La Bastide (with some organic vegetables to take home with us as a gift) and spent a wonderful hour and a half in the kitchen with Executive Chef Joey Pesner, watching our lunch being prepared, learning recipes and picking up a cooking lesson on fish and making tart tatins. It was so informative – and so magical.”

More than a Trend, It’s a Lifestyle

“Grow and show” experiences like The Cliffs’ farm lunch program have been enthusiastically received by The Cliffs’ membership, who are eager to learn how to incorporate all-natural, ecologically-friendly practices into their lives.

The Cliffs sees its Organic Farm meeting the demand of its residents’, primarily Baby Boomers, unquenchable desire to learn and live more healthfully. The Cliffs has launched three gourmet markets within the past year to allow its Members to purchase produce directly from the Farm, as well as butcher-cut meats, wines, healthy prepared meals, and even cut flowers. It offers Healthy Cooking Classes to Members as well as its Associates, and has incorporated standardized wellness practices into an annual incentive-based Wellness Challenge for employees and residents alike.

“Our Members and residents have been driving our efforts towards healthier living and more sustainable practices for many years, well before trends like using all-local ingredients were in vogue,” states Rick Hayduk, Vice President of Hospitality for The Cliffs Communities. “Their support has allowed us to maximize the use of the Farm and greenhouses by integrating organic foods into our recipes, menu items and market offerings. They recognize the preventive benefits of diet and exercise and support our talented team’s initiatives.”

Couple with this The Cliffs’ already leading-edge wellness complexes, programming, and experts on staff, and it’s easy to argue that this collection of communities, known over its 16 years in the business for its championship golf courses by Nicklaus, Fazio, Player, and now Tiger Woods, may well be on the cusp of leading the industry as a mecca for community wellness.