The small and large farms that surround Yellow Springs are a real reminder of the locally grown foods and handcrafted products found all over town. The seasonal farmers markets feature organic and nonorganic produce, fresh eggs, locally raised bison meat, fresh flowers, handmade jams and soaps, and much more. So bring your basket and fill it up with fresh-from-the-land bounty to take home. In “downtown” Yellow Springs, the Sunrise Cafe features “natural cuisine from the heart.” Its website says that “at our cozy little Sunrise Cafe in Yellow Springs, OH, we believe in good people, good energy and good food, especially locally produced and organic food prepared from scratch, by hand and with love” with no deep fryer or microwave. The Sunrise Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily except Tuesday, and features a martini lounge on weekends. The dinner menu features organic American Waygu Kobe beef, along with buffalo, organic chicken, seafood, pasta, lots of vegetarian choices and sandwiches. Most entrees, which range from $14 to $21 (except the buffalo at $28) include a choice of salad or soup, rice or potato, bread and vegetable of the day. Current Cuisine, open since 1983, is a gourmet deli featuring overstuffed sandwiches, homemade soups, breads and pastries, plus entrees and salad by the pound. Current Cuisine offers breakfast, lunch and dinner items, party trays and full-service off-premises catering. Their selection of gourmet food is timely, yummy and good for you on any occasion, whether you’re off to window shop, enjoy a quiet picnic or embark on a long bike ride. And beautiful bike rides and walking trails abound in Yellow Springs. The town is nestled within the lovely Glen Helen Nature Preserve, John Bryan State Park and Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve. Step from the coolness of Yellow Springs into the even cooler green of nature and enjoy the natural beauty and peace and quiet of some of Ohio’s most pristine forests. In the evening, enjoy the warm, cozy atmosphere (it feels like someone’s home), of the Winds Cafe and Bakery. On our most recent visit, lively crowds of locals, mostly regulars, filled the small rooms, with wood floors and tables and fabric baffles to mute the, sounds and encourage conversation. According to its website, “The Winds started out as a collectively owned and operated cafe, actually called the Four Winds, in 1977. It was a sincere, funky little place that grew its own sprouts, made its own yogurt and baked bread every day in an old pizza oven acquired for a dollar.” The co-owners, Chef Kim Korkan and Mary Kay Smith, have been there almost since the beginning, and share a passion for local sourcing, seasonal menus and made-from-scratch quality. Our pleasant server greeted us with some herbed olives and a basket of homemade breads—focaccia, French and walnut wheat, accompanied by scallions and fresh local butters. The carefully selected and well-priced wine list offers wine by the glass, quartino (a small carafe, about 8 ounces) or bottle. The dinner menu emphasizes local products but the cuisine features Mediterranean influences. There are 14 small plates plus specials, including roasted almonds and olives as “snacks” and the “Italian Nibble”—Italian tuna salad on egg, peppadews (peppers) with mozzarella. There are four salads, including one featuring smoked trout, and three soups, including an aged cheddar. Other small plates include chicken Bisteeya in phyllo (Moroccan flavors) and gambas—shrimp baked in a white wine and butter sauce with grilled bread. The daily special was Spanish beef, marinated with smoked paprika and grilled with a savory sherry caramel sauce, and a Manchego cheese and red pepper salad (our favorite). Small plates range from $3 to $11. There are five large plates: sauteed fish with Madagascar sauce, Turkish-style grilled lamb chops, Coquilles St. Jacques, stuffed beef tenderloin and “duck you can eat with a spoon”—slow roasted duck with savory white beans. Large plates range from $17 to $24. Desserts are house-made, plus Jeni’s ice creams from Columbus. The Winds also offers a brunch, lunch and prix fixe menu. And the Winds Wine Cellar, next door, offers a nice array of wines, as well as classes and tastings. On more than one occasion, before dinner at the Winds we have stopped for a “snack” (one scoop) at the legendary Young’s Jersey Dairy, the last Jersey dairy in Ohio. The Dairy Store is large, and they practically need someone to direct traffic, inside and out. The ice cream is the thing, of course. All of the ice cream, gelato and sorbetto is “homemade on the farm”; the ice cream is 15 percent butterfat for a rich taste and a smooth, creamy texture. There is a special flavor (at a special price) each week, including chocolate chunk, cherry vanilla, caramel chocolate toffee (my favorite), peanut butter cup, or peaches and cream. Young’s Jersey Dairy also serves nondairy food. The Dairy Store seats 180, plus picnic tables, and offers full breakfast and sandwiches to accompany the ice cream treats. Just up the street, the Golden Jersey Inn offers table service and a more extensive selection of food. “Just like grandma used to make,” the menu includes beef and noodles, chicken ’n’ dumplings, chicken potpie, meat loaf and pot roast, plus steaks, chops and sandwiches. The restaurants feature locally grown food, including Bowman & Landes products from nearby New Carlisle. And after eating at either place, you can enjoy the aptly named Udders & Putters entertainment complex, with two miniature golf courses, batting cages, a driving range and “Cowvin’s Fast Slide.” The entire place is a hoot—or should we say a moo? Yellow Springs has many other wonderful food resources in the area. The B-W Greenway Community Land Trust, a nonprofit organization supporting land and wetlands preservation and restoration, also sustains local farmers and locally grown foods. Its Directory of Local Food Sources has a comprehensive listing of all of the wonderful food sources in the Miami Valley area, including farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, local growers and restaurants serving local foods. The extensive list of local growers includes “you pick” growers and such well-known providers as Bell and Evans, Freshwater Farms of Ohio (trout and freshwater shrimp) and Blue Jacket Dairy (cheese). The directory is available for $2 from [email protected]. All in all, the Yellow Springs area is a great destination for foodies of all types, from those seeking locally grown and organic ingredients to those seeking a wonderful restaurant meal featuring locally grown foods. Yellow Springs is clearly worth the trip. - by Steve Stover