It was one of those inappropriately gorgeous days that follows a dreary week of incessant rain when I pulled into Fairfield, Connecticut on a day trip from NYC to tour the tranquil grounds of Millstone Farm. Chef Brian Lewis of Elm Restaurant — where he runs a program for members of his kitchen to work at Millstone in exchange for produce (and a greatly improved appreciation of its cultivation) — introduced me to the farm's wide array of crops. Having already fallen while enthusiastically clambering over plots of brightly translucent shoots and lush, heady arrays of greens, I found myself munching on edible pea shoot flowers while brushing the dirt from my knees. Shortly thereafter, I was transported to the Chef's table at Elm, where I sipped a tangy beet margarita while watching Lewis expertly whip up a series of decadently fresh dishes with ingredients straight from the farm. —Niki Achitoff-Gray