Feasts on the Farm: Over 60 Seasonal Recipes and Stories of Sustainable Farming from Tomales Farmstead Creamery

by Tamara Hicks, Jessica MacLeod

Genres: Cookbooks

224 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Feasts on the Farm.

Part cookbook, part memoir with personal reflections and perspectives from goat and dairy farmers, the authors discuss how their farm came to be and what sustainable and eco-friendly practices go into caring for the animals and humans that make the farms work.

I learned so much about goats and how vital they are to a farm and the ecosystem.

I love the photographs especially the animals.

I'll never get tired of photos of sweet animals.

Some of the reflections are a few pages long and disrupt the pacing but offers an unique method to read this cookbook.

The recipes are organized by season and focus on the fruits and vegetables available during that particular season.

Most of the recipes are doable, a few more labor intensive, though some ingredients may be hard to find depending on where you live.

This is a great cookbook offering wonderful perspectives on how to run a farm, the beauty and benefits of nature and being rooted in the natural world, and how to maintain healthy and sustainable practices for healthy living and eating.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that struck me about this book was how beautiful it was, from the striking, sunlit photography to the effervescent watercolor illustration on the sidebars. Flipping the pages was a feast for the eyes, transporting me across the US to a lovely and clearly adored farm. And yes, those baby goat photos are so precious I could cry!

The recipes themselves are well-organized, laid out, and written. They are a bit on the fussy/fancy side. You'll likely find yourself scouting for ingredients. A rummage in your fridge or even a casual farmer's market jaunt probably won't do you. That said, the writers do offer substitutions, which is absolutely necessary in the case of the many, many uses of cheeses literally impossible to obtain on the East Coast. As an added bonus, even the chef-penned recipes aren't over-reliant on expensive specialist gadgetry. You may need to win the rhubarb Hunger Games to proceed, but you're not required to own a sous vide or an outdoor pizza oven.

There's a very good chance I will be picking up a permanent hard copy of this book when it comes out in August. Not only do I want to support Hicks and MacLeod in their championing of sustainable, accessible farming, but I'm bound to want that Maple-Crusted Butternut Squash recipe when butternuts are in season, and my test batch of Herbacious Cocktail Cookies has already been decimated.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Feasts on the Farm: Over 60 Seasonal Recipes and Stories of Sustainable Farming from Tomales Farmstead Creamery
by Tamara Jo Hicks and Jessica Lynn MacLeod

Feasts on the Farm is a beautifully crafted ode to sustainable agriculture that seamlessly blends practical cooking guidance with heartfelt storytelling. This exceptional work by Tomales Farmstead Creamery co-founder Tamara Jo Hicks and collaborator Jessica Lynn MacLeod offers readers a rare glimpse into the rhythms of farmstead life while providing an abundance of seasonal culinary inspiration.

Core Contributions and Strengths:

Holistic Farm-to-Table Approach
The book presents a comprehensive vision of sustainable food systems, tracing ingredients from pasture to plate. The authors’ deep expertise shines through in detailed discussions of land stewardship, animal husbandry, and artisanal cheesemaking techniques.

Seasonally-Grounded Recipes
Featuring over 60 thoughtfully curated recipes, the collection emphasizes the natural progression of ingredients through the agricultural year. Particularly valuable are the practical foraging guides, including an exceptionally clear and safety-conscious section on wild mushroom identification.

Rich Narrative Texture
Beyond its culinary offerings, the work serves as a documentary of small-scale farming life. The combination of personal anecdotes, historical context, and stunning visual storytelling creates an immersive reading experience that educates while it delights.

How would I describe this book?
- A masterclass in mindful eating - where every recipe carries the flavor of its origin story.
- Equal parts practical guide and poetic tribute to sustainable agriculture.
- The perfect companion for locavores and anyone seeking deeper connections to their food sources.

Reader’s Perspective
What makes this book truly exceptional is its ability to balance practical utility with lyrical storytelling. The mushroom identification section exemplifies this balance - thorough enough to be genuinely useful yet presented with the wonder of a nature walk. The photography transforms each page into a visual feast, capturing both the grandeur of the landscape and the intimate details of farm life.

Acknowledgments
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing an advance review copy. Feasts on the Farm represents exactly the kind of thoughtful, grounded food writing that nourishes both mind and body. It’s a privilege to engage with work that so passionately advocates for sustainable food systems while delivering such tangible culinary value.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Recommended for: Sustainable food advocates, farm-to-table enthusiasts, culinary educators, and anyone seeking cookbooks with exceptional narrative depth and practical wisdom.

This book sets a new standard for culinary literature that bridges the gap between agricultural practice and home cooking, making it equally valuable for professional kitchens and home cooks alike.

[Bebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is part memoir/personal reflection and part cookbook. Most of the time when I'm looking for a cookbook, I am not in the mood for the personal stuff, but given that I received the ARC of this, I wanted to read it thoroughly, and boy, I am glad I did! This book contained some fascinating tidbits about sustainable farming, wild foraging, and raising goats. I was glad to see that so many different perspectives from the Tomales Farmstead Creamery were included, from founders, to apprentices, to guests. It was a lovely glimpse into what seems like a lovely place.

The recipes were definitely on the fancier side, and while many looked beautiful and tasty, I don't think they're all the most practical as someone who lives in a more rural area. Several times I looked at the ingredients list and found myself wondering where the hell I'd find nasturtium leaves or caviar in my little sleepy Southern town. Sometimes substitutes are provided, sometimes not. It was nice when they were provided! All in all, I am certainly glad I got to read this book and it inspires me to seek more ingredients at my local farmer's market.

[LG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between interesting recipes, an engaging back-story, scenic watercolor illustrations, a foreword by Alice Waters, and that almost every recipe features cheese, Feasts on the Farm hits so many high notes for me.

Toluma Farm produces a number of cheeses from their Animal Welfare Approved herd and flock in their Tomales Farmstead Creamery. To honor the “...previous inhabitants and stewards of the land” they named several of their cheeses from the Coast Miwok language.

I like the thoughtfulness in how the book is organized by Season, then To Start, Mains, and Sweet for each one. It sets you up well for focusing on seasonal ingredients and types of dishes. Think warming squash dishes in the fall and a beautiful watermelon salad in the summer.

So far, I have made Maple-Crusted Butternut Squash with Liwa and Roasted Harissa Root Vegetables with Koto ‘la and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. For those of us making year-round notes on menu ideas for Thanksgiving, both of these could easily find their way onto your list. The sense of place of Toluma Farm really comes across in the pages of this beautiful cookbook.

Chronicle Books provided me with a copy of this cookbook; the opinions shared are my unbiased review.

[Melissa Nuttall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely cookbook to read and learn about the history and life on Toluma Farms, a goat and sheep dairy farm in Marin County, CA. This book is going to appeal to advanced everyday home cooks who've visited the farm or the region and want a memorable keepsake. The book just has a nice peaceful look; the photography really captures the fresh California farm vibe. I like the organization of the book in to seasons and "starters", "mains" and "sweets". I try to cook with the seasons and having a cookbook that's organized as such is a treat! Most of the recipes are utilizing unique cheeses from the farm so in general the book is dairy heavy. While this isn't an extensive cookbook (only 60 recipes), it's a nice read and one that will inspire any cook looking for ideas to utilize seasonal garden produce. I'm looking forward to trying the spring vegetable risotto and the farmer's panzanella salad.

[QuirkyTofurkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, how I want to be this person.

I appreciated that the recipes were sorted by season. For those of you tending your own gardens and working with what they yield, this is an ingenious way to organize a cookbook. But this book is so much more than a cookbook—it’s a quiet, beautiful lesson in regenerative farming practices.

The people responsible for putting this together clearly did so with great care and intention. As the foreword states, “caring creates beauty”—and that ethos is evident on every page.

And no, one book can NEVER have too many goat pictures.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chronicle Books, Tamara Hicks, and Jessica MacLeod for the privilege of receiving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feasts on the Farm includes 60 seasonal recipes from Tomales Farmstead Creamery in California. The dairy is made from sheep and goat milk so the book includes lots of cute animal pictures. The photographs of the farm and the food are beautiful. I didn't really see many recipes I wanted to try and obviously the dairy in all the recipes are their specific cheeses - while you may find a comparable substitute, not having tasted their cheese it would be hard to know if your version compared with theirs. Overall, a beautiful cookbook but just not tons of recipes I want to try.

[Danielle Deavours · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cookbook overall. It provided some unique perspectives of farm to table food from farmers. The photography is beautiful. I liked the variety and types of recipes. However some ingredients would be challenging to find in urban areas and the forward or explanation part is very long (45ish pages). Overall I enjoyed the focus on fresh and unique ideas.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Wesley N · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photos in this book were amazing, and made me want a pet goat!
Even though I found the book beautiful and understood that the recipes were separated by season, I wish this was addressed a little more directly. Maybe, a separating page that said the season in big print and then dove into the different courses.
I do appreciate a cookbook where I feel I have the skills to make the recipes, this was one of those cook books. Even though some ingredients are more rare, they provided substitutions for many of them.
I tested a recipe today of the Apple and Marmalade Grilled cheese which is everything I would want in a grilled cheese. This is a cookbook I would definitely look at buying this cookbook.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free
ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

[Aftan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the farm-to-table offerings of this cookbook! The food presented is sustainable, and the author proves to be knowledgeable in the ingredients they are writing about. The recipes themselves are practical and approachable for anyone who is looking to eat more locally. It's also beautifully presented with great photos and illustrations.

I will say, these recipes are not made for someone who is new to the kitchen. They can be a bit on the detailed side and not written for a novice

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feasts on the Farm focuses on sustainable agriculture and making seasonal recipes that shine through these approaches. The Sections are SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, and WINTER. Each season includes seasonal recipes to start, mains, and sweets. Each recipe has a recipe blurb, servings, ingredients, and directions. Most but not all recipes include a photograph of the dish.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The recipes are broken down by seasons and then by starters, mains and sweets. But my favorite part was the stories and details of life on the farm.

I’m rating this a 4 (4.5 if I had the option) because some of the ingredients will be harder to find in certain areas also I wish there were more pictures because the ones included are wonderful.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures of the almost idyllic life on the farm. The recipes are centered on their farm-made cheese, but tell you what to look for if you can't access theirs. The recipes are well written and use common, whole foods which lends to the feel of healthy hearty eating. Well done and who doesn't love goats!

[Grumpy Bear Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

The recipes are so tasty and wholesome, even the ones containing meat can be tweaked easily for a vegetarian like me.

Absolutely recommend.

Thank you to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for an eARC.

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book full of beautiful imagery, tasty and nutritious recipes, farm life snippets and lots of knowledgeable write-ups on sustainability.

Thanks Netgalley and Chronicle Books for giving me an ARC of this book to view!

[Kristen Barenthaler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The recipes look delicious and easy (if you have a seasonal farm), but the adorable pictures of goats really caught my attention.