Hilton Orlando proves their food is truly farm fresh with a visit to Lake Meadow Naturals

Orlando farm to restaurant 4

The Hilton Orlando recently invited us to take a tour of Lake Meadow Naturals farm in nearby Ocoee, Fla. The reason for the visit? To put their money where their mouth is. It’s easy for a restaurant to say their food is farm fresh. It’s another to actually prove it.

Orlando farm to restaurant 1 Lake Meadow Naturals provides many local restaurants with sustainable natural foods that are free of pesticides and additives. With society being more and more health conscious, it’s becoming popular for restaurants to seek out sustainable and local healthy foods.


Orlando farm to restaurant 2 Executive Chef Louis Martorano helps with the menus at many Hilton hotels and of course at Hilton Orlando’s conventions and restaurants, including their signature spot, Spencer’s Steak and Chops. The level of service and quality of food is very important to Chef Louis and his staff.


Orlando farm to restaurant 3 Our tour was led by Farmer Dale Volkert. He and his partner not only run the farm, but they live there too.


Orlando farm to restaurant 17 A view of the farm from the residence.


Orlando farm to restaurant 6 A look at some newly hatched guineafowl chicks. They keep them on the farm because they love to eat insects, so they’re a natural form of pest control. Lake Meadow Naturals is primarily an egg farm although they do raise turkeys and chickens for their meat. But no killing is done on the farm. All of their animals are shipped other places for processing and all of the animals are raised naturally and cruelty-free.


Orlando farm to restaurant 10 As you can see, all the hens are cage free.


Orlando farm to restaurant 11 And they’re very curious about new visitors.


Orlando farm to restaurant 12 The hens don’t even have to stay in the barn. They have a large field to roam around in, mixed in with other farm animals, including a donkey, who helps keep the wild coyotes away.


Orlando farm to restaurant 5 Everything has to be natural at the farm. Even the feed is locally ground with no fillers and their egg cartons are produced locally from recycled Orlando newsprint.


Orlando farm to restaurant 7 All of the different types of eggs are sorted and marked, noting their expected hatch date.


Orlando farm to restaurant 8 A light is used to see inside the eggs and check on their hatching progress.


Orlando farm to restaurant 9 The unfertilized eggs are sorted and packed, ready for your next omelet at the Hilton Orlando.


Orlando farm to restaurant 13 This coop is for their many exotic birds.


Orlando farm to restaurant 14 You can even buy green eggs at Lake Meadow Naturals farm.


Orlando farm to restaurant 15 Another local food made and sold at the farm is fresh honey.


Orlando farm to restaurant 16 Unfortunately many dairy farms destroy male cows as soon as they’re born. Lake Meadow Naturals rescued this calf from being killed.


The farm is open to the public Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Their Farm Store offers cage free chicken and duck eggs, grass fed beef, grass fed goat, berkshire pork, honey, fresh herbs and more. Tours are also available. For more information, visit lakemeadownaturals.com.

For more information on the Hilton Orlando and their dining options, visit thehiltonorlando.com.

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