Just a few short minutes from the hustle and bustle of Brookings is a hidden destination bringing farm fresh ingredients and creative spins to an American classic. Good Roots Farm and Gardens started having Pizza Nights a few years ago, looking to give surrounding residents a fun place to hang out and eat ingredients straight from the garden. Owners Bill and Julie Ross never believed what started as a humble hobby would become a local craving. About 200 people are flocking to the farm every Sunday for this one of a kind experience.
Come with me and experience a night at Good Roots. From pre-order to a pizza review we have all the ins and outs of what can be expected when spending your Sunday at the farm.
Pre-Order
Good Roots Farm and Gardens does not require you to pre-order, but it is highly encouraged so they can prepare themselves accordingly. Making such fresh and unique menu items has been known to take some time and effort, which can lead to longer waiting periods. They have solved this by creating an online ordering option which allows customers to go in and order their food before getting to the garden. Choosing when you want to eat and not having to wait in line to order seems like a win-win to me. Here is how it works.
First head to their website www.goodrootsfarmandgardens.com/pizza. Take some time to read the story of how this came to be and how they took a leap of faith to make this happen. As you scroll down you will see a gray rectangle box which reads, “Place Your Order” this will take you to the ordering page. This page will automatically fill in your pick-up time as 4:30. To change the pick up time, click on the green box and choose your desired pick-up window. Once you have chosen the time you would like to eat, you will want to pick out what you are going to eat.
The menu for Pizza Night does change very often depending on the produce they grow and the availability of locally sourced foods. This week’s six options were Pepperoni, Are We Cheesy Enough? (Cheese), Feisty Chicken, Summer Sweet Corn, Garden Surprise and Aronia Rhubarb Dessert. We went ahead and ordered the Summer Sweet Corn and chose our pickup time as 5:45. After you are satisfied with your cart, you simply check out and insert some general information so they can give you updates when you pizza is ready. They took my phone number and I received a text confirming my order within seconds of placing it.
What You Need For The Night
One thing to remember is when you go to the Good Roots farm, you are going to the farm. They provide the pizza and it is up to you to supply the rest. Here is the ultimate packing to make sure you do not forget anything.
Once You’re There
When you drive into the farm they have signage directing you on where to park. Make your way to the red barn and pick a place to spend the night. On Pizza Nights, Good Roots has acoustic music playing and casual lighting for when the sun starts to set. There is no bad spot to sit. You can sit closer to the pizza oven or on the other side by the grape vines. There is never a dull moment with as many activities they have available for everyone to do while on the property.
You’ll need to stay hydrated during the night. Inside their refinished red barn they have a small bar set up to serve different drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. One option with local flair was lemonade with aronia juice. Aronia is full of antioxidants and grows very well in the Midwest. Although it is non-alcoholic this particular aronia juice is from a local winery, Schade Winery & Vineyard.
Visit some fun farm friends when you arrive. The happy goat farm is full of the happiest goats on Earth. If you are lucky Farmer Bill will be able to help you feed the goats. They love visitors and come running once they see you. On the other side of the grounds, is a pasture full of friendly sheep. Good Roots also has hand sanitizer out to keep you and your family clean.
Outdoor games are a must to keep all ages entertained. Play cornhole or get a small team together to play baseball using the play bases and a wiffle ball bat. You will usually find all the little ones running around this area playing with one thing and on to the next.
A special addition we got to experience were the wildflowers and grape plants. This past summer, Good Roots hosted a few Prairie Learning Academy Nature Camps. At these camps they planted both and now the farm has an abundance. You are allowed to bring your own bags or vases and collect as many grapes or flowers as you would like.
If you pre-order your pizza it will be ready around the time you order it for, and they will either bring it out to you or you can go check on it and grab it yourself. There is no rush to get there super early or to leave as soon as you finish your pizza. Bill and Julie have opened up their farm for you to just come and experience it without making it stressful and a lot of work.
Pizza Review
Summer Sweet Corn – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have never had a bad experience at the Farm, but this pizza was by far my favorite. I would never think looking at the ingredients it would make a great pizza, but you should never knock something until you try it because this knocked my socks off. When ordering this pizza, I did have the option for thin & crispy, cauliflower or rustic crust. I chose the rustic crust and I am so glad I did. It was cooked perfectly, still soft to taste the freshness, but just the crispiness you are looking for in a pizza. I highly recommend any pizza they sell with the white sauce. I am sure their red sauce pizzas made with fresh garden tomatoes are amazing, but I have not had a white sauce pizza this good before. The pizza had South Dakota corn, sausage, garden-fresh onion, and sun-dried tomatoes. None of the toppings overpowered the others and they worked together very well.
Overall, this pizza was an A+ in my book. Order one for yourself and let us know what you think!
GOOD ROOTS FARM AND GARDENS
Wood-fired Pizza Nights 4:30-7:30, every Sunday, June-October. Tune into their social media for current menus, updates, and schedule changes.
Facebook: @goodrootsfarmandgardens Instagram: @goodrootsfarm
Website:goodrootsfarmandgardens.com
Address: 3712 Medary Ave, Brookings, SD 57006
Phone: 605-691-9291
