Culinary & Garden
Chalk Hill boasts a long history of agricultural pioneering. For more than a century, our land has been an important producer of gourmet produce, meats, poultry and wine. Our culinary program is a natural extension our agricultural heritage. Our extensive organic gardens provide our Estate Executive Chef with a bounty of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables including many heritage varieties – that are used in specially-created dishes designed to showcase our wines
Our Garden
The Chalk Hill Estate Culinary Garden provides a bounty of produce which is transformed into of-the-moment, wine-friendly creations by our Estate Chef. The garden features antique specimens and heirloom cultivars, all grown with 100% organic farming principles. This organic garden has a brood of hens that provide daily clutches of eggs (as well as freely ranging to help rid the garden of “tasty” pests by scratching for slugs and grubs). Beehives assist with pollination and provide occasional tastes of site-specific, Chalk Hill honey.
Much of the produce from the Chalk Hill Culinary Garden are the ingredients used by the highly-acclaimed, small-plate restaurant Chalkboard Healdsburg. Chef Shane McAnelly works closely with Brad Agerter, the Chalk Hill gardener, to grow organic produce and herbs for the restaurant. The garden supplies a long list of seasonal ingredients that are fresh-picked and delivered to the restaurant daily, including baby artichokes, fava beans, beets, squash, arugula, Meyer lemon, all types of herbs and heirloom tomatoes. All items grown at Chalk Hill are specifically identified on the menu in the restaurant.
