Deep Roots

Morrison Living Sources Farm to Table

In the heart of the Midwest, nestled by open land and farm acreage lies Riverside Senior Life. For many Riverside residents, farming is more than just a passion – at one point in their lives, it was their career. So naturally, the urge to continue life's passions by growing and sustaining crops is common there. That zeal, coupled with a love for fresh produce and the need for multisensory activities, led to the creation of Riverside’s very first community garden.

From vegetables to fresh flowers and herbs, Riverside’s community garden has all the fresh produce needed for the talented culinarians to deliver state-of-the-art, farm-to-table experiences. What began as a hobby for residents has morphed into the opportunity for Morrison Living Executive Chef Carlos Chagoya to challenge the limits of his culinary creativity.

“The garden has allowed me to bring color and variety to life! Yellow, green, red – all of my dishes are beautifully hued, and the herbs create an unbelievable aroma.” Chef Carlos and resident garden caretakers take great pride in seeing the community enjoy the literal fruits of their labor.

While the garden may be considered small compared to the farms residents grew up on, it’s impact has proven to be meaningful, providing residents the space, resources and opportunities for a passionate continuation of planting and harvesting. It’s also sparked a vested interest in eating local, reducing food waste and increasing recycling efforts within the community. The seasoned gardeners have even teamed up with the local 4H children's club to plant trees every year on Earth Day.

At Riverside Senior Life, residents wake up every day with the opportunity to garden and reap the rewards of their harvest with fresh, farm-to-table meals prepared by Morrison Living chefs. They’re all in agreement – ripe life is the best.