Half Pint Farm To Supply Local Pineapples to Carburs Restaurant in Burlington

BURLINGTON – In an exciting new partnership that has many locals watering at the mouth, Half Pint Farm has agreed to begin supplying locally grown pineapples to Carburs restaurant in Burlington for use in seasonal salads, fruit desserts, and as the signature topping of their new Hawaiian-themed “You’re Welcome” burger.

“We’re so excited about this partnership,” said Half Pint Farm owner Mara Welton. “Farming is an industry that just keeps taking hit after hit, so we’re forced to come up with creative new ways to remain sustainable. Something that has worked for us recently is, instead of selling actual produce, to sell the naming rights to produce. You’ve probably heard about our success partnering with Ri-Ra on Church St. We haven’t harvested a tomato in forever, but on their menu it proudly says Half Pint Farms Heirloom Tomatoes. They pay us a monthly fee, we let them use our name, and diners feel like they’re getting something local, even if it’s really from Mexico. This is just the next natural step forward for us.”

Welton says that supplying vendors with non-existent food was only the start, and that they will now be supplying food that they never could have grown to restaurants that also do not exist. Carburs closed its doors for the last time in 2002, and will now be offering a new menu that consists entirely of imaginary foods. Locally-sourced organic Vermont pineapples are only one of the many spurious menu choices that customers will be able to not sample. Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne plans to offer grass-fed crocodile meat to Carburs for the “Paul Hogan” burger, and Pitchfork Farm will be sending along as much rice as they can possibly not grow in their fictional rice paddy.

The initiative has been a strong financial success for Half Pint Farm, with costs very low and returns high. Welton says once their contract with Ri-Ra runs out they plan to start licensing their hypothetical hydroponic tomatoes to Bove’s, which has shown aggressive interest in the program.

The Winooski reached out to Carburs for a comment on their new menu, but all they would say was “This is American Flatbread, how may I help you?”

Image Credits: Serene New England.