Chris Isbell loves experimenting on his rice farm in England, Arkansas. That curiosity has made Isbell Farms one of the most essential producers of sake rice in the US.
"I like different things," Isbell says. "I'm passionately curious, and this satisfies that curiosity. Sometimes you're successful, and sometimes you're not. But we were successful."
The desire to do things a little differently started with Isbell's dad, Leroy. The farm has been around since the 1800s, but Leroy planted the first rice crop in the late 1940s. In the early 1990s, the farm started growing a type of sushi rice called Koshihikari, which many thought couldn't be produced outside of Japan, Isbell says. The move garnered a lot of buzz from Japanese media.
Isbell then planted an "experimental plot" to try growing dozens of other Japanese rice varieties and found success with sake rice. They sold some of their first sake rice to Takara Sake USA.
Today, Isbell Farms produces four types of sake rice: Yamada Nishiki, Omachi, Wataribune, and Gohakumangoku. It now comprises about 10 percent of the farm's 3,500 acres.
Denne historien er fra Summer 2023-utgaven av The Local Palate.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Summer 2023-utgaven av The Local Palate.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Fit for a King
Tupelo beckons with great bites and beverages, plus plenty of Elvis lore
Spring Forward
In a city as diverse as Houston, whatever you crave is on the plate—sometimes in the most surprising places
Dine and Dash
Small-town charm meets urban dining and culture in southern Kentucky
In With the Old and the New
This popular DC neighborhood keeps its historic charm while offering an increasingly diverse and eclectic food scene
SOAKING IT UP
A nourishing 48-hour retreat awaits in Bath County, Virginia
time TRAVEL
Retracing memories on a family road trip from Alabama to Tennessee
Eat Your Way from Little Rock to New Orleans
A seven-hour, food-fueled trip from one state capital to another has no shortage of great stops along the way. Just make sure to drive hungry.
A GIN-SOAKED JOURNEY
The Sunshine State is making a splash with craft distilleries
CHOOSE YOUR OWN (MOUNTAIN) ADVENTURE
In Jackson County, you'll find scenic getaways for families, couples, and solo travelers alike
Island Days
Explore the land of seafood, Spanish moss, and sunsets in Jekyll Island, Georgia