About 10,000 years ago, humans discovered how to domesticate animals and plants; we realized that storing food would be more efficient than constantly hunting and gathering berries.

Back then, it was easy to see the connection between growing and producing food.

Today, Gabriele Marewski, owner of Paradise Farms, wants to make it just as easy, even though many of us have never seen a cow milked or corn picked.

This week, she staged a gourmet dinner at her farm just outside of Homestead that showed how delicious locally grown foods can be, from pan roasted fish to eggplant caponata.

Miami chef du jour Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink put the final touches on a soldout, four-course meal that attracted food fans from as far as California and Minnesota.

It was hosted by Outstanding in the Field, a West Coast group devoted to connecting diners and farmers.

Schwartz and Marewski will continue the tradition when they launch their fourth season of the Dinner in Paradise series on Dec. 14.

Four years ago, Marewski heard about Outstanding in the Field hosting farm dinners all over the United States.

Marewski decided to host her own farm dinners. Her ''Dinners in Paradise'' featured menus of self-grown organic food. Because it is organic, the produce from Marewski's farm is allowed to fully ripen. Since she does not ship, she said it is not watered-down and has a much fuller flavor.

Schwartz, owner of one of Miami's top restaurants, served as the chef for the first Dinner in Paradise.

The net proceeds went to help organic farmers in Louisiana, who had been hurt by Hurricane Katrina.

Every year since, the money raised has been donated to a different nonprofit organization.

''The diners get a tour of the farm,'' Marewski said, ``and by the end of the farm dinner, everyone completely understands all the work that is put into preparing their food, from planting and growing to cooking and serving it. Paradise Farms, for example, grows everything by hand.''

In addition to the dinner starting in December, Paradise Farms will be a location for the 2009 Wine and Food Festival in February.

''The chefs for the festival are the best in the country and know how to be creative with the food without having to plan the menu months in advance,'' Marewski said.

This is important, because the chefs will have to base their menus around what is in season on Marewski's farm.

Marewski's farm dinners promote the importance of knowing what goes into the food we eat and helps support local organic farmers.

She said it also helps reduce our carbon footprint by not shipping to faraway places.

For more information on Marewski's Paradise Farms, visit her website at www.paradisefarms.net.

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