Tucked into 260 acres in the lush heart of Nebraska City, hidden like a cherished heirloom behind rows of apple tree orchards, the Timbers Restaurant is the culinary gem of Lied Lodge at Arbor Day Farm. A new menu rolled out in April, brimming with seasonal, mouthwatering dishes, farm-inspired fine dining, and locally sourced ingredients. Before a meal, work up your appetite hiking through Arbor Day Farm, or try a wine tasting before settling in for an unforgettable meal. Arbor Day Farm is connected to the larger mission of the Arbor Day Foundation, which declares that planting trees can change the world.
“Some people don’t realize we even exist,” says Rachel Hrabik, Marketing Manager at Arbor Day Farm. “Anytime someone steps on the property, they’re surprised at all there is to offer. People comment about how creative the menu is, even describing us as a scene from a Christmas movie.”
Imagine stepping into the setting of a Hallmark movie. Locals and visitors alike have whispered that Arbor Day Farm, Lied Lodge, and Timbers Restaurant are the perfect backdrop. The enchantment changes year-round, beginning with what’s on your plate.
Leading the culinary charge is Chef Garrett Kasper, who treats ingredients with the reverence of a fine artist choosing just the right paint for his canvas. Chef Kasper doesn’t just create unexpected flavor pairings; he sees the soul of the ingredients from the land to the plate.
“There’s nothing else around that offers this kind of experience,” says Kasper. “Our goal is a full circle approach—the farm, the ingredients from where it’s sourced, served on a local plate.”
Dinner may start with popcorn rolls and truffle butter or ricotta toast with herbed focaccia, whipped ricotta, crispy artichokes, and peach. Maybe your taste buds crave the tomato and watermelon starter, or the new shortbread dish, or chicken parmesan with garden-fresh eggplant.
“The short rib dish focuses on the corn, some of our garden herbs, and a really nice organic white hominy grit,” Chef Kasper shares, always focused on the quality of ingredients. One of Kasper’s favorite menu items is creamed corn. His delightful take on the dish isn’t like Grandma’s casserole. It’s reimagined with a flavor-rich froth, highlighting the ingredient as simply corn, only better. Chef starts with seasonal sweet corn, steams it in the husk (to preserve the integrity of the kernel), then rolls it around in butter. The actual creamed part is a foamed texture, which he likens to whipped cream.
“When you’re eating it, it dissolves in your mouth really light, and you don’t feel heavy afterwards. It’s served in one of our custom pieces of China specifically named for that dish,” says Kasper.
Then there’s the tomato carpaccio, a flavor-packed nod to the classic BLT featuring a touch of pistachio and parmesan, toasted cheese, garden herbs, truffles, lemon oil, and balsamic reduction. “That’s going to be on the Library Lounge menu,” Kasper admits, which is a cocktail bar and lounge perfect for a casual dinner date or friends night out. “We’re going to pair it with imported burrata cheese and a little bit of grilled focaccia made in-house. Just something three or four people can sit around and have a couple of glasses of wine or beer, a cocktail, and just snack on it.”
The menu changes like the Nebraska breeze, reflecting whatever’s fresh, harvested just steps away from the kitchen. More than a place to eat, Timbers adds a little magic, starting with your plate, and a story you won’t forget.