It's the kind of video that makes you hungry. In it, Chef Kean McCabe of Earth and Oven catering dices, chops, and smashes several produce items–from pungent garlic to beautifully colored red and white radishes to soft purple potatoes. As a cooking sound-forward video, the noises of him working as he chops up Romanesco or squeezes lemons are hard to miss and it's only near the end McCabe narrates the recipe–in this case, Seared Romanesco with Purple Ninja Radish-Apple Salsa & smashed Potatoes–coming together for viewers.
© Babe FarmsThe videos with McCabe came together after the company first invited the caterer last year to participate in its Farm Day event.
It's the kind of video that Babé Farms, who collaborated with McCabe to showcase not only its Romanesco but many produce items, is doing more and more as part of its modern marketing strategy. "Social media algorithms don't prioritize still photos as much anymore, so we've really leaned into doing more videos or reels because those tend to get more engagement," says Matt Hiltner of Babé Farms, Inc. "However, we collaborate with many talented photographers and continue to utilize static posts on social media—they're a great way to build a content library and keep assets readily available. Since videos require more planning, we've found that both formats have their place in our social media strategy."
For Babé Farms, the videos with McCabe came together after it first invited the caterer last year to participate in the company's Farm Day event, one that's hosted annually by SEEAG and has been held in Santa Barbara County since 2019. While the event, which features multiple growers and agricultural companies, involves tours and activities, Babé Farms generally does a pop-up farm stand. It thought that McCabe and his wood-fired pizza oven would be a great way to feature veggies on pizzas as part of the event.
That led to the company's first video collaboration with McCabe last summer for its specialty item, Pink Rhône™ Little Gem lettuce. "We wanted to go the extra mile in promoting this item because we were genuinely excited about it," says Hiltner. "So, we asked Kean to put his own spin on a dish featuring it. Pink Rhône was brand-new at the time, and since we had no existing content, this became a great opportunity to create some."
Focus on Romanesco
More recently, the company just started its South Baja growing season for Romanesco (an item that it grows in Santa Maria for the other half of the season). So, it turned to McCabe again to create a fresh, seasonal Romanesco recipe video going into spring.
So what has the company learned along the way about what makes a good video? "For our Instagram recipe reels, we typically keep them voice-free, focusing instead on visually demonstrating each step from multiple angles," says Hiltner. "When featuring a chef, it's important to go beyond just showing hands. With Chef Kean, we make sure to get him on screen because his personality and sense of humor shine through in a big way. Plus, he's incredibly comfortable in front of the camera."
© Babe FarmsSeared Romanesco with Purple Ninja Radish-Apple Salsa & smashed Potatoes.
There has also been some trial and error along the way. "We learned it's good to have really quick cuts and to keep the video under a minute," says Hiltner. "The shorter the better in an effort to keep our audience engaged."
For more information:
Matt Hiltner
Babé Farms, Inc.
Tel.: +1 (805) 925-4144
matt@babefarms.com
www.babefarms