Winvian touts itself as a resort experience like no other. Nestled in the heart of the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, the 113-acre property is an oasis of nature and serenity that was created especially to recharge and indulge the senses in a unique way.

The resort features 18 cottages that represent the “apogee of whimsical luxury and affords our guests to the opportunity to experience the unexpected — a night in a tree-house, a stable or a musical conservatory — while being pampered in every way,” according to its promotional materials. Complementing its lodgings are the world-class spa and restaurant. It’s also a favorite venue for special events, including weddings and other celebrations.

Such a special place requires a special executive chef, and Winvian has exactly that in Chris Eddy. Not only is he responsible for food procurement and preparation for guests in the restaurant and all other events held at the resort, but he is a staunch advocate of the environment, sustainability and fresh organic produce. To ensure that what reaches his kitchen sets a prime example of his advocacies, he grows the majority of the produce served at Winvian seven days a week, 52-weeks a year.

Paolo Middei is the general manager of Winvian. He said the American Automobile Association Five-Diamond-rated resort has 18 cottages and one suite.

“We also have a board room for meetings and conferences, an outside terrace and meeting areas that are perfect for breakouts,” said Middei. “Chef Eddy has been with the resort since before it was officially opened. Margaret Smith began building the property in 2001, but Winvian did not open until 2007.”

Eddy is responsible for the resorts entire food program, and he oversees the care of the one-acre organic garden on the property and the additional two acres of organic gardens nearby.

What isn’t Eddy producing on his three acres of organic gardens? He chuckled at the question.

“I have easily 200 different species of vegetables, and five or six cultivars in each,” explained Eddy. “The diversity is due to the nature of growing organically. We always have to have a backup in case there is a plant issue that is affecting one of the cultivars. For example, I have six varieties of zucchini growing, and if one has a plant issue, we have the others to back us up.”

This is, of course, highly inspirational. However, it is Connecticut where the average winter temperatures linger in the 30s as a high, and the late fall and early spring temperatures are in the 40s. But Eddy is as creative as he is tenacious.

“We are able to fork through the cold season,” he said. “Even when everything is growing and germinated, we still have the lack of daylight to deal with, but with the proper care and treatment, the leafy greens we produce in the winter months are the most wonderful quality.

“Winvian is as popular a winter resort as it is during other seasons for activities such as snowshoeing and cooking classes, and so the demand for a full line of fresh produce is strong year-round,” he continued. “We are extremely seasonal and our menu changes daily. This helps us to ensure that every item we serve is produced organically. The majority of the fresh vegetables we serve are grown in our own gardens, and we source from some local organic farms. Our ‘shtick’ is to give our guests only top-quality food, and the only way to feel super-comfortable knowing we’re doing that is for me to know precisely where and how it is produced.”

Surprisingly, Eddy is even able to produce sweet potatoes in a tunnel growing system. And he sees a future that holds an amazing ability to grow more indoors in the Northeast. He is currently working with Eliot Coleman, a partner with Barbara Damrosch at Four Season Farm in Cape Rosier in Penobscot Bay, ME. Coleman and Damrosch have been included in numerous magazines and newspapers for their advocacy and innovations in sustainable, environmentally sound and organic gardening. Coleman is also the author of several books on the topics, including “The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses” [Chelsea Green, 2009].

“Eliot has us started on a program using zero energy,” said Eddy. “We’re growing spinach, mache, kale, scallions and even parsley. Our goal is to increase production of categories and varietals year-round in the Northeast without the use of energy. We are tremendously excited about this highly promising prospect.”

Eddy also noted Riverbank Farm in Roxbury, CT. The farm produces organic vegetables and cut flowers, and it stores beets, carrots, potatoes, squashes and more that Eddy takes advantage of throughout the winter.

But he is also a realist and knows that in February and March, fresh produce in Connecticut can hit a lull. He uses what he’s growing in his organic greenhouses, but at some point he may have to splurge and use a distributor. But his commitment to sustainability, organics and the environment is so solidly rooted that he’s very careful about his sources.

His interest in these issues began on a personal level. He said he always knew that he wanted to work with foods that were healthy for him, and he figured that he could transpose that to the people he was cooking for. Now, at age 43, he has accomplished that and more.

“On a political level, I have always been interested in the commercialism of today’s food production,” he said. “As a chef, I am a steward of the land, and my entire existence is about producing the highest quality foods and creating beautiful and delicious presentations of those foods.”

He lives up to these words through his involvement with organizations, including the Organic Consumers Association, an online and grassroots non-profit public interest organization campaigning for health, justice and sustainability.

He also serves on the GMO FREE CT, which only recently was the first state legislature in the nation to pass a law requiring the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms. He is also an active member of the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association, and will be conducting a workshop at the CT NOFA Winter Conference next March in Wilton, CT.

“The longevity of the food supply in this country is based on what we are doing today, and our goals for the future,” said Eddy. “Being supportive of local agriculture is paramount to a future of healthy foods. In the world’s eyes, Americans have lost a lot of integrity because of how we produce and serve food. There is a food and agriculture renaissance happening now, and that’s helping to restore the integrity. But it’s a direction that we have to stay firmly headed toward in the future.

“As restaurateurs, we don’t often recognize the significant impact that we can have on food policies,” he continued. “But we have immense buying power, and that ties directly into the local economy due to all of the ancillary businesses that it impacts: farmers, technicians, transportation firms and so many others. All of this money being funneled through the local economy, and the added benefit of the healthiest-possible food supply, is the ideal situation.”