If you’re a fan and supporter of local farms and foods, you don’t want to miss the upcoming Farm to Fork weekend (June 2 – 4)! Sponsored by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), Breeze Farm and the NC Agricultural Foundation, Farm to Fork is focused on raising money to fund farmer apprentices and internships. North Carolina has lost more than 40,000 farms over the past 20 years but that trend is slowly starting to turn around! By attending this event, you’ll help support sustainable farming in the state.
Farm to Fork consists of multiple foodie events sponsored by the chefs and teams from some great local restaurants. Pizzeria Toro, Garland, 18 Seaboard, Dashi, Fullsteam Brewery and a lot more! You can choose from a sustainable dinner at Market Hall in Raleigh or the 10th annual Farm to Fork Picnic at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro! This showcase event will feature up to 35 chefs and was chosen as one of the best “ All-You-Can-Eat Feasts” by Bon Appetit. Details are below but don’t wait to purchase your ticket!
June 2 – Farm to Fork Sustainable Dinner at Market Hall, Raleigh ($35 for adults)
Join us for an inspiring and family friendly evening at historic Market Hall in downtown Raleigh’s City Market. Our special guest speaker is culinary historian Michael W. Twitty, whose book, The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South, will be published in August 2017. Since he launched his Southern Discomfort research project in North Carolina in 2012, Twitty has been on a personal mission to prepare, preserve and promote African American foodways and its parent traditions in Africa through both its diaspora and its profound legacy in the food culture of the American South.
Twitty’s talk will be followed by a delicious, sustainable dinner prepared by leading Triangle chefs. To date, confirmed participants include: Billy Kotter of Dashi and Gray Brooks of Pizzeria Toro, both in Durham; Vimala Rajendran of Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe in Chapel Hill; Isaiah Allen of The Eddy Pub in Saxapahaw; and Jason Smith of 18 Seaboard, Cheetie Kumar of Garland and Jesse Bardyn & Jeff Seizer of the new Bistro Royale, all located in Raleigh. Among the featured beverages will be Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, Trophy Brewing in Raleigh, TOPO Distillery in Chapel Hill and Haw River Wine Man of Burlington. Dessert will be provided by Ali Rudel of East Durham Pie Company and ice cream from Howling Cow Creamery at N.C. State University and Maple View Farm courtesy of Treat at City Market.
Live music will be provided by local acoustic band The Guilty Pleasures , whose song list is steeped in North Carolina’s strong musical tradition. Kids will enjoy the antics of our costumed Dancing Vegetables.