Hi, I’m Erin and today we take a look back at our first farm to table dinner on Our Wyoming Life
Early this spring when there was still snow on the ground and I didn’t have much going
on I thought it would be fun to host a farm to table dinner.
This is a problem that I have when boredom sets in the winter.
I plan more work for myself that falls in the summertime and somehow think I will have
time to do it all.
Last fall I became aware of what the farm to table dinner concept was and I was intrigued
but I honestly thought it was something we could never pull off here on the ranch, and
even if we could, I thought it would be something that would happen 2 or 3 years down the road.
A farm to table dinner is a meal prepared on site with ingredients sourced from on that
farm and other local producers.
In the early months of spring, myself and my other farmers market manager Megan, were
discussing fund raising options for our local Saturday farmers market.
We have existing programs in the market we wanted to expand and new programs we wanted
to launch but we needed money.
We had applied for a local grant but unfortunately we didn’t get it.
We started looking at different fund raising ideas and this idea of the farm to table dinner
kept popping up in my head.
As soon as I mentioned it, all other fund raising ideas went out the window and we went
to work making the dinner happen.
A date was set for a Sunday evening at the end of august.
Our first big hurdle was finding a caterer who would work with fresh local ingredients.
Pizza Carrello was my first choice.
A few years ago Pizza Carrello started as a food truck with a mobile wood fired oven,
their pizza was to die for and from the beginning their creativity as chefs has always shown
through.
We had our first meeting about the farm to table dinner in May and they were 100 percent
on board and I left feeling that we could actually accomplish this.
With the caterers nailed down, I now had to grow what I said I could.
I spent weeks and months, not only growing for our customers at farmers market but also
in the back of my mind making sure we had what we need for this dinner, still months
away.
I spent plenty of nights, praying it wouldn’t hail, or rain too hard and wash away my seed.
Kale had to be reseeded due to poor germination and it almost wasn’t mature enough to harvest.
Onions and some zucchini had to be sourced from another local farmer as well as a few
other items.
But at the end of the day everything that was served that night was local and that was
the whole goal of the event.
We decided to sell 65 tickets.
65 seats is what we could fit in the shop.
After some low budget advertising and inviting all of our friends and market customers we
were able to sell 62 tickets.
The week of the event over 150 pounds of veggies were delivered Pizza Carrello as well as several
brisket and pork shoulder roast that was raised right here on the ranch.
That Sunday morning the day started with the sun and weeds had to be pulled in the garden
and tables and chairs needed set up.
Flowers needed arranged and the chicken house needed cleaned.
Friends and neighbors pitched in to get the job done.
That afternoon everything came together and guests started arriving.
They were greeted by Megan, our market manager and her husband and their first taste of local
food was delicious and salty kale chips.
A glass of Wyoming beer and Wyoming wine was handed out and guests made their way to look
at the gardens, high tunnel and our new orchard.
The bottle calves, baby pigs and chickens were also available for everyone to see.
At about 5:00 it was time for the first course.
Zucchini roulades with local cheese made from fresh cow milk set the tone and they were
to die for.
The next course was a surprise and not something that we had planned on.
Garden soup in a bread bowl.
As Pizza Carrello was cooking they mad scientisted together this amazing, creamy soup from all
kinds of veggies.
The chef said it could probably never be recreated again and it was honestly my favorite thing
that I ate all night.
It was so good I even ate the bowl.
The main course was meat with a side of meat with a side of veggies with a side of slaw.
Beer braised brisket and herb covered pork shoulder roast were the star of the plate.
The veggies were also not to be overlooked.
Roasted in the wood fired oven they were caramelized and tender.
Root vegetables like beets, golden beets, fennel, onions, potatoes and carrots were
drizzled with a honey thyme glaze that highlighted their natural sweetness.
The chokecherry, apple and pear slaw that was also served was acidic and crunchy and
cut through the richness of the brisket and pork to balance the plate out and kept you
coming back for another bite.
By the end of the main course everyone in attendance was full.
Ridiculously full but there was still dessert.
Rhubarb and Chokecherry sorbet finished the meal along with a honey cookie.
The sorbet was light and tart and a perfect way to end the meal.
As dessert was being finished it was time to highlight Our Wyoming Life.
Mike and I premiered our new trailer that we had worked on over the last couple weeks,
often very late at night.
We are so very proud of it and it was such an enjoyable experience to watch people watching
the new trailer.
It was received with a round of applause and some ooo’s and ahh’s throughout the video.
As everyone started leaving Mike and I said our goodbye’s to our guests and they left
happy and full.
Comments about the food ranged from outstanding to the best meal they had ever eaten.
The gardens were enjoyed and questions were asked and answered.
The pigs were petted and fed veggie scraps as clean up began and ended.
When Mike and I could take a breath again I think we were both in amazement that the
evening went so well.
After months of worrying I could finally relax.
Until next year.
The date is already set.
The whole evening was a team effort.
Mike and I didn’t do it all on our own.
Many thanks to everyone involved are in order.
Megan, Steve, Hannah, Clay, Sam and countless others worked on this to make it happen.
Our neighbors all pitched in and helped make the ranch shine.
My mom allowed all of this craziness to happen on the ranch.
Pizza Carrello’s Rachel and Arianne deserve a standing ovation as well as all of their
staff that worked so hard on creating such superb meal. Also thank you to
the guests that came and supported local food and helped us raise money for our local farmers’
market, our hats are off to you.
Planning for next year is already happening and Megan and I have big ideas.
I feel that we have set the bar really high and I hope we can out do our selves again
next year.
Now we’re back to real life.
Market season still has 5 weeks to go.
We have a winter market to launch also.
Winter veggies need planted and summer veggies will need finished and cleaned up.
And I hope you’ll be there for all of it.
Thanks for joining me in Our Wyoming Life.