Riot in the Pasture, a local farm-to-fork dinner was held last Sunday at Hoffner Organic Farm in western Rowan County. The event, hosted by Bread Riot, a non-profit local food advocacy group, drew more than 300 people. The local foods feast featured products from Rowan and surrounding counties; also available was wine from Morgan Ridge and Cauble Creek Vineyards. Pisgah Brewing Company came from Asheville to bring beer brewed with barley from the Hoffner farm.
Entertainment was provided by returning headliner No. 9 Coal, and The Dionne Hodges Murphy Trio and Dave Meyers Band. Dinner was prepared by Sweet Meadow Café and Cooper’s: A Gathering Place.
Ingredients for the meal came from Correll Farms, Bame Farms, Sandy Creek Farm, Eagle Farm, Wetmore Farm, Fisher Farms, Holton Hollow Farm, Maple View Farms, Hoffner Organic Farm, T&D Charolais, Bostian Farm, Homeland Dairy, and Wild Turkey Farms.
Children romped on freshly-baled hay, made seed bombs and delighted in balloon figures made from compostable balloons. Hay rides around the farm were full all afternoon, and farmers and producers were on site with goods for sale from Rowan and surrounding counties.
Next year’s Riot in the Pasture is set for May 19.
Up next for Bread Riot will be share purchases of beef and pork. Bread Riot is currently taking reservations for a pork bulk meat purchase from Bame Farms with distribution in June, and a beef bulk purchase from T&D Charolais in August. Keep an eye out for details on a progressive dinner with an educational angle in September in downtown Salisbury, and join Bread Riot and Catawba Center for the Environment on Oct. 25 for a movie screening and panel discussion. Bread Riot will also be bringing back Winter Harvest, a popular CSA program that runs for 20 weeks between November and March. Shares can be reserved beginning in October.
Go to www.breadriot.org to sign up for email notification of upcoming programs.