SALISBURY — Eating local is easier than ever in Rowan County. Bread Riot, a local foods advocacy non-profit, will demonstrate the depth of flavor available in Rowan and surrounding counties at the fourth annual Riot in the Pasture. Don’t worry, the only riot gear required is a hearty appetite. This local food awareness event on Sunday, May 18, from 3 to 7 p.m., will feature a farm-to-fork buffet, consisting exclusively of locally procured ingredients.
This year, the event will be held again at Morgan Ridge Vineyard, 486 John Morgan Road, Gold Hill. In addition to the meal, there will be vineyard tours, children’s activities and live musical entertainment, headlined by No. 9 Coal. Ticket purchases are easy online at www.breadriot.org and select locations noted below.
While many farm-to-fork dinners are intimate affairs, Bread Riot’s signature event is a family-friendly, casual dining experience. The full course dinner will be prepared by Chef Jason Nain, who prepares the food at Morgan Ridge Vineyards. Chef Jason will prepare a menu based on availability of seasonal, fresh ingredients from area farms.
The Riot starts at 3 p.m. with tours of the vineyard, children’s activities and music. Select vendors will also be on hand throughout the afternoon to share their knowledge and offer local products for purchase beginning at 3 p.m. Local bands will entertain throughout the afternoon and dinner will be served at 5 p.m.
Vineyard owners Amie and Tommie Baudoin will be available to answer questions about the vineyard. Amie was raised on the land, but at the time it was a working farm. Morgan Ridge received the 2012 Winery of Excellence award from the NC Winegrowers Association.
The Morgan Ridge award-winning wines, as well as beer from their new foray into craft brewing will be for sale, as will adult beverages from New Sarum Brewery in Salisbury, and Fullsteam Brewery from the Triangle area (using hops made from barley grown here in Rowan County). Bring a chair or a blanket for seating. There is a covered pavilion for shade but if you prefer the warmth of the sun, don’t forget your hat.
A special thanks to lead sponsors for this year’s Riot in the Pasture, Integro Technologies, Alice & Fred Stanback, F&M Bank, Freirich Foods Inc., Fullsteam Brewery, New Sarum Brewery, Rowan County Tourism and Development Authority and Pottery 101.
Sponsor support allows ticket prices to be $25 per adult and $10 per child if purchased prior to the event. At the door, ticket prices are $35 per adult and $15 per child. There are a limited number of tickets, so buy early. Purchase tickets online at www.breadriot.org or at the following locations — Pottery 101 in Salisbury, Morgan Ridge Vineyard, Salisbury Rowan Visitors Center and at the Salisbury Farmer’s Market.
Bread Riot would also like to thank additional sponsors for the event, including Bank of NC, Organic Valley, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, Gavine Pitner, LandTrust for Central North Carolina, Rowan County Fair Association, Salisbury Rowan Farmer’s Market, Salisbury Pediatric Associates, Shaun and Capri Brixey, Urban Driftwood and Visual Joy Studios, as well as Will and Amy Goodnight, Dottie and Geof Hoy, Hoffner Organic Farm, Sweet Meadow Café and Jille and Chris Nagy.
Bread Riot is a local foods advocacy group whose mission is to cultivate a thriving local economy by facilitating a supply of locally produced food, using sustainable farming practices and focusing on whole-life issues, education and environmental concern. Bread Riot is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization based in Rowan County.