Benefit gala at FARM
Patrons at the fourth annual Meals in the Meadows will eat, drink, donate, and kick up their heels this Saturday evening, beginning at 6 pm at The FARM Institute in Katama.
The event includes cocktails and appetizers, a silent auction, and a buffet dinner prepared by Buckley Gourmet Catering, showcasing Island-grown foods prepared by Island chefs.
Following dinner, auctioneer Trip Barnes will conduct a live auction, enticing the gathering to bid on an assortment of special items that include four tickets to the Daily Show and a meeting with host Jon Stewart, a black-tie dinner party at Dock St. Café for 18, a night at The Hotel Copley with four tickets to the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game on August 28, and a one-week stay for 10 at a house in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
The focus of the evening will then shift to music and dance, The Cattle Drivers and other local musicians providing the entertainment.
Meals in the Meadows is an important link in The FARM Institute's mission of joining children and adults to the land, to animals and to each other. Mr. Goldfarb said, "The FARM Institute believes that for future generations to care about farming, healthy food, and our community, they must experience the people and places that produce their food.
Dedicated to teaching farming and the values of working well with the land, The FARM Institute began as a fledgling enterprise in 2000. It provides a scholarship for Island children, each year expanding its reach and social context."
Mr. Goldfarb added, "We had our first FARM residential program for urban kids. More than 50 kids from the Bronx stayed with us for two nights, working to increase their understanding and experience of growing food, building teamwork, and expanding their nutritional awareness and respect for land and animals."
In the early days, The FARM survived solely from the largesse of founding donors. Nine years later, the institute raises 90 per cent of its operating funds from revenues generated from farm activities and produce and from fund risers such as Meals in the Meadows, which hopes to raise $180,000.
Meals in the Meadow will be held Saturday, July 18, at 6 pm at The FARM Institute in Katama. $200 per ticket. For reservations call Rob Goldfarb, 508-627-7007 ext.105.
Jack Shea is a regular contributor to The Times.
