1st Annual Local Harvest Dinner 2010 – Photos courtesy of TsSpace
10:20am Reporting by Greggory Moore | Do you grow your own food? Cook with organic produce? Like meeting and eating with people who do the same? Then on Sunday you’ll want to forsake the Steelers/Colts game (Peyton Manning isn’t playing, anyway) and head out to the East Village, as the 2nd City Council Art Gallery (2cc) is hosting the second annual Local Harvest Dinner.
“Attendees are invited to bring a vegetarian dish made with ingredients from their own gardens, [and/or] fare from organic local farms, community gardens and sustainable chefs in an educational and celebratory meal,” says a T’sSpace press release. “The gathering will bring together community gardeners, farmers, sustainable chefs and organic produce providers to share knowledge of growing food locally and organically.”
According to Tanya Quinn, founder of T’sSpace and co-organizer of the event, 2cc hosted about 50 people at last fall’s first Local Harvest Dinner.
“We were so pleased with last year’s dinner that we couldn’t help but do it again,” Quinn says. “We are passionate about creating a casual and intimate experience for local residents, farmers, gardeners and sustainability activists to sit at the same table getting to know one another, enjoying food grown locally and leave with a broader sense of community, wellness, gratitude and inspiration.”
This year’s dinner — which Quinn hopes will become not just an annual tradition, but a seasonal one — will feature a food trading post hosted by the Long Beach Produce Exchange, live music and painting, and a children’s area.
Adults get their own special consideration, as Sniff, Swirl and Spit will conduct a wine pouring.
Quinn has reached out to city officials by inviting Mayor Bob Foster and the nine city councilmembers, hoping that the experience they’ll have if they attend will encourage them to do all they can to foster locally-grown foodstuffs.
Who: Everyone! All ages welcome.
Where: 2nd City Council Art Gallery (435 Alamitos Ave.)
When: Sunday, September 25, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Why: To share knowledge and resources, and commune amongst the local farming, growing and organic produce community
What to bring: A vegetarian dish made from organic ingredients that serves 6-8; a small placard describing your dish; and your own plate, cup, napkin, and utensils.
Cost: A $5-$10 donation is requested, although no one will be turned away.
RSVP: E-mail Tanya Quinn at: [email protected] or call 562.824.0453 with attendee name(s), phone, and e-mail address.
