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Massaro Community Farm’s farm-to-table gala moves online this September. This annual event that celebrates the seasonal harvest and raises funds crucial to the farm’s produce donation program will occur on Saturday, September 5 beginning at 6:30 pm as a take-home meal paired with a virtual program comprising live and recorded segments.
This year’s five-course meal – themed Food for Good – will be prepared for you by the chefs at Olmo, Small Kitchen Big Taste, Seasonal Catering, The Farm Belly and Zinc, all long-time partners of the farm. Meal packages featuring the farm’s harvest will include farm-grown elderberry syrup for you to make your own cocktail or mocktail. A vegetarian option is available. Tickets may be purchased by September 1. $100 per person.
Participants will pick up their meal at the farm on Friday, September 4, and join us virtually at 6:30pm on Saturday. The evening program will include live appearances by board president Jon Gorham, executive director Caty Poole and farm manager Steve Munno; a virtual farm tour; a series of highlights from the farm; live Q&A and music by seven-time Grammy-award winning musician Paul Winter and Shelton’s own Theresa Thomason. There will also be several raffle drawings throughout the evening.
Food for Good will honor the farm’s commitment to making food available for all, together with the farm workers who work to grow it. Massaro Community Farm is recognized for its commitment to regenerative farming practices, evidenced by farm manager Steve Munno receiving the 2019 for Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year award.
The farm allocates at least 10 percent of its annual harvest to hunger relief – averaging over 6,000 pounds each year – which produces goes to such locations as Woodbridge Human Services, St. Vincent de Paul (Derby), Salvation Army (Ansonia), Spooner House (Shelton), Loaves & Fishes (New Haven), Seymour Oxford Food Bank and Katherine Samela Food Pantry (Ansonia). In 2020, the farm is also supplying fresh produce to City of Derby employees under an employee wellness program.
In response to the state-wide shutdown this past March resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the farm quickly set up an online store, making produce and other farm-fresh goods available for no-contact pickup. The farm partnered with several other local producers, including Seacoast Mushrooms, Five Acre Farms, Mystic Cheese and Before & After Farms, whose items continue to be available for purchase in the store.
Massaro Community Farm is a non-profit, certified organic community farm on 57 acres of land whose mission is to keep farming, feed people, and build community. In addition to growing vegetables for seasonal subscribers, the farm donates thousands of pounds each year to hunger relief. The farm serves as a hub of education for all ages and shares its space with the community. The farm’s nature trail is open to the public 365 days a year.
For more information visit our website at www.MassaroFarm.org or contact Executive Director Caty Poole at 203 – 736-8618.
Dinner From the Farm Cards by The Valley Indy on Scribd
