Author: Daniel Carpenter
Planning Unit: Hardin County CES
Major Program: Local Food Systems
Plan of Work: Healthy Lifestyles & Accessing Nutritious Foods
Outcome: Initial Outcome
The LaRue County Extension Office and LaRue County Farm Bureau Federation held it’s 3rd annual Faith, Family, Farms and Food Dinner. The proceeds went to benefit the LaRue County FFA chapter. The entire dinner was sourced locally. All of the fruits and vegetables were from LaRue County, while the meats and cheeses were sourced from just outside the county lines. The menu included all the farms that the meal supported. The LaRue County Pork Producers prepared the pork for the meal. Tickets were $25 each and 400 tickets were sold.
The LaRue County ANR agent and EFNEP assistant helped procure the ingredients from local farmers and organized the dinner and the setup and take down of for the event. The meal consisted of appetizers, refreshments, main meal, and desserts all prepared by local farmers and restaurant owners. All ingredients were locally sourced within 100 miles.
The square in Hodgenville was shut down and tables were lined up around the Abraham Lincoln statue in the square. All 45+ tables were decorated with fresh cut flower vases that were collected the day before the event and put together by volunteers at the extension office. Throughout the evening, we played audio from the farmers who provided products for the evening to help tell their story about how the menu items were produced that were featured in the meal. The majority of the meal was entrees featured in the Kentucky plate it up recipes. The event is featured in local newspaper and tourism pamphlets promoting the county.