Farm-to-Table dinner set

By Sara Williams
Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times
 HOULTON, Maine — The Farm-to-Table concept is sweeping the nation and has, at last, arrived in southern Aroostook County.    Anyone who has followed the growth of the Community Market over the past five years is sure to have noticed the phenomenal enthusiasm for anything grown or produced locally. Saturday mornings in Market Square were an interesting blend of locals and tourists looking for farm-fresh ingredients including heirloom fruits and vegetables, canned goods, fresh baked goods, cheese, eggs, and handmade gift items.
The future County Co-op and Farm Store recognizes the need for a place where small farms can have a storefront to market their goods on a year round basis. The recent changes in attitude about food safety, and freshness, combined with a desire to support small farm economics has made this a perfect time to introduce the co-op concept to the community. It is a well known fact that the closer you can be to the ground where the product was grown, the tastier it will be.
While the newly formed board of directors has been hard at work getting all the details ironed out and down on paper, a subcommittee has been working to introduce the concept to the community. On Nov. 2 at the Elks Lodge there will be a Farm-to-Table dinner offered to anyone in the area who would like to experience a meal that will include hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, main course and dessert all made with locally sourced ingredients. Chefs all over the country have learned to rely on more locally grown ingredients and have returned to the more traditional farmhouse cooking techniques of the past. Freshness and flavor is the key motivator to the all-local cooking concept and this is what the Co-op chef’s will be bringing to the dinner.
This dinner will be presented with the fall harvest in mind. Fresh cider, apples, feta cheese, squash, potatoes, greens, breads, herbed stuffed pork loin will be just be a few of the delicious local foods offered at this event. Information will also be available for the public about the County Co-op and Farm Store. Tickets can be purchased before Nov. 2 at York’s Book Store in Market Square or at the Chamber of Commerce at 109 Main St.