Catering at the Farm Aid concert is pretty incredible—ask any of the roadies and they’ll tell you the other shows they work don’t even come close to being as tasty as Farm Aid. But I skipped the catering tent tonight in favor of HOMEGROWN Concessions, our family-farm sourced food. This year, our HOMEGROWN Concessions is the best yet!
I was just tucking into a brat (or sausage) when I saw a couple wearing Paradise Locker Meats t-shirts. Their shirts piqued my curiosity so course I introduced myself to Louis and Amy. Turns out Louis’ family operates Paradise Locker Meats in nearby Trimble, Missouri, and the brat I was eating came from their operation! Talk about Know your Farmer, Know your Food!
Patchwork Family Farms, as always, served up family farm pork all day long! Even though I had a brat, I got into the LONG line for the most amazing pork chop sandwich you’ll ever have! It did not disappoint, and ordering from the Missouri farmers that make up Patchwork Family Farms, in their red STOP FACTORY FARMS tshirts is always a pleasure. In line, I chatted with people around me, many of whom were coming back to have their SECOND taste of Patchwork pork!
Finally, for dessert (and you have to realize that Farm Aid Day only comes once a year–normally I don’t eat this much!) I shared an organic funnel cake with a friend.
And there’s so much delicious family farm food that I missed! If you chose to have a hamburger at Farm Aid 2011, you’ll be pleased to know that the beef was raised right here in Kansas. It was supplied by Ranch Direct Foods, founded by Mike Callicrate who spoke at our press event about the need for fair markets for family ranchers and farmers. And that bun your burger came on? It was made with flour made from organic Kansas wheat. Sonya Dagovitz, our Culinary Director, worked with three local Kansas City companies to make that bread rise: Heartland Mill, Roma Bakery and Farm to Table. There was locally grown corn, roasted to perfection. The Farm Aid Youthmarket Farm Stand, staffed by our friends Tom and Olivia from New York’s GrowNYC and youth volunteers from KC’s Front Porch Alliance, sold Missouri peaches and pecans, local honey, heirloom tomatoes and the season’s first tart apples. And did I mention the organic corndogs?
As Dave Matthews came to the stage, all of us here at Farm Aid rose to our feet with full bellies and happy smiles. Farm Aid Day is the best day and boy do we eat well!
