Highlighting local foods at local restaurants during Farm to Feast

By Jane Bloodworth Rowe

PRINCESS ANNE

Volunteers, restaurant owners and farmers are highlighting locally produced food during Farm to Feast Week, Monday through next Sunday.

The event is coordinated by Buy Fresh Buy Local Hampton Roads, a volunteer group dedicated to increasing awareness of locally grown food. Participating Virginia Beach restaurants include Coastal Grill, Croc's, The Cellars and Tautog's.

"We are working with some other restaurants on confirmation," said Tanya Banks, co-chairman of Farm to Feast Week.

The managers of participating restaurants will feature special menu items prepared from local produce, seafood or meat, according to Banks.

"We are asking them to form a specific menu for that week and feature local items," Banks said, "and those restaurants will be showcased on our website."

Farmer Mike Cullipher said he anticipates providing sweet potatoes, acorn and butternut squash, and fall greens, including collards and kale.

"We may have a few tomatoes left, too, if there isn't a frost," said Cullipher, owner of Cullipher Farm Market. He markets regularly to some local restaurants and said he was working with Coastal Grill to prepare for Farm to Feast Week.

Acorn squash and locally caught seafood will be among the menu items offered at that restaurant, according to Coastal Grill co-owner Jerry Bryan.

"My partner is a commercial fisherman," said Bryan, referring to co-owner Jack Stallings. "So we buy our seafood from the local fishermen, and we also feature locally grown meats."

For Farm to Feast Week, Bryan plans to serve organically grown chicken from farms on the Eastern Shore or Suffolk as well as regular offerings of local seafood, Virginia Beach-grown produce and pork from Smithfield.

Dealing with local farmers and watermen is a preferred way of doing business at his restaurant, Bryan said.

"We'd much rather know who we're buying the food from instead of just dealing with some middleman. We know that person, and we know his ethics."

Buy Fresh Buy Local Hampton Roads is the local chapter of a national group, and its members work with Virginia Beach Farmers Market as well as individual farmers and restaurant owners, Banks said. This is the second Farm to Feast Week - one held last August featured summer fruits and vegetables such as sweet corn, tomatoes and berries.

Banks and Cullipher said they anticipate future events to highlight seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Farm to Feast Week helps create an awareness of the variety of produce that's produced locally, and it encourages consumers to shop at local produce stands and farmers markets, Cullipher said.

"People are becoming more aware of where their food comes from."

For more information about Farm to Feast Week, visit www.buylocalhamptonroads.org/farmtofeastweek.html.

Jane Bloodworth Rowe, jrowe28@cox.net