On Sept. 19, the Greenbrier Valley Local Foods Initiative, an initiative of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, hosted its 3rd Annual Harvest Dinner at the State Fairgrounds Heritage Pavilion. This yearly event is open to community members and is a showcase and celebration of the Greenbrier Valley’s abundant food growing community. Guests happily savored the tastes of local food prepared by local farmers. The spread featured garden salsa from Hill-n-Dale Farm (Organ Cave), salad from Azimuth Organics (Pence Springs) and Zenith Springs Farm (Zenith). Brightside Acres (Bartow) provided a bright summer squash casserole, and Bootstraps Farm (Renick) served a roasted root vegetable dish. A hearty array of meat options was offered including beef by Milligan Creek Farm (Lewisburg), pork from Vernal Vibe Rise (Auto), chicken from Purple Mountain Phoinix Farm (Blue Sulphur Springs) and lamb of Mountain Meadows Farm (Williamsburg). On the sweet side, Twin Sugar Orchards (Friars Hill) provided apples for the creation of a white chocolate and poached apple cream puff made by the Greenbrier Baking Company. The Harvest Dinner also featured local beverages such as craft beer from Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company and donations of West Virginia roasted coffee from the Wild Bean. All food was prepared and served by Greenbrier Valley Grown certified farms and restaurants.
The evening was accompanied by music from Tyler Childers and one of the two Americorps VISTAS working for the GVLFI, Senora Lainhart. Guests left with a gift bag of Talking Hill Farm (Union) bosc pears, and Brightside Acres (Bartow) Wildgrown herbal tea, to sample.
The Greenbrier Valley Local Foods Initiative (serving Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas and Fayette County) was established to aid in the development of infrastructure and markets necessary to support a thriving local foods economy. The GVLFI hopes to create more business opportunity for local farmers and to educate consumers of the importance of local food.
For more information about the Greenbrier Valley Local Foods Initiative please visit the website www.greenbriervalley.org. Questions may be directed towards India Keller at 304-497-4300 or IKeller@GVEDC.com.
