Seed to Table celebrates with Fall Harvest Dinner

Seed to Table will celebrate a decade of bounty and community at the organization's 10th Anniversary Fall Harvest Dinner. The event on September 9 will feature a farm-to-table meal prepared by Chris and Emma Leyden of Feast Food Co.

Feast was recently selected for a Best of Central Oregon award by The Source Weekly. The chefs' culinary creations for the dinner will include veggies grown right on Seed to Table farm, along with grass-fed lamb and a vegan option.

Served in the beautiful pasture at the center of the farm, guests will be seated at a long table to enjoy a served, family-style meal.

Reflecting on ten years of Seed to Table, founder Audrey Tehan said it felt good to "stop and pause on everything that had to come together, all the people that came together, for Seed to Table to succeed. I didn't just get here on my own enthusiasm."

Tehan was 23 years old when she founded the farm, now a thriving nonprofit organization with three areas of programming and a staff of eight, supported by eight board members. She predicts she'll still be working at the farm another decade down the road, cycling to work with a dog at her heels.

"The community effort to get us here has been huge, in so many ways," Tehan enthused. "I'm feeling so grateful for the team members, the Board of Directors, the inspiration and knowledge they bring."

Her thankfulness extends to the many folks in Sisters who helped get things started a decade ago: Tehan's parents, supporters in Sisters School District, and her friends at Mahonia Gardens, along with the organization's donors, volunteers, and sponsors.

"There's been so much encouragement and belief that we can do it, that we can make it," says Tehan. Seed to Table's growth represents "the culmination of what can come from community."

Hands-on education lies at the heart of Seed to Table. Last year, the farm hosted over 1,750 student visits, teaching children and youth to plant, tend, and harvest farm-fresh food.

Tehan is excited by Seed to Table's vigorous growth, which she credits in part to staff that have joined the team over the years. "New people that come in are inspired; they make efficient systems," she explained. "It's less about growing bigger and more about growing better."

Using sustainable agriculture techniques, the farm now grows 75,000 pounds of produce annually. The bounty reaches over 750 people through produce shares and over a dozen community partnerships with food pantries, schools, and others.

Some of that produce is sold at Sisters Farmers Market. This year marks the fourth season that Seed to Table has provided leadership and management of the whole market. "Seed to Table's professionalism and consistency help the Market grow every year," said Market Manager Willa Bauman.

The 10th Anniversary Fall Harvest Dinner festivities begin with farm tours so that participants can explore the fields, hoop houses, and greenhouses where their veggies are grown. Guests are advised to wear appropriate shoes. The first tour kicks off at 4:30 p.m.

Live music and plenty of socializing are readily found at the annual dinner. A three-course meal will be served, accommodating gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets. The event will wrap up at 7:30 p.m. Tickets usually sell out quickly and must be purchased in advance, online. For more information, visit http://www.seedtotableoregon.org/fallharvestdinner.