Sunday, October 5, 2008

Farm dining

Yesterday we enjoyed a “Dinner on the Farm” at Jenny-Jack Sun Farm in Harris County. As preamble to the meal, we took a farm tour and learned from Chris Jackson about the crops he and his wife Jenny grow along with some of their strategies for organic gardening. Chris had recently built this moveable “chicken tractor,” which, along with the wire fencing that stretches out from it, can be moved around the farm so that the chickens’ droppings will fertilize different sections of the soil.

Will and Owen loved running around the farm, observing the chickens and tasting appetizers.
And the home-grown meal -- prepared by Chefs Eric Arceneaux of the Big Eddy Club in Columbus, Shannon Klein of Food Blossoms Catering and the Rose Cottage, and Mike and Evie Akins of Evie’s Country Gardens and served to about 200 guests -- was perfect. The menu included slow-cooked heritage hog, split peas with honey-sweetened grilled eggplant, cornmeal dusted fried okra over arugula tossed in green goddess dressing; roasted butternut squash and turnips, creamy stone-ground grits, and for dessert an assortment of pies and the most delicious homemade honey-lavender ice cream I’ve ever tasted.

After dinner, storyteller Pam Avery entertained the crowd. During that portion of the festivities, I
took the ever-moving-always-talking Owen across the road, where we petted a friendly horse.





2 comments:

Rich Ann said...

Thanks so much for posting info on the farm dinner and some pictures. My daughter and I attended as well - we are members of the CSA in Atlanta that Jenny-Jack Farm supplies. We have so enjoyed getting to know Chris and Jenny and partaking in the bounty of the farm. Best wishes to you!

shannon said...

Your family fit in perfectly at the farm! Seeing couples with children was one of my favorite parts. Mine has never been so dirty or experienced the joy of running through the crops like that. . . . It's so great for the kids to get to know a farm in that intimate way.