Here's an Event to Enjoy Whole Hog! Marin Country Mart Hosts "Bounty of Marin Organic" Harvest Festival on October 11
Larkspur, California (PRWEB) September 29, 2014 -- Marin Country Mart is pleased to host a special fundraiser to benefit Marin Organic, whose mission is to promote organic agriculture in Marin and beyond. The harvest festival, “Bounty of Marin Organic,” will be held on October 11 from 5-9 pm in Marin Country Mart’s Big Tent. Celebrating the bounty of local farms, the event invites adults and families to join the fun, savor food and wine from the region, and meet the farmers who feed us and produce the food we love. The festival features farmers who share the produce they have been cultivating all summer and local chefs who join them to showcase their creativity.
Five different options are available for guests to taste and enjoy, ranging in price from $25–100. From 5–7 pm, wine and food tastings feature delicious bites and sips, including cheese, oysters, meatballs, olive oil – and ice cream for kids of all ages from Straus Family Creamery. Two workshops welcome guests eager to learn more – one on cheese by Cowgirl Creamery and Toluma Farms, the other on oysters from Hog Island Oyster Bar. A number of silent auction items sure to tempt bidders include special experiences for dining, lodging, adventure and desirable services.
For visitors hungry for more, chefs from some of Marin’s most sustainable restaurants are collaborating on a family-style dinner from 7–9 pm, prepared with produce from Marin Organic farmers. Organized and directed by Chef Matthew Elias of Saltwater Oyster Depot, the dinner features a whole hog roast from True Grass Farms; various sauces; numerous side dishes including greens from Farmshop made with Marin Roots produce, charcuterie from Belcampo Meat Co. and Italian cowboy beans from Osteria Stellina; a selection of salads; Gruyère cheese bread and pickled jalapeño bread from Parkside Café; and for dessert, an apple tarte from Rustic Bakery made with apples from Nana Mae’s Organics. Dinner includes beer and wine. Marin Organic Executive Director Jeffrey Westman will give a short presentation at the dinner honoring over a dozen Marin Organic farmers on hand for the day’s festivities.
According to Mr. Westman, the harvest festival is one they hope will become an annual event. “Marin Organic is very excited to launch this food and wine tasting celebration, which showcases both farmers and their wares at harvest time. In concert with local chefs and Marin Country Mart, visitors can sample, enjoy and learn more about the bounty from Marin County and beyond that enriches and nourishes us.”
Marin Country Mart’s Special Events Manager, Diana Rodgers, expressed similar enthusiasm about the event. “Marin Country Mart has featured a weekly Farmers’ Market since 2010 and have seen first-hand through the years the importance and mutual benefit of connecting local farmers with customers,” said Ms. Rodgers. “A key mission of Marin Country Mart is to provide platforms for the incredible organic farms we have right here in our county and foster synergy by way of our restaurants and Farmers’ Market that feature Marin Organic farmers who will be attending this event. With this in mind, we’re very pleased to support Marin Organic’s efforts and, in particular, this fall fundraiser, which gives the community an opportunity to meet face-to-face the farmers and chefs who make Marin County exceptional.”
In addition to farms and restaurants already mentioned, event purveyors include County Line Harvest, Star Route Farms, Gospel Flat Farm, RedHill Farms, Mindful Meats, Left Bank, Marshall Store, Stemple Creek Ranch, Allstar Organics, Green Gulch Farm and more. Coast organic and biodynamic wines include Baker Lane Vineyards, McEvoy Ranch, Porter-Bass Winery, Coturri Winery and others; hard cider is from AppleGarden Farm; and beer is from Lagunitas Brewing Company. (For a list of event participants, https://www.facebook.com/bountyofmarinorganic/info.)
Here are five ways for visitors to experience the "Bounty of Marin Organic" event on October 11 in Marin Country Mart’s Big Tent:
• Tasting and Dinner, 5-9 pm: $100
• Dinner only, 7–9 pm: $75
• Tasting only, 5 - 7 pm: $35
• Cheese Workshop, 5:15 – 6 pm, $25: Featuring Cowgirl Creamery and Toluma Farms
• Oysters Workshop, 6:15 – 7 pm, $25: A crash course in oysters with Hog Island Oyster Company.
Tickets are available online at Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/823702
Marin Country Mart is located at 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur, CA 94939. Parking is free. Additionally, parking on weekends and nights is available at no cost at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal Building, just a short stroll over a pedestrian bridge from Marin Country Mart. Coming from the city, San Francisco residents and visitors are invited to ride the Larkspur Ferry for free during selected days and times. For details on this special promotion with the Golden Gate Larkspur Ferry, please visit: http://www.goldengate.org/MCMPromo
For more information on Marin Country Mart, contact us by phone 415-461-5700, email at marketing(at)marincountrymart(dot)com or online at http://www.marincountrymart.com.
About Marin Organic
Marin Organic partners with local farms to promote organic agriculture, provide food system education, and increase access to fresh produce for people in need. They provide marketing support for their farmers and help them build relationships with local businesses. In turn, their member farms provide both the locations for education programs and the extra food that they harvest for hunger relief organizations. Marin Organic is proud to work in partnership with ranchers, farmers, and food producers to provide education on farms, empowering youth with the skills to take control of their “food future,” while also feeding the most vulnerable members of their community.
Marin Organic was founded in 2001 by local farmers and ranchers who believed in creating meaningful standards for organic agriculture. These pioneers began meeting in the late 1990s to craft a vision for our region where agriculture would be environmentally and economically sustainable. Marin County has a rich history of family farms, but like many regions, was at risk of losing its small farms at the same time that they were witnessing alarming environmental destruction. Thanks to the work of a few dedicated farmers and ranchers, Marin County became the epicenter of the organic farming movement. Today Marin County counts over 33,000 acres of certified organic land, up from only 400. Marin is one of only three counties in California with a moratorium on growing GMOs. Forty farms, ranches, and producers are members of Marin Organic and continue to drive a local, sustainable food movement.
For more information on Marin Organic, please contact info(at)marinorganic(dot)org or visit http://www.marinorganic.org.
About Marin Country Mart
In 2009, J.S. Rosenfield & Co. purchased Larkspur Landing, transforming it into Marin Country Mart through extensive upgrades and new retail offerings with independent brands that better reflect the preferences of residents and visitors. The open-air shopping destination, comprised of 12 barn buildings and over 173,000 square feet of space, features appealing boutiques, dining options, services and special events (see purveyors below). Marin Country Mart has two sister venues in Southern California, Brentwood Country Mart and Montecito Country Mart, which are favorites among residents for exceptional shopping and dining. All are conceived with a spirit of community in mind, as lively gathering places that evoke simpler, more gracious times. Inspired by the idea of the village square, Marin Country Mart is a welcoming destination where local residents and visitors enjoy talented artisans who ply their trades with pride and skill, in a congenial environment shared with families, neighbors and friends.
For more information or photos, please contact:
James S. Rosenfield
Owner, Marin Country Mart
2257 Larkspur Landing Circle
Larkspur, CA 94939
415-461-5714
james(at)marincountrymart(dot)com
http://www.marincountrymart.com
Jill Turner, Rodin & Shelley Associates, +1 (415) 346-7300, [email protected]
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