Greenville Technical College’s Sustainable Agriculture Program is the beneficiary of this year’s “Cultivate: Making the Farmer-Chef Connection,” a small plates, “big tastes” evening dining experience May 21 featuring local chefs and farmers.
Proceeds will support the purchase of supplies and equipment for the two-year-old GTC academic program.
“Cultivate: Making the Farmer-Chef Connection” will be held Monday, May 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery in Greenville. Farmer-chef teams will serve small plates from products sourced from local farms. The menu will include duck tacos, mini-BLTs, and brick oven pizza. Other fresh, local menu items will be adjusted as the chefs and farmers project produce availability for the week of the event.
The event, organized in partnership with the S.C. Organization for Organic Living, is designed to encourage collaboration among local chefs and farmers.
“We’re excited to partner with the Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery and these talented chefs to help support locally-sourced food and the farm-to-table community,” said Rebecca McKinney, director of GTC’s Sustainable Agriculture program and founder/Executive Director of SC Organization for Organic Living. “Swamp Rabbit and the chefs involved in our event encourage local farmers by purchasing and using their products. This event will celebrate that collaboration and help build new and valuable relationships that benefit our local food system.”
Cost is $25 per ticket per person and includes small plate tastings, tea or water. Alcoholic beverages and a children’s food menu is available for separate purchase at the location. Bob and Amy Buckingham will play bluegrass from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
To purchase tickets, which are limited to the first 100 guests, visit https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3369975.
Participating restaurants include The Anchorage, Golden Brown and Delicious (GB&D), Upcountry Provisions, Farm Fresh Fast, Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery, and Stella’s Southern Bistro. Farms include Bio-Way Farm, Providence Farm, Timberock at Hopkins Farm, Reedy River Farms, Mushroom Mountain, Valhalla Gardens, Crescent Farm, Bethel Trails, Broken Oak Organics, Sharon Hill Farm, Greenbrier Farms, Forx Farm, and Possum Kingdom Kreamery.
Sponsors include the Greenville County Farm Bureau, Slow Food Upstate and Edible Upcountry magazine.
To learn more about the Sustainable Agriculture Program at Greenville Tech, visit http://www.gvltec.edu/Sustainable-Ag/. The program, which is housed at the college’s Northwest Campus on White Horse Road and is part of the college’s Culinary Institute of the Carolinas, teaches topics like soil management, plant propagation, pest management, farm business planning, equipment safety, and basic carpentry.