Katchkie Farm-to-Table Fete

Dale Stewart reports from Kinderhook, NY. On Saturday, July 6, Kinderhook’s Katchkie Farm played host to the Sylvia Center’s annual Farm-to-Table benefit dinner, with nearly 250 supporters in attendance. Upon entering the cocktail tent, the sun-soaked guests were greeted by spiked lemonade, Katchkie Farm-made sliders, a refreshing tomato gazpacho, and a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres on the buffet from local culinary talents: Fish & Game’s Cured Ham sandwiches, Cafe Le Perche’s Mediterranean Cous Cous (Le Perche also provided dinner’s fire-roasted breads), and Club Helsinki Hudson’s Beet Salad, as well as in-house caterer Great Performances' smorgasbord of farm prepared pizzas. Revelers enjoyed farm tours, a raffle and festive folk music by singer-songwriter Abby Lappen. Funds raised from the dinner benefit the Sylvia Center, which promotes children's healthy eating through hands-on learning experiences on the farm and in the kitchen. Their seasonal curriculum also brings inner-city kids to Katchkie Farm (May through October), where they plant seeds, pull weeds, and harvest vegetables that they cook into a meal enjoyed while looking out over the farm and fields. Liz Neumark, pictured left with Mira and Robert Lee, founded the Sylvia Center in 2006 in memory of her daughter. This year’s fete continued the farm-focused theme with dinner in the fields, complete with long family tables under a large big-top tent, and the season's obligatory summer pig roast. Partygoers were sent home with Katchkie Katchup, Neumark’s own recipes, and seeds to start their own gardens.