Arts & Culture
Sustainability takes root at the harvest dinner
The Pointer
jmath438@uwsp.edu
The second annual Harvest Dinner, sponsored by the Sustainable Agriculture in Communities Society, brought students, faculty and farmers from the Stevens Point area together on Sunday, Oct. 19.
SACS is a student organization dedicated to teaching UW-SP students to experience, explore, share and learn about issues relating to sustainable agriculture and community development.
The SACS-organized Harvest Dinner celebrated local farmers practicing organic and sustainable growing practices on their farms.
The dinner started with opening remarks by the founder of SACS, Ross Cohen.
“It definitely changed my life being a part of this,” said Cohen.
The meal consisted of dishes all made from locally grown ingredients from local farms, including Whitefeather Farm, Stoney Acres Farm, Maplewood Gardens, Moondance Meadows, Malek Farms, Gourmet’s Delight and Bice’s Quality Critter Ranch.
The menu included root vegetable stew, vegan butternut squash soup, mashed potatoes and rutabagas with garlic, fall salad with cider vinegar and honey mustard dressing, multiple breads and stuffed mushrooms. A dish of roasted fall vegetables was also served, coaxing one to play the game, “guess which root this is.”
Between dinner and a dessert of pumpkin pie, carrot cake and apple cranberry crisp, area farmers spoke on sustainable agriculture and eating locally.
Mark Anderson, of Sunny Sky Farms, spoke about his farm, which is ending its thirteenth growing season. Anderson practices community supported agriculture and provides his food to local buyers.
“If I’ve taught a few people some things about farming … that’s a wonderful thing,” said Anderson. He was also the winner of this year’s SACS-iest farmer. Tony Miller, of Whitefeather Farm also shared advice and experience about sustainable farming.
“If you want to be a farmer, get out into the field and do it,” said Miller.
Dave Peterson of Maplewood Gardens, who grows $45,000 worth of food on just two acres, was the last to speak that evening. Peterson shared his thoughts and wisdom of sustainable farming and feeding the world.
“Do anything it takes to get the project done,” said Peterson. “I’ve only just begun to learn to feed the people and save the planet,” concluded Peterson.
