The Daily Tannenbaum The stigmata of the single life.*

If I may flash back a moment to the time when this blog was all about things to do in the Hudson Valley, because I have something I want to share.  Full disclosure: I’m not being paid anything to promote this event, but I am volunteering to promote this event, and I’m blatantly using this blog to get word out about this event.  I hope that in the meantime I may also provide an ounce of entertainment or education to those of you who come here on a regular basis.

On Sunday, July 17, The Poughkeepsie Farm Project is hosting an event called “A Seat At The Table.”  Let me give some back story: The Poughkeepsie Farm Project is a really cool local nonprofit that combines farm, food and community.  Located across the street from the Vassar College campus, this working farm is used to educate children, and adult volunteers.  The produce from the farm is available to CSA shareholders, and 25% of the bounty is made available to low-income members of the community through a Food Share program.  They also run a farmer’s market on Fridays on Main Street in Poughkeepsie, which is enough to make this girl want to play hooky at least once a week.  (I work really far away from where I live.)

This event on the 17th is a fundraiser to support the farm’s efforts, and it’s super cool.  The meal will be catered by The Artist’s Palate, a fantastic place located just a few blocks from the Poughkeepsie Farm Project’s Farmers Market on Main Street.  The kicker is that the dinner will be served directly in the field at a table set for 80.  Not only is dinner al fresco, but many of the ingredients will be gathered inches from where diners are seated.  When a farmer says “this food came from my farm,” all you have to do is look around you to know that it’s true.  The dinner is BYOP, Bring Your Own Plate, symbolic of the truth that every diner is bringing something to the table.

I had the pleasure of eating at the Artist’s Palate once over a year ago, and it was fantastic.  At the time, I was still a vegetarian, and I had a meal made from mostly local greens, that was so good, I wondered why anyone would ever want to eat anything else.  The desserts were to die for as well.  I also love that the restaurant has shown dedication to helping the community through donations and charity work, and buying most of their materials and ingredients from a 70-mile radius.  It’s not easy, running a business in the heart of the City of Poughkeepsie, which is still working on its revival.

For more information on this event, or to purchase a ticket, you can go to The Poughkeepsie Farm Project website, or call 845-473-1415.  I look forward to telling you how it went, but wouldn’t you just rather be there yourself?