First annual Farm to Table dinner a savory success

The Santa Clara County Farm Bureau’s first-ever Farm to Table Harvest Celebration, held Nov. 2 amid the picturesque Uesugi Farms landscape in San Martin, was a vibrant testament to the richness and diversity of South County agriculture.
With a sold-out venue welcoming 250 guests and another 30 to 40 people on the waiting list, the gathering was a diner’s du jour staring local ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, beautiful produce, meats and honey. The Farm Bureau plans on hosting the event again next year and has already received reservation requests, according to Executive Director Jennifer Scheer.
Among the celebration’s attendees were local vintners, growers and community members, along with Gilroy/Morgan Hill mayors Don Gage and Steve Tate, District 1 Supervisor Mike Wasserman and additional County staff.
“We were very pleased with the community’s interest in our Farm to Table Harvest Celebration,” said Scheer, who hatched the idea to host the fundraiser. “Our strong attendance and support for the event shows that the community is interested in local food and in engaging with farmers and ranchers, and we were glad to provide them with an opportunity to do so. We couldn’t have done it without support from dozens of local farms and wineries that contributed product for the dinner. And of course showcasing our farmers, ranchers, wineries, and chefs is what this event was really all about.”
The goal of the event was to raise funds for the Farm Bureau and to “interact with the broader community in a new way and in a way that would be both a conversation about and an experience of local agriculture,” Scheer added.
The event kicked off with a cocktail hour hosted among a sea of marigold flowers, with visitors treated to live music by the Trail Ride Band; local wines, champagne, beer and a smorgasbord of fantastic appetizers like assorted wood-fired pizzas, pumpkin tartlettes and exquisite dried fruit/cheese displays.
For the main course, every dish was paired with a libation from one of South County’s more than two dozen wineries. The Epicurean Group prepared a total of seven entrees and sides featuring carefully sourced and crafted concoctions such as creamy parmesan and nutmeg polenta; herb, garlic and porcini dusted filet mignon with a roasted fig and port demi; savory brie and herb bread pudding; 12-hour braised boneless short ribs with a tangerine gremolata; roasted fingerling potatoes with arugula parmesan; and for dessert, San Martin persimmon flan with local honey and orange-scented whipped cream – to name just a few of the dishes and sides.
Members from Sobrato and Live Oak high schools’ Future Farmers of America chapters played a significant role in the celebration, helping to cut and assemble lovely flower arrangements, set up equipment, greet guests and serve food.
A silent auction raffling off donated goods raised approximately $8,000 for the Bureau, whose primary activities are political action, community outreach, media relations, agricultural education and leadership development.
Commodity donations for the event came from Andy’s Orchard, Christopher Ranch, Earthbound Farm & Mission Ranches, Frantoio Grove, George Chiala Farms, LJB Farms, Mellow Farms, Olivera Egg Ranch, Royal Oaks Mushrooms, Taylor Ranch, TIMptations, Uesugi Farms, Uvas Gold Apiary and Van Dyke Ranch.
Farmers and ranchers in Santa Clara County grow 100 different crops and contribute $250 million to the local economy each year, according to the Farm Bureau.
To learn more about the Farm Bureau, their services and events, visit sccfarmbureau.org.