This Saturday, Feb. 17, Farmshed is holding a local food fair at SentryWorld. The event will exhibit over 60 local farms, businesses and educational organizations that will be selling goods and sharing information about their programs.
The organization is made up of staff, community members, a board of directors, and farmer advisors who share their concerns about the current food system and take action to change the way the local community relates to their food. The Farmshed board meets bi-monthly on the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
“We believe the public should know local farmers and local farmers should know who eats their food,” the Farmshed website states. This is the principle around which Farmshed has built its vision of a sustainable community.
Many Pointers may have heard of, worked for, or volunteered at Farmshed throughout their college careers. However, for those unfamiliar with this organization, this weekend is a perfect opportunity to get to know local farmers and fill up on the delicious goods that they offer.
Ellyn Strong, Farmshed’s volunteer coordinator, said that the food fair has been going on for 10 years. In an attempt to reach more people, the organization moved the fair from its original location at SPASH high school to SentryWorld this year.
The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with a chef competition, where local chefs will try to create a unique potato dish and will be judged based on their use of the vegetable. The participants include your favorite local vendors, such as Emy J’s, Thrive Foodery and Rock N Roll Café. The consumers will get to try the dishes for a modest price of $4 per dish or three for $10.
After the competition, the fair offers a baked potato bar with butter, cheese, and sour cream provided by the Stevens Point Area co-op.
The drinks provided by companies including Central Wisconsin Craft Collective, Stevens Point Brewery and O’so Brewing Company will be offered as free samples and available for purchase at the bar.
Aside from the abundance of food and drink, the Farmshed fair will also include an art gallery for the first time, which will feature the work of Offbeat Press designs and musical performances by Snow of the Mountain and Chazz’nGerry.
The food fair is family friendly, offering food-focused demonstrations and a kid’s activity center. Admission is free to the public.
Katie Shonia
Reporter
Ketevan.Shonia@uwsp.edu