We recently had the opportunity to host a farm to table dinner. And, although it was especially warm that evening, our guests felt right at home with this family-style gathering!

With just a few tricks that I’ll share below you too can set a table worth celebrating! Kick off the fall season seated around the table and celebrate the harvest!

Before I begin to share the “how-to” let me share the “why”. The Farm-To-Table movement seems to have gained momentum over the past decade as folks have gained curiosity about food production and availablility.

By coordinating producers and talented chefs/bakers/cooks you can bring together fresh, local ingredients to create a unique meal experience for others while advocating for your community!

Here’s where it gets fun! There are so many talented people in our rural areas who are reclaiming family baking and cooking traditions to develop new ways of showcasing their products and start-up businesses.

Ten Steps To Host A Farm To Table Dinner

So where do you start? How do you get everyone to pull in the same direction?

1. Determine a location and time for the event.
2. Break the meal down into categories- Appetizers, Veggies or Sides, Bread, Main Course, Dessert(s) and Drinks
3. Determine an overall theme or main dish to work off of. As beef producers & farmers, brisket and corn were easy choices!
4. Find local friends or professionals who excel in food production and ask them to join your crusade!
5. Give them the freedom to choose their offerings and communicate often.
6. Set a few deadlines and gather your guest list.
7. Set the scene- for us hay bales and wooden planks were readily available. Each table would have it’s own meal to be shared family-style (with large platters of food to be passed around the table).
8. Purchase or borrow place settings and decor.
9. Now get busy putting it together (recruiting help is highly recommended!)
10. Welcome your guests and let the party begin!

Lastly, and most importantly, when you host a farm to table dinner you’ll need to give credit where credit is due! Leave the tags on the the decor items you borrow, set out business cards as added reading material on the tables and create a menu with each vendor’s name and contribution.

Sharing the collaboration on social media is another great way to help promote the gifts and talents your community. The entire concept to host a farm to table dinner is to bringing in and sharing the bounty of the harvest!

So round up your crew and host a farm to table dinner with these 10 easy steps. Let me know how it goes and share your ideas below, the more the merrier!