Dear Slow Food East End Community,
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our potluck dinner in the field at Golden Acres Organic Farms! To gather at a common table with so many of our followers on a gorgeous fall day with a view of the farm and old dairy barn to reflect on a year of our work was truly gratifying. Our buffet was bountiful, with a wide variety of delicious dishes of fall flavors that everyone contributed to showcasing the incredible spirit and passions of our community.
Once a year the board of Slow Food East End publically reports about our efforts to promote good, clean, and fair food for all. We work to connect local farmers with consumers, we aim to educate our community about sustainable systems to promote healthy food which begins with good soil and water practices. We honor leaders who do this work every day. We advocate for food equity. The East End is a unique region, we are gifted with an incredible agricultural heritage and work to find ways to ensure it endures and aim to make it more accessible to all.
A huge shout out to my entire Slow Food East End team for their hard work in pulling this event together. Your dedication and effort made the day a success. During dinner every board member took time to share news about their work and personal passions. High points included our Earth Day celebration, our Snail of Approval program which this year included awards to farms, wineries and restaurants but also to food insecurity advocates and a hospital with exceptional culinary practices. Our awards bring well-deserved international recognition to all. We shared news about our ongoing engagement with educational programs and funding to help provide summer access to farms for disadvantaged families and thanked our community for three years of support for Flour Power and outlined new Feed the Forks initiatives to come.
The sunny fields of Golden Acres Organic Farm were ideal for our dinner meeting. Awarded a Snail of Approval this year for their commitment to sustainable farming practices and community engagement aligns perfectly with our mission at Slow Food East End. If you haven’t visited yet, they have an amazing farmstand in a historic dairy barn down a scenic tree-lined private lane in Jamesport, be sure to check out their many event offerings at goldenacresorganicfarm.com. This sweet farm is available for private events.
Our partnership with Long Island Wine Country was on full display at our dinner celebration. The North and South Forks are home to over 50 wineries. Since the 1970s winemakers have transformed our local agricultural community and have received national and international acclaim. We are proud to pour LIWC wines for all our events and encourage our community to support our vintners and do the same.
Feasting with friends allows us to share our mission and connect with one another. Never underestimate the importance of community and the power of our collective efforts. Your support is invaluable to our mission. Through your engagement, we can continue promoting good, clean, and fair food for all. Each of you plays a crucial role in our efforts, whether through volunteer work, participation in events, or simply spreading the word about our initiatives. Your commitment makes all that we do possible, and we are truly grateful for your dedication to building a sustainable food community together. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey!
Grateful to all who help us slow our forks down,
Maria
Thank you Eduardo Amorim who helped us capture beautiful memories of the day.