Grassfields Farm Tour -- August 7

PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE: The correct date for this tour is August 7.

Grassfields will be holding a farm tour on Saturday, August 7, at 10:00 a.m.

Location: Grassfields Farm -- 14238 60th Ave., Coopersville, MI 49404.

Charge: $3.50/person, kids under 2 are free.

RSVP: Click here to email your RSVP. Please include how many people will be attending.

Perks: The tour will include a wagon ride tour of the farm land, seeing the cows, calves and pigs, watch cheese making, taste organic raw milk cheese samples and see the cheese shop where they sell grass-fed meats.

Details: Grassfields is a West Michigan Co-op producer. This family-owned and operated farm has been in the family since the late 1800s. In 1992 they switched from confinement dairying to intensive rotational grazing. They enjoy watching their happy animals munching on the grass all summer long, and enjoying the outdoors, even in snow! (They have shelter if they need it, but they prefer to be outside!) In 2002, they decided to start making raw-milk cheese (Grassfields is the first place in Michigan licensed to make and sell raw milk cheese), and now offer seven different varieties of cheese, along with pastured poultry, eggs, beef, and pork. The meats are available at their on-farm store in Coopersville. In the spring of 2007, Grassfields was certified organic! Their cheeses are all certified organic, and better yet, made from raw milk from grass-fed cows! The meats and eggs are steroid, hormone, and antibiotic-free.

Farm to Table Dinner - A Slow Food Potawatomi/Tilling to Table Event

Come and share a seasonal meal in the setting of beautiful Lubbers Family Farm. The bounty from our local farmers will be used to create tantalizing dishes for you to enjoy. Meet the farmers whose hard work helps to put food on our tables.

August 1st at 6:00

Lubbers Family Farm - O-862 Luce Street SW, Grand Rapids.

The working menu is as follows:

Amuse bouche
Celery and mushroom phyllo pouch with a blueberry balsamic reduction

Soup
Melon and cucumber gazpacho topped with a basil mint creme fraiche

Salad
Arugula and mustard greens with beets, red onion, cilantro and goat cheese tossed in a apple cider-honey vinaigrette

Appetizer
Grilled trout over a polenta cake with a tomato ragu

Entree
Herb crusted pork tenderloin a top a red pepper cassoulet

Intermezzo
Sparkling raspberry sorbet

Dessert
Peach cobbler with ginger ice cream

Please bring your choice of beer or wine.

This event requires a reservation. Cost is $50 per person. Click here too reserve your spot.

Slow Food Book Club

The next meeting of the Slow Food Book Club will be held on Monday, July 26, at 6:30.

The book to read is any book by Marcella Hazan -- Amarcord - Marcella Remembers and Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant are recommended, along with any of her cookbooks. Kent District Library has many copies of these books available.

The food theme for the meeting will be Italian.

To RSVP, or if you have any questions, please contact Viola.

Happy Reading!

Learn About Cheese from a Master Cheesemaker at Dancing Goat Creamery

Dancing Goat Creamery presents a series of Wednesday nights where they will sample and discuss some great cheeses. Questions regarding cheese will be answered....interesting and fun discussions facilitated by Master Cheesemaker Barbara Jenness. Come and relax and talk cheese. Starting time is 6:00 p.m. at Dogwood Farm - 10385 Wilson Ave. SW, Byron Center.

Schedule:
July 21 - The Best of the Best (American Cheese Society Best of Show winners)
Aug. 4th - What's Gouda for you, is Gouda for me (goudas)
Aug. 18 - TBA
Sept. 1 - TBA
Sept. 15 - TBA
Sept. 29 - TBA
Oct. 13 - TBA

Other topics for remaining dates to be announced.

Tickets must be purchased for this event. Click here to purchase tickets.

Any questions, please contact Veronica or Barb.