I am thrilled with the Farm to Table Dinner that was held on Thursday! Although we were all set to host the dinner on the beautiful PD Johnson Farm property, we were concerned with the heat and made a decision to move the event indoors. The collaboration among our committee, the chefs involved, and the staff at both the Newberry Opera House and Newberry Firehouse Conference Center was top notch. By having the same goal - that of serving a scrumptious menu of locally sourced foods in a beautiful and comfortable setting - and working together to make that happen, that goal was achieved.
Plants and flowers from local gardens and Carter and Holmes adorned the tables and window sills to bring the outdoors in, and Munson Summer provided the musical ambiance. Chefs Steve Foulis of Steven W's, Kevin Looney of The Palms, John Worthington of Figaro the Dining Room, and Kendall Hamm of The Blend described their inspiration for the menu choices and acknowledged the farm sources of the products used, all of which came from right here in Newberry County. If there was any doubt in the mind of attendees of our agricultural resources, they were eliminated after that meal.
The dinner kicks off Newberry County's second year of participation in the Ag + Art Tour of South Carolina. In addition to expanded Grow Newberry Farmers Market hours, the Ag +Art Tour weekend will showcase five farms around the county: Bowers Farm, Carolina Pride Pastures, Hendrix Farm/Do-Si-Jo's, Rodgers Heirlooms, and West Ridge Farms. Each location will give visitors a glimpse into how their farm operates and feature local artists showcasing their work and/or providing demonstrations of their craft. There will also be five ancillary sites: Carter and Holmes Orchids, Enoree River Winery, Lever Farms, Mayer Dairy Farm, and Po Dunk Holler Artisans and Antiques. The primary difference in the two groups are that the latter sites will offer varying hours from the regular Tour hours. All of the information can be found on our website as well as the AgandArtTour.com/Newberry site. Tour books are also available at the sites to help guide your activities. We look forward to hosting a couple thousand visitors and residents this weekend to showcase our abundant agricultural and artisanal heritage.
We welcome you to visit us on the first floor of Community Hall in downtown Newberry, located at 1209 Caldwell Street. You may also contact us at 803-276-4274 or chamber@newberrycounty.org.