Thank You For Being a Part of our 6th Annual Harvest Dinner!

Was it all a dream? The sun was sinking low in the fall sky, there was very, very good wine flowing, and there was a pro culinary team cooking giant Tomahawk ribeyes just for us over an open flame, to be served with smoky, charred vegetables grown steps from where we sat. (And you were there...and you were there...and you were there!) We’d love a dream like that, but we’re pleased to inform you that it was real life and we have some spectacularly lovely photos to prove it thanks to our talented event photographer, Juli Leonard.  We were all indeed there—friends, supporters, and partners of Raleigh City Farm—at the 6th Annual Harvest Dinner at RCF on Sunday, October 14.  It was a night of exceptional food and drink, great company, exciting auction items and experiences, and a celebration of our communal belief that when we “dig where we live” we all live better. Chef Jeff Seizer, our featured chef for the evening, created a 4-course meal of creative and expertly prepared dishes that highlighted seasonal produce and locally sourced ingredients. It was impossible not to notice how thrilled Chef Seizer was to be part of this unique event, and his enthusiasm spread over the crowd like wood smoke (smelling intoxicatingly like fall).    This crowd, tho. We loved you! You were a crowd that lingered well into the evening, and who by night’s end had raised over $28,000—our highest net total ever—to support Raleigh City Farm’s mission to grow the next generation of farmers by connecting our community to sustainable agriculture. Much of this will be invested in new and critical infrastructure expenses and upgrades (including a new cold storage unit), which we’ve long been in need of and are closer to being able to afford. Dreams do come true.   We have so many to thank for making this event what it was: Chef Jeff Seizer, thank you for feeding our guests nothing short of a spectacular meal. It was clear to everyone in attendance that you love what you do. You were a joy to work with and we are so grateful to have had you on board this year.   To our Host Sponsor, Easter Maynard, your leadership support drives this event year after year. We are proud to call you a friend, and a true champion of our work to keep food local and sustainable through a network of thriving farmers. So much gratitude is also due to our Event Sponsors: Logan’s One Stop Garden Shop, Smith Anderson, and JDavis Architects.Additional thanks to our Event Partners: Wine Authorities, Fullsteam Brewery, William & Company, Piedmont Picnic Project, CompostNow, and Earth and Olive.To our volunteers: We had so many dependable helping hands doing a lot of heavy (and sometimes very dirty) lifting throughout the day (and into the night). Your efforts were crucial to our success. We appreciate you! To John “JB” Davis, our Auctioneer: Wow! We can’t reiterate enough how much we loved having your participation in this event. Thank you for sharing your insights and encouraging us to aim high. We had so much fun with you, and know our guests did, too. As always, this event would not have been what it was without our all-star board members, Harvest Dinner planning committee, and Farm team—people who believe in Raleigh City Farm and work hard to keep it strong and growing. Today and every day, thank you for all that you do.And last but not least, thank you to all of our guests for letting us be your host. We loved having you and hope you had a memorable night.Until next year!