Event is 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at the Henderson Farmers Market
When the Henderson Farmers Market opens and the parade of seasonal produce begins, Shawna Harrington’s wheels start turning.
As the chef at Hometown Roots who sources ingredients from local growers and producers, Harrington’s thoughts might turn to roasted rainbow carrots with a carrot top chimichurri or fried rice with kimchi house-made from locally grown Napa cabbage and green onions.
Or she might think about pesto made with Fresh Cut Farms scapes. Zucchini cake baked with local eggs and squash from Cates Farms. A uniquely crafted beverage designed by the crew at Roast using Cardinal Farms peaches.
Some of those things might even show up on Saturday, July 12, when Hometown Roots (a platinum sponsor of the market for the past three years) and Henderson Farmers Market team up for Farm Fresh Fest from 10 a.m. to noon.
“Overall, our day will include farm fresh bites made with as much produce from as many farmers as possible,” said Harrington, who is a member of the Henderson Farmers Market Association board.
Community sponsorships such as the support from Hometown Hospitality Group, which includes Hometown Roots, have helped the market association hire a seasonal manager and organize special events.
“We are planning chef demonstrations along with a mixology moment with our bar wizard Jonathan,” the HT Roots chef said. “We’ve been sourcing produce for about a month with ideas of dishes to really embrace and utilize all of what our market and Henderson County have to offer.”
As a result, she can’t get the super-sweet Windy Hill Farms carrots she’s already experimented with and their peppery tops out of her head.
Farm Fresh Fest is a new event this year.
“This year has been a year of transition from past events that connected our restaurants/community to the farmers,” such as the Henderson Chamber of Commerce’s Farm to Table summertime dinner that was offered for several years, Harrington said.
In support of Farm Fresh Fest, Hometown Roots has a colorful tableau of vegetables painted on its Main Street windows (by artist Tabitha Taylor). It echoes the market’s community branding statement that’s displayed on the Cates & Porter Pavilion at the Henderson County Fairgrounds: Farm Fresh is my nature.
Harrington said restaurant owner Casey Todd and Hometown Hospitality group have been supporting of local farmers since Hometown Roots opened in 2018. She said that in that timeframe they have worked with more than 20 local farmers and producers located within a 30-mile radius.
So it was a natural fit for them to be the partner at Farm Fresh Fest after another board member suggested that Harrington’s team prepare food samples for market patrons on July 12.
“What we heard is we get to throw a big party all in the name of local produce,” she said.
But it’s much more than just that.
“We have a mission to share the stories: our hometown hospitality roots, our farmers/their produce and overall, our community,” Harrington said. “We utilize the produce intentionally and with respect to all the hard work it took to get in our kitchen. And being able to share that passion and commitment with our guests is overall the whole experience.”
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Farm Fresh Fest celebrating local flavor, community fun and homegrown goodness will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on July 12 at Henderson Farmers Market, which is located at Henderson County Fairgrounds, 381 Sam Ball Way.
Hometown roots will be serving free samples using produce donated by Farmers Market members. The Tom’s Smokin’ BBQ food truck and Liver’s Farm ice cream also will be at the event.
Farm Fresh Fest T-shirts will be for sale and musician Maggie Hollis will perform from 10 a.m. to noon.
Other activities will include a petting zoo and Henderson County 4-H Herdsmen.
The market’s operating hours during the season are 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Fridays and Saturdays.