On Thursday, June 25, Drake University will co-sponsor an evening showcasing wines and foods from Iowa vintners and farms to support the Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign and its network.
The event, “A June Wedding: Iowa Wines Marry Iowa Appetizers,” will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and hosted by Gateway Market at the Village of Ponderosa, 520 Market St. in West Des Moines.
Chefs from Gateway Market will pair four Buy Fresh Buy Local wineries with 15 local farms to create tasty duos from a dozen wines and appetizers.
“We are excited about this event and the opportunity to encourage and gain support for local wineries, farms and Buy Fresh Buy Local,” said Matt Russell, state food policy project coordinator and BFBL coordinator at the Drake University Agricultural Law Center.
Tickets are $30 and proceeds will help support Greater Des Moines Buy Fresh Buy Local.
Drake’s Buy Fresh Buy Local also is partnering with several other organizations to present a fundraiser for the Food Bank of Iowa. “Cooking Out of the Box” is a celebration of Kitchen Collage’s 10th anniversary.
Drake will join the Downtown Farmers’ Market, Court Avenue Brew Pub and Jethro’s BBQ to support this fundraiser event at the Downtown Farmers’ Market on Saturday, July 11.
From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., chefs will prepare lunch with Kitchen Collage’s latest kitchenware and fresh produce. Tickets are $25.
For more information or to purchase tickets for these events, including an additional BFBL benefit dinner planned for September, visit buyfreshdrake.org.
Join the campaign
BFBL is committed to growing the local food movement. More than 1,500 consumers have taken the pledge to buy fresh, local food every week throughout the growing season. Consumers can take the pledge online today at https://www.law.drake.edu/centers/agLaw/pledge.aspx.
“This is a great opportunity to stay connected, especially if you support local foods,” Russell said. “Taking the pledge is beneficial for both the consumers and local farmers.”