Chew Local, Sept. 25

Georgia Organics (GO) and the Atlanta Local Food Initiative (ALFI) have chosen the thriving urban neighborhood of East Atlanta for their celebration of local food. CHEWS LOCAL! will be held on Thursday, Sept. 25 beginning at 4 p.m. in The Glenwood area of East Atlanta. The debut copies of the Georgia Organics’ 2009-2010 Local Food Guide will be available at the reception along with ALFI’s ambitious and informative Plan for Atlanta’s Sustainable Food Future.

Attendees can tour the weekly farmer’s market, talk with Park Pride about how to start a community garden and attend a reception and dinner featuring all locally grown foods. The reception is $15 (free for Georgia Organics members), and dinner is $65 ($50 for Georgia Organics members).

“East Atlanta provides a vibrant example of ‘farm-to-fork’ within a half mile radius,” said Alice Rolls, GO executive director and co-chair of ALFI. “They have a two-acre farming co-op that sells produce at the Village Farmers’ Market which is bought by local restaurateurs and residents. Two blocks away, they also have the first community garden to officially be established on city park land.”

The CHEWS LOCAL! Reception will be held at The Glenwood from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy appetizers of locally grown food from the chefs at The Glenwood, Kasan Red, Graveyard Tavern, Slush and Dynamic Dish, plus microbrews and wine. $15 per person; free for Georgia Organics members. Reservations are required via www.georgiaorganics.org/events .

The CHEWS LOCAL! Dinner begins at 8:00 p.m. at The Glenwood and features a four-course menu prepared by chefs Ryan Stewart of The Glenwood, David Sweeney of Dynamic Dish and Cristy Nolton of Graveyard Tavern. $65 per person, $50 for Georgia Organics members. Price includes tax and gratuity, but not beverages. Reservations are required via www.georgiaorganics.org/events .

The East Atlanta Village Farmer’s Market operates from 4 – 8 p.m. and will give participants a chance to sample local foods and hear music. Area resident Robert Hamilton will demonstrate liqueur fermentation of favorite local fruits.

Interested attendees can talk with Park Pride to learn how to cultivate community gardens in City of Atlanta Parks and visit the Brownwood Park Community Garden.

“A plan for the metro Atlanta area that encompasses food production, increased availability of locally grown products, plus healthy food choices and preparation is a core element of the growing statewide movement,” said Terry Coleman, deputy commissioner of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. “The Georgia Department of Agriculture is excited to be playing a key role in this sweeping transformation of the way Georgians think, eat and live.”

For more information, email info@georgiaorganics.org or call (678) 702-0400.