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Cultivate Local Food Connections

Cultivate Local Food Connections fosters sustainable food systems by connecting local farmers with communities, promoting healthy eating, and providing educational programs that celebrate seasonal produce and cooking skills.

Come befriend squash in all its versatility, textures, and flavor pairings! In this interactive class, we will learn to make a Pan-seared Squash Gnocchi with Browned Butter Sage Sauce.&nbsp; We will also learn about the various types of squash, types of cuts, and how the proper use of the right kind of squash can elevate a simple home meal into a restaurant-quality plate.

Squash: Your New Best Friend - Cooking Class Series

Join us for an afternoon of harvesting, gleaning, and community connection at the Iowa Wildcraft farm in Waukee! Together, we&rsquo;ll gather seasonal produce, learn a little more about what happens on a small-scale farm, and help make sure fresh food reaches our community. Participants will have the opportunity to take home some of the produce we harvest, while additional donations will be weighed, packed, and shared through community food-access programs. Please wear closed toe shoes or boots and clothing you are comfortable getting dirty in. Gloves and tools will be provided.<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Parking: On-site parking available; follow signs.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Restrooms: Portable restroom and hand-washing station available.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Farm Stand: Iowa Wildcraft products will be available for purchase. Cash and Venmo accepted.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Community donations: Harvested produce will be weighed and packed for community food-access efforts.</li></ul>Come ready to lend a hand, share food, and help keep local produce in our community!

Iowa Wildcraft Farm Tour & Gleaning Event

October is National Pork Month! Learn about sustainably grown Iowa local pork from Knob Hill Farm. Along with Chef Natalie, we will go over the different pork cuts and what they are good for - followed by a cooking demonstration including: how to pan-fry the classic &amp; perfect shallow-fried tenderloin &amp; pickle slider, marinated seared chop strips with corn-apple slaw, and brown sugar belly pops-on-a-stick!&nbsp; Take home some easy recipes to share at your next party!

Sustainably Grown Iowa Pork - Cooking Class Series

Join us for a cooking demo class featuring stovetop vegetable forward dishes from September&rsquo;s harvest. Taking inspiration from both French and African cuisines, Natalie will be demonstrating how to make a baked ratatouille with a flavorful oil and dressing. This dish highlights tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and lenga lenga, all of which can be found across Iowa. You&#39;ll learn how to best prepare, cook, and dress local produce to make it your own! After the class we will enjoy the meal together.&nbsp;

Harvest Inspiration - Cooking Class Series

-CANCELLED- The Lenga Lenga Sampler &amp; Film on the Farm Event is unfortunately cancelled. Good news, though - you will have another chance to try lenga lenga soon! Please join us instead for lenga lenga samples, recipes, and more at the Drake Sprout Garden Fall Harvest Party on Tuesday, September 8th, from 4:30-6:30pm. The Sprout Garden is located at 30th St &amp; Carpenter Ave. We will also have the blender bike there to make salsa with fresh produce from the garden!----Come discover something new at <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.inharmonyfarm.org/" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">In Harmony Farm</a> in Earlham! Join us in celebrating Lenga Lenga - Iowa&rsquo;s next super food. Lenga Lenga is a nutrient-packed leafy green enjoyed around the world for its rich flavor and many health benefits. Many of the In Harmony farmers, originally from Central Africa, grow lenga lenga as a staple crop and are excited to inspire more Iowans to bring it into their kitchens as well.&nbsp; We will provide a simple meal for you to try lenga lenga a few different ways with recipes to take with you. Just bring your own lawn chair, grab a bite to eat, and check out the space at In Harmony Farm - a nonprofit empowering up-and-coming farmers to grow healthy food and build thriving farm businesses while using sustainable practices to improve soil health.&nbsp; Around 8pm we will then enjoy an outdoor film screening of Common Ground, followed by a panel discussion with local farmers. About the film: Common Ground is the highly anticipated sequel to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. By fusing journalistic expose&rsquo; with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system. The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative &ldquo;regenerative&rdquo; models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America&rsquo;s economy &ndash; before it&rsquo;s too late.

Iowa’s Next Super Food: Lenga Lenga Sampler & Film on the Farm Evening

Join us for an immersive class led by herbalist Cal Wolfpack of Profound Existence Herbs. Discover how to incorporate culinary and medicinal herbs into your everyday cooking to enhance both flavor and well-being. Participants will engage in hands-on herb sampling to build familiarity and confidence with a variety of plants. After the session, enjoy a thoughtfully prepared dinner featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Cultivate Local Food Connections

Cultivate Local Food Connections

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Kitchen Herbalism II

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Events

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Kitchen Herbalism II

Get your tickets

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Cultivate Local Food Connections