The ‘farm-to-table-to-farm’ dinner will showcase the talents of West Hartford chef Dorjan Puka.

Cocktail hour at Feast on the Farm 2015. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

The 4th Annual Feast on the Farm dinner will highlight locally-grown produce and other food products at a four-course meal served al fresco under a tent at Westmoor Park, but this event will take the farm-to-table concept one step further – incorporating organic waste recycling to complete the farm-to-table-to-farm cycle.

The dinner will benefit the continued restoration of the historic barn at Westmoor Park, located at 119 Flagg Rd. in West Hartford. Puka, chef-owner of Treva Restaurant, Ávert Brasserie, and the soon-to-open Mediterranean restaurant Zohara in West Hartford Center, will once again prepare the feast.

“We’re so pleased to have Dorjan Puka share his talents with us again,” said West Hartford Director of Leisure and Social Services Helen Rubino-Turco in a news release. “He always creates a sublime meal while highlighting local produce. This event is a true partnership with Dorjan and his team from DORO Restaurant Group.”

Dinner is served al fresco under a tent at Feast on the Farm in 2015. Courtesy photo

The connection to the land will receive even greater emphasis this year through the introduction of organic waste recycling. “This event will be a true farm-to-table-to-farm event. By collecting and composting food scraps, the food will go full circle,” said Rubino-Turco.

Scraps to be collected and composted will include “pre-consumed” waste from the preparation process such as the ends of carrots or parts of other produced not served, as well as food left on diners’ plates. Paine’s Inc., the Town’s trash and recycling hauler, is a sponsor of Feast on the Farm and will be providing special organic recycling barrels to collect the food waste for composting at a nearby facility.

West Hartford Director of Public Works John Phillips said that the organic waste recycling is the future of waste management.

“This process will produce compost that anyone can use in their garden,” Phillips said in the release. “At the same time, we’ll reduce waste without using an incinerator or landfill.”

Rubin-Turco said that construction has been done to shore up the foundation of the historic barn on the 162-acre facility, but more work is required. Although owned by the Town of West Hartford, Westmoor Park, which attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year and includes a demonstration farm, is not supported by tax dollars.

The Feast on the Farm benefit will be held on Friday, Sept. 30, from 6 – 9 p.m., at Westmoor Park. The event is BYOB (wine and beer) and tickets are $90 each. Tickets may be purchased by mail or in person at Westmoor Park or the Department of Leisure Services at West Hartford Town Hall.

Feast on the Farm sponsors include The Chase Family Foundation and Paine’s Inc. In-kind sponsors include the DORO Restaurant Group, Whole Foods Market, Hartford Baking Company Russell’s Creative Global Cuisine and Falvey Linens.

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