REAP Food Group

Several months ago I was a guest on Food Dignity Podcast, and my episode is posted! Thanks to Clancy Harrison for the invite and wonderful conversation. https://lnkd.in/gGCETJSx

Yesterday we took a trip to Heather Gayton's ZanBria Artisan Farm. Heather invited friends and neighbors to be part of a mural unveiling that represents the watershed, plants, and animals living on the land. We were honored to partner with Elena Terry and Wild Bearies to feed the attendees. Elena cooked up amazing watershed harvest bowls with wild rice from her friend Jack in Minnesota, veggies from local Madison area farms, and smoked fish from Red Cliff Fish Company. Cooking with Elena and my coworker Paulina was such a highlight of the year. This was also our last food truck event of 2024, so being part of a special event and having Elena cook on the truck was truly an amazing way to finish 2024.

This one was the dream of Chef Yusuf Bin-Rella...to partner with him to bring our food truck to Taliesin Preservation for an event. On Oct 13 it's happening! Tickets are 10 bucks and additional costs for meals from the truck. If you haven't been out there considering coming. The weather should be amazing and the food will be great....wild rice brats, mushroom dumplings, chili, and more all prepared by Chef Yusuf. Stop by and say hi and meet some REAP staff too!

Fun things happening with REAP! we hired Couds North Films for a film project and we are live with our friend Kim Fruin of FarmHer Greens at Troy Gardens. We can't wait until the film is done and we launch it!

REAP's harvest weekend celebration starts tomorrow! Thanks to all our sponsors, but a big shoutout to the culinary team at Madison Area Technical College for opening their space and generously letting the chefs prep food for the event.Thank you Kevin McGuinnis, Irene Pawlisch, Paul Short, and John Johnson. If you haven't seen the Jones Dairy Farm culinary arts kitchen its a world class facility. My jaw drops everything I go there.

And not only is our Harvest Celebration happening on the 21st of September, but the Greater Madison area chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International is working to help raise funds for REAP! Join the group at their upcoming Aperitivo in the Garden Event on September 21 at the home of one of their members, Pamela Reardon, in Madison.  Proceeds will go to support REAP's Farm to School program. Between advocating for WI Healthy School Meals For All, collaborating with the Madison school district on a scratch coooking program, and partnering with local high school to expand food justice curriculum, the Farm to School program is doing amazing things locally. Our farm to school director, Allison, was also selected by the National Farm to School Network to be part of their very first farm to school coordinator community of practice which brings farm to school professionals together from acroos the country to learn from each other. Reserve tickets here to support our farm to school program: https://lnkd.in/g3f4ihuC

Tickets for REAP's Harvest Weekend Celebration co-hosted with Dan Cornelius at his Yowela Farms are available now! Saturday Sept 21st will be a family oriented gathering with workshops and food. Sunday the 22nd is the 5 course dinner on the farm featuring Dan, Elena Terry, Yusuf Bin-Rella, and Francesca Hong. Get your tickets now! https://lnkd.in/gyEP_XDw

Last night was an amazing experience at American Players Theatre for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Chef Yusuf was serving meals from REAP's food truck with our truck intern Josh and our good friend Shelley Buffalo who I have not seen in a long time! The play was so amazing. I felt like I was watching real life and not actually at a play. Great night, great atmosphere, great food, and great people. Thank you Anna Gonzalez!