Posted 10/07/2024

Cooking up a fresh, organic, local, seasonal, lunch meant gathering ingredients and produce from many organic farms.

Thanks to Jono Neiger (Regenerative Ag and Agroforestry Designer/Big River Chestnuts Farmer) for recommending me to Molly Funk of CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture).

Molly contacted me to cook and create a menu based on our local harvest for MA Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer, State Representative Natalie Blais, their staff, local organic farmers, and agricultural service providers. They spent the morning touring Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA and Big River Chestnuts, Sunderland, MA; hearing about the new needs of the farmers dealing with the changing weather.

As the chef, I created a delicious vegetarian menu that would be based on the local harvest. Be fun to eat. And easy to serve in the rustic setting of the farm.

Since, it was September, there was lots of fresh organic vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers to use.

I made 3 organic vegan and gluten free dips: kale pesto, black bean salsa dip and my signature chick pea pâté. Rounding out the meal was a variety of local goat and cow cheeses, cheddar cheese quesadillas, gluten free organic crackers, olives, veggie sticks, local organic Hungry Ghost sourdough bread, cakes made with chestnut flour and even 2 different tortes made with chestnut flour, local organic hickory oil, aronia berries, sweetened with local maple syrup, and topped with a maple chèvre frosting.

Melissa Hoffer complimented me on the kale pesto. Everyone loved the lunch.

“Your food is amazing Leslie, thanks for incorporating so many local and seasonal ingredients!”

“Thank you to MA Climate Chief Hoffer for spending time with an amazing group of farmers and agricultural service providers to discuss the impacts and opportunities Massachusetts farmers are grappling with related to climate change! Looking forward to more discussions with the Chief about how to support Massachusetts farmers adapt to new weather patterns, and contribute toward the State’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This work wouldn’t be possible without CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture), American Farmland Trust, Jono Neiger, UMass Center for Food, Agriculture, and the Environment (CAFE), Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Hampden Hampshire Conservation District, Momentum Ag, Atlas Farm, and Leslie Cerier”