Agricenter International will host its 10th annual Feast on the Farm Gala this Saturday, August 3rd, at 6 p.m. The organization’s largest fundraiser of the year will feature live music by Kevin and Bethany Paige, silent and live auctions, and a diverse selection of small plates that highlight the best of Memphis’ culinary scene.
Dishes and drinks will be from The Butcher Shop Steakhouse, Grazin’ Tables Charcuterie & Eatery, Memphis Made Brewing Company, Off the Square Catering, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sufi’s Mediterranean Grill & Bar, Villa Castrioti, and more.
“We expect over 600 people,” says Agricenter president John Butler. “We’re very thrilled to have so many members of the community come out and celebrate with us. All the funds that we raise — 100 percent — go back to support our education efforts. We invest everything back in to support our education, so that team works tirelessly trying to talk about the importance of agriculture, not only in this community, but as it relates back to people’s lives, everything you can think of from sustainability to environmental concerns to health and nutrition.
“More and more our community understands that food is health, so making good choices around nutrition is extremely important, and our educators are out in the community, working. This year, we worked with over 18,000 students through a variety of different STEAM enrichment classes, but we also have a lot of adult programs, and that’s what I think really makes us unique.”
Adult program topics include farm safety, workforce development, introduction to agriculture, drone technology, and more.
Feast on the Farm also coincides with the Agricenter’s 45th anniversary. Since its founding in 1979, Butler says, with the changes in the agriculture industry and the community, the Agricenter, too, has evolved. “Understanding the importance of the agriculture community has probably never been more important than it is today.
“Our whole society started through an agrarian outlook,” Butler says, “and then as we move more and more over time away from the farm and into urban communities, we probably lost a little contact with how we actually grow our own food. And what I’ve seen the last couple years is that there’s a real strategic interest in getting some of those things back. People are taking some of our beginning farmer classes, or some of our new classes around organics and learning more about the industry. We have an equine campus; we have a farmers market. We have a research farm; we have a research park; we help recruit startups. Agricenter is more than just a place. We create a lot of economic and community investment. We have a $524 million annual impact, both direct and indirect activities that we host here. So it’s more than just tourism.”
As Butler looks to the future, he hopes Agricenter continues on its innovative and progressive path. For now, he encourages people to get their tickets to Feast on the Farm fast because they’re sure to sell out.
Couples tickets are $250 and can be purchased here.
Feast on the Farm Gala, ShowPlace Arena, Agricenter International, Saturday, August 3, 6-10:30 p.m.