Hey Eartha, The food was incredibly prepared by chef Vinny at High Country Conservation Center’s (HC3) Harvest Dinner this past Tuesday, but I want to know where it all came from! How do I get in touch with all the local farms that donated? – Missy, Dillon Hey Missy, I am so glad you enjoyed HC3’s Harvest Dinner at Frisco Prime this Tuesday — it was scrumptious indeed. As a “locavore” myself, I greatly appreciate your support of HC3 and local food through this meal. Understanding how food is grown and sourced is essential for the health of the environment and community. For this year’s four-course meal, all donated food and table favors came from local farm stands at the Dillon and Vail Farmers’ markets and other summit county businesses. Sourcing food locally benefits the community in many ways:

• Supports the local economy
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions with less transport of food (The average commute of a veggie in the United States is 1,500 miles!)
• Local foods, when freshly harvested, are more nutritious
• Many locavores, gardeners, and chefs attest that local food tastes better
• Local foods spur culinary creativity

Many thanks to local partners for their contribution in over $2,700 worth of foods and gifts. This four-course harvest meal included bread, soup or salad, a choice of two appetizers, four different entrée selections and a variety of dessert options. For example, arugula for the salad came from Trout Creek Farm. Chef Vinny made Centennial Cuts’ local and sustainable ground beef into a delicious meatball. Wag’s World Orchards, Uncle John’s Farm Stand, and Miller Farms contributed green beans, potatoes, onions, squash, and peppers, making for a delicious vegetarian entrée as well as the veg du jour. Several diners raved about the freshness of the Two Mile Creek habanero jelly-marinated salmon with a roasted pepper and corn succotash. The salmon is sustainably fished in Norway and transported by local farmers’ market vendor Eagle Smoked Salmon. Our longest standing partner, Vail Meat Co. donated again this year highlighting two delicious main courses: braised short rib and chicken fricassee. Missy, as you know, the local love does not stop at the entrée. Blue Moon Bakery donated the carrot cake, Clint’s Bakery donated the blueberry buckle, Keystone Hospitality group donated a chocolate torte and Sustainabutter’s cashew-nut butter was blended to make a delicious ice cream! For an entire list of local partners and their websites, visit HC3’s Harvest Dinner event page at HighCountryConservation.org/harvest-dinner. The event could not take place without creativity and hard work of chef Vinny and Prime’s entire culinary team and serving staff. Chef Vinny Monarca holds his two restaurants, Vinny’s & Frisco Prime, to the highest standards using the freshest organic produce and locally-sourced ingredients free of hormones and antibiotics. Thanks for asking about the local farmers, Missy! Their hard work supporting sustainable food practices is an inspiration for HC3 to carry out their mission to promote practical solutions for waste reduction and resource conservation in our mountain community. Ask Eartha Steward is written by the staff at the High Country Conservation Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to waste reduction and resource conservation. Submit questions to Eartha at info@highcountryconservation.org.