1. Build
a team: Our team is like-minded in purpose and
includes people who are creative, connected and get things done. Look around your
community to see who has planned successful events, who knows the local
producers and food processors, who is a detail person and who knows everyone
and can get them out to an event. Make sure they like to have fun, don’t take
themselves too seriously and you will have an awesome team!
2. Focus
your ideas into a consistent theme: At first we spent a lot of time
defining our event and our overall goals. This work up front really keeps us on track and even as we
grow it allows us to assess new ideas against our core focus. Every decision
from decorating to music to venue is made easier when we put it up against a
consistent theme.
3. Be
realistic about your strengths and weaknesses: Once you have determined your goal and
defined your event the next step is to figure out what you can do well. Build on your team’s strengths and
empower each member to take on a job they love and will do well at. We, also attended
several similar events in other communities to get the creative juices flowing.
Many of those food events were in larger cities that have access to numerous
chefs and restaurants that serve local food. This is not the reality in our
city (YET!) so calling on local chefs and restaurants to prepare the food was
not an option. We did discover, however, that we have access to some great
cooks/caterers and the exhibition association has an excellent culinary team
lead by chef Rob Hofer. What we saw as a potential weakness turned into one of
our largest strengths.
4. Choose
a name: We chose Harvest
Feastival. Harvest seemed like a no-brainer as our event takes place at the end
of October, as harvest is winding down.
Further, we wanted to celebrate harvest and the bounty of our local
foods with a feast. So, we
combined feast and festival to arrive at Feastival. Your event name should say
what you are and be catchy enough to engage interest.
5. Find
the right partners: We
were fortunate to partner with the Lloydminster Agricultural Exhibition Association.
Their goals meshed with ours to the point that
they supply the venue and the cooks and staff to run most of the event. This left the rest of us with the job of connecting with the farmers, food processors and enthusiastic foodies. Another helpful partnership is with our volunteers including the celebrity ‘chefs’. Each food station is hosted by a local celebrity including - the Mayor, local MLAs, radio personalities and other well-known citizens. They serve the food with help from our student volunteers, who receive volunteer hours for one of their classes. The other key partnerships are with the local farmers and food processors. In August and September, we contact them to see what is available for our event and then plan our menu and food stations accordingly. Each farmer and food processor is able to promote their company at the food stations featuring their products.
they supply the venue and the cooks and staff to run most of the event. This left the rest of us with the job of connecting with the farmers, food processors and enthusiastic foodies. Another helpful partnership is with our volunteers including the celebrity ‘chefs’. Each food station is hosted by a local celebrity including - the Mayor, local MLAs, radio personalities and other well-known citizens. They serve the food with help from our student volunteers, who receive volunteer hours for one of their classes. The other key partnerships are with the local farmers and food processors. In August and September, we contact them to see what is available for our event and then plan our menu and food stations accordingly. Each farmer and food processor is able to promote their company at the food stations featuring their products.
6. Get
the word out: Our event
is promoted through the local paper and radio stations. We put up posters
around town. The exhibition also promotes it through their website and Facebook
page. Local producers promote it to their clients. We sell tickets at Weir Veterinarian
Clinic and The Root – a restaurant that uses local ingredients. We sell tables
to local businesses and groups. One local farm family, buys two tables and invites
all the retired farmers who help them out during harvest. We try to build on
those kinds of synergies and make sure we also have great word of mouth pick
up.
7. Cross
your t’s and dot your i’s:
This includes making sure you have the right license to hold your event and
that you follow food safety regulations. We have found it helpful to walk
through the event through the eyes of someone who is attending to make sure we
have thought of everything. We, also, leave out feedback forms on the tables
and we review what worked and what didn’t after each event so we can improve
the next year.
There are a few
ideas to get you started! These recipes are from this year’s event and were
created by chef Rob Hofer and his team at the Lloydminster Agricultural
Exhibition Association. They do an
excellent job of taking the local ingredients we source and then turning them
into a feast! Enjoy!
Rob’s Coq Au Vin
Here is Rob’s
tasty version of the dish Julie Child’s made famous. For our event the chicken
was supplied by Lower Shannon Farms, while the potatoes and onions came from
Kathy’s Greenhouse
Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken
parts 1 kg
2 Tbsp canola oil
30 mL
salt and pepper
to taste
1 cup chopped
onions 250 mL
4 garlic cloves,
minced
1 cup chopped
mushrooms 250 mL
2 cups red wine
500 mL
3 Tbsp butter 45
mL
6 Tbsp flour 90
mL
pinch of nutmeg
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, sear chicken parts in
canola oil to brown the outside but not cooked through about 5 minutes. You may need to do a few at a time to
avoid overcrowding the saucepan.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Place
chicken parts in a roaster. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions, garlic and mushrooms. Add 2 cups (500 mL) water. Cook for 20 minutes and then add
wine. Continue cooking for an
additional 20 minutes.
3. While chicken is cooking prepare a roux by
melting butter in a saucepan. Then
add flour and whisk until mixture is thickened. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Then add the roux moisture to the chicken and stir to
incorporate into the sauce. Cook
for another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked and sauce is thickened.
Serve.
Source: Rob Hofer
Bernice’s 7 Grain Stuffing.
Bernice is a
whirling dervish in the kitchen. She is everywhere all at once magically
spinning out dishes. Bernice’s first step in this recipe was to make the bread
using 7-grain flour from New Life Organics. The Saskatoon berries and squash
were supplied by Emjay’s farm.
Ingredients:
2 celery stalks,
chopped
2 cups chopped
onion 500 mL
2 garlic cloves,
minced
2 Tbsp canola oil
30 mL
¼ cup fresh
parsley 60 mL
salt and pepper
to taste
12 cups fresh 7-grain
bread crumbs 3 L
1 cup fresh or
frozen Saskatoon berries 250 mL
1 cup cooked and
cubed butternut squash 250 mL
1 cup chicken or
turkey broth 250 mL
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan, sauté celery, onion and
garlic in canola oil until onions begin to soften. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until parsley is wilted. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add breadcrumbs, Saskatoons, squash and
broth. Stir to combine.
3. Use to stuff chicken or turkey or place in
greased 11- x 7-inch (2 L) glass baking dish; cover and bake at 400°F (200°C)
for 20 minutes; uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 10 minutes.
Source: Bernice
Topilko
Bev’s Quick and Easy Quinoa Salad
Bev is known as
the queen of salads in the Exhibition’s kitchen. The quinoa for this salad was
supplied by NorQuin, honey from The Queen Bee and camelina oil from Three
Farmers.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa 250
mL
2 cups water 500
mL
1 English
cucumber , diced
1 cup chopped
celery 250 mL
1 cup chopped
onion 250 mL
1 cup chopped red
pepper 250 mL
Vinaigrette:
¼ cup apple cider
vinegar 60 mL
¼ cup lemon juice
60 mL
2 Tbsp cup honey
30 mL
1/2 cup camelina
oil 125 mL
1 tsp mustard
powder 5 mL
salt and pepper
to taste
Instructions:
1. In a fine sieve, rinse quinoa under
running water. Transfer to medium saucepan and add water. Bring to boil over
medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer, covered for 12 – 15 minutes or until
liquid is absorbed. Cool.
2. In large bowl, combine cooled quinoa,
cucumber, celery, onion and red pepper.
3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, lemon
juice, honey, camelina oil, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Pour over quinoa
and vegetables. Toss well. Serve.
Source: Bev
McCutcheon.
Bev’s Sweet Quinoa Salad with Fruit
Our quinoa was
supplied by NorQuin, honey from The Queen Bee, strawberries from the Flying
Rabbit Fruit Farm and canola oil from SaskCanola.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa 250
mL
2 cups water 500
mL
2 cups
strawberries 500 mL
1 cups Haskap berries
250 mL
1 cup cooked and
cubed pumpkin 250 mL
Vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp honey 45
mL
¼ cup lemon juice
60 mL
¾ cup canola oil
175 mL
Salt and pepper
to taste
Instructions:
1. In a fine sieve, rinse quinoa under
running water. Transfer to medium saucepan and add water. Bring to boil over
medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer, covered for 12 – 15 minutes or until
liquid is absorbed. Cool.
2. In large bowl, combine cooled quinoa and
berries.
3. In a small bowl, combine honey, lemon
juice, canola oil, salt and pepper. Pour over quinoa and vegetables. Toss well.
Serve.
Source: Bev
McCutcheon.
Gertie’s Bannock
To Gertie making
bannock is second nature. She cooks by feel, smell and taste. Tasting the flour
mixture to see if there is enough baking powder, feeling the dough to know when
she has added enough water and smelling the dough baking to know when it is
done.
Ingredients:
6 cups all purpose
flour 1.5 L
3 Tbsp baking
powder 45 mL
1 Tbsp salt 15 mL
1 egg
1 cup canola oil
250 mL
2 ½ - 3 ½ cups luke
warm water 625 – 875 mL
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking
powder and salt. Add egg, canola oil and 2 ½ cups (625 mL) water. Mix to form a
soft dough. Add more water until a
soft dough is formed.
3. Turn out onto a baking sheet. Form dough
into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Poke holes in the dough to allow
steam escape.
4. Use the top rack in the oven and bake for
20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Source: Gertie
Pahtayken
I had to add in these pictures! Here is Rhonda from the Cheesiry sampling at her table. As well as The Root and Lower Shannon Farms have partnered to do a line of preserves! They featured their Wild Salsa and Jalapeno Jelly at Harvest Feastival this year! They are having too much fun. 
