As the sun sent pink streaks into the sky, 111 guests gathered at a community table situated near neat lines of growing produce. They tucked into roast chicken, cooked on a wood fire and finished with lemon and herbs, potato salad with shaved celery, red onions and mustard seed, and local heirloom tomatoes.
And in the process, they helped raise nearly $1,200 for the historic Milton Theatre in Milton.
From the Farm, a dining event held June 29 on farmland surrounding Good Earth Market in Millville, was such a success that organizers Good Earth Market & Organic Farm and Plate Catering plan to make it an annual event.
“It was magical,” says Matt Haley, owner of SoDel Concepts, which owns Plate Catering, Highwater Management and six restaurants along the Delaware coast. “Our guests tasted the freshest food in the perfect setting.”
The meal featured organic ingredients from local farms, including Good Earth Market, which has been USDA-certified organic for seven years.
Southern Wine & Sprits provided biodynamic wine, grown with an approach that encompasses the grapevines, the soil, the other present flora and fauna—even the moon phases.
“People today are hungry for locally grown items from people they know,” Haley says. “And chefs love working with area farmers and using local ingredients. We’re excited about producing many more of these events.”
About Good Earth Market & Organic Farm
Located in Millville, Del., Good Earth Market offers organic products ranging from coffees, teas and infusions to all natural beauty products and earth-friendly cleaning solutions. The produce department is 100 percent USDA-certified organic. Visit www.goodearthmarket.com for more information.
About Plate Catering
Plate Catering, launched in 2009, is part of SoDel Concepts, which was named to the 2009 Inc. 500, which lists America’s fastest-growing private companies. Along with Plate Catering, the company owns Fish On in Lewes, Betty’s Pure & Simple and Lupo di Mare in Rehoboth Beach, Bluecoast in North Bethany Beach, NorthEast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View and Catch 54 in Fenwick Island. Matt Haley and partners Bryony Zeigler and Scott Kammerer also own Highwater Management, a hospitality management company that helped launch Que Pasa in Dewey Beach and Salt Air in Rehoboth Beach. Highwater currently manages Fins, Claws, Sports at the Beach and Waterman’s Seafood House in Ocean City, Md. Visit www.sodelconcepts.com for more information.
