One of our Southern Makers, Hubs Peanuts, is hosting a new two-day festival on October 7-8 in Franklin Virginia. The Homegrown Harvest Festival will showcase the best of Virginia cuisine, music, and community and benefit Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore and The CROP Foundation to further their missions and create new opportunities for student involvement with the Foodbank’s new Western Tidewater Branch in Franklin.
According to Feeding America’s most recent food insecurity data, one out of every 13 Virginia residents lack consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life. Out of those 658,470 people facing hunger, 182,170 are children. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore works to eliminate hunger among children and adults in the community through their Mobile Pantry, Kids Cafe and BackPack Programs and by partnering with schools, soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters to distribute food to those in need. The CROP Foundation creates opportunities and resources for local youth interested in pursuing culinary, agriculture and closely related fields to foster a new food-conscious and food-passionate generation. By supporting both of these organizations, Virginia is on the road to being a healthier, more sustainable and culinary-rich state.
Food featured during the festival will be handcrafted by the area’s best chefs, including Harper Bradshaw from Harper’s Table in Suffolk, Kip Poole, who was on HBO’s The Big Brunch and runs the CROP foundation, and Sedley native and experienced chef Nic Hagen, as well as select out-of-town guest chefs like Walter Bundy, owner and chef at Shagbark in Richmond, Chef Sarah Betcher, of Zoe’s Steak and Seafood, and Chef Willson Craigie, owner and executive chef of Commune. Captain Chris Ludford from Pleasure House Oysters will serve Lynnhaven’s best oysters and provide education on sustainable aquaculture.
Beverage providers include Michael Shaps Wineworks, Cirrus Vodka, Crunchy Hydration Barboursville Vineyards, Williamsburg Winery, Smartmouth Brewing Co., Backpocket Provisions and Ragged Branch Distillery.
