An Evening with the Avett Brothers and Vivian Howard

When Scott Avett, Joe Kwon, and Bob Crawford of the Avett Brothers and Vivian Howard of “Chef & The Farmer” come together to support the Lomax Farm beautiful things happen

by Elizabeth Read, CFSA Communications & Development Director | May 27, 2015 – 

Ben Knight, Vivian Howard, Scott Avett, Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon

 

When CFSA stepped up and took over the administration of the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm in September of 2014, how to financially support the operations of the farm was at the top of the priorities list. Through many funding sources, CFSA has worked hard to put the Cabarrus County training farm on sound footing.

One of the awards in our successful crowd-funding campaign to benefit the farm was a seat at a dinner with Scott Avett. As details emerged about the dinner, it was clear that this was going to be an evening to remember.

Through the assistance of The Avett Brothers cellist, Joe Kwon, award-winning chef Vivian Howard signed on to be the chef for the dinner. Vivian is the chef at the acclaimed Kinston restaurant, Chef & the Farmer, and is the star of the Emmy-winning PBS television series “A Chef’s Life.”

The “A Chef’s Life” production team follows Vivian as she cooks at interesting events around the country; and indeed, her crew came to Lomax last month.

They interviewed Lomax Farmer in Training, Ben Street, who grew the green onions that would be featured in the meal the following evening, and talked to Lomax Farm Manager, Aaron Newton, about the mission and practices at Lomax.

Above: A Chef’s Life production at Lomax Farm. Below: Chef Vivian Howard visits Lomax Farmer in Training Ben Street of Street Fare Farm

 

The next day, serious setup for the event took place at Ritchie Hill, the location of the dinner. This historic house near downtown Concord has been restored as an event venue and was the perfect location for the dinner. Ritchie Hill was even once a farm!

Craig Rogers of Border Springs Farm and his Ewe Haul

 

The main course arrived before lunch with farmer Craig Rogers of Border Springs Farm. Craig is a shepherd, and his lamb roasting on a spit would become the main course for Vivian’s Mediterranean twist on a traditional pig picking. He got the television crew going with lamb cheese steak sandwiches for lunch.

The real setup for the evening started then, with main logistical support from Gina Guthrie of Bocca Felice catering in Concord. Flowers were arranged by Colleen Rett from Poppies Floral Designs with accents from Lomax Farm vegetables and looked beautiful on the farmhouse tables on the Ritchie Hill front porch. Everyone started to realize just how delicious the evening was going to be as the menus designed by Jennifer Ritchie Lancaster were placed on the table. Jennifer also photographed the evening, including several of the images on this page.

Above: Flowers (with Lomax radishes) from Poppies Floral Design. Middle: Menus designed by Jennifer Lancaster Ritchie. Below: Gina Guthrie of Bocca Felice Catering preps her staff.

 

This meal was going to be cooked by James Beard nominated Chef Howard after all.

Our guests of honor, Scott Avett and Joe Kwon arrived, and as a surprise to all of us, they brought their instruments AND The Avett Brothers’ bass player, Bob Crawford. The night’s dinner guests walked into the beautiful space at Ritchie Hill to the lovely sound of Scott, Joe, and Bob playing a few songs.

Bob Crawford, Scott Avett, and Joe Kwon of The Avett Brothers play at Ritchie Hill

 

Highlights of the dinner included delicious hushpuppies, an onion gratin featuring Lomax Farm onions, and the slow-roasted lamb. The meal finished with a delicious twist on a pig picking cake.

It was indeed an event to remember, and perhaps best of all it was to support the farm and the farmers in training at Lomax Farm.  Thank you again, to ALL of the people who made this event happen.

For more information on becoming a farmer in training at Lomax or how to support Lomax Farm, visit our site.

 

by Elizabeth Read, CFSA | July 21, 2014 – 

On July 2, 2014, the CFSA Board of Directors adopted a resolution authorizing CFSA to work with Cabarrus County stakeholders to develop an appropriate plan to continue running the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm through December 31, 2014.

We recognize the significant accomplishments of the Lomax Farm program in giving new farmers a launching pad for economic success. We see significant value to the Cabarrus County agricultural community, and to the surrounding region, in its continuation as an independent, non-government entity.

Local food and organic farming have been shown to be attractive economic opportunities for beginning farmers, including women and minority farmers, and that is especially true in the Carolinas, where demand for local food is stronger than in any other part of the Southeast. Beginning farmers are a key segment of CFSA’s membership, and 70 percent of the farmers who attend our annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference have five years or less of farming experience. Over the years, CFSA has partnered with Cooperative Extension and other stakeholders to enhance the environment for success for these farmers.

We welcome the opportunity to partner with the Cabarrus County community to provide new farmer incubation and education programs, research opportunities, and restore the connection between consumers and food producers at the Lomax Farm. We are willing to act as a fiscal sponsor for the Farm and assist in the development of a long-range plan for its continued operation. In the past, we have successfully played a similar role in the development of independent for-profit food and agriculture businesses. For example, we launched Eastern Carolina Organics, now one of the Carolinas’ largest distributors of NC-grown organic produce, and Carolina Ground, an artisan-scale flour mill that is making NC-grown organic wheat into flour for NC bakeries, restaurants, and retail groceries.

Donate Today to support Lomax Farm!

by Elizabeth Read, CFSA | July 25, 2014 –

On June 16, the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners voted to eliminate county funding for the Elma C. Lomax Farm. For six years, Lomax Farm has operated as the only certified organic incubator farm in the Southeast. The farm provided land to beginning farmers and the chance to share knowledge and equipment.  It also supported the growing local food community in Cabarrus and surrounding counties. When the commissioners broke ties with Lomax, farmers were left without access to coolers, freezers, power, and water, and it was unclear as to what was in store for the future of the crops currently in the ground.

CFSA’s Board of Directors recognized the farmers’ dire situation and voted to offer organizational oversight to the Lomax Farm while its future is determined. On July 21, the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners approved that plan. CFSA and Lomax Farm stakeholders have until the end of 2014 to determine how the farm will operate in the future.

In the meantime, the financial needs of the farm are urgent to operate the farm through the end of the year and into the future. We are thankful that the Avett Brothers, Concord locals, have stepped up and contributed to the Lomax Farm Fund. The musicians have given the plight of the farm nationwide exposure.

However, the financial needs of Lomax are great, and we are looking to a variety of sources to help fund the farm’s future. Part of the financial puzzle includes donations from community members like you.

Interested in donating to Lomax Farm? See our page on giving. 

We could not do this important work without financial contributions like yours. Thank you.