Buy Fresh Buy Local Harvest Party

October 13, 2013 marked the Buy Fresh Buy Local-Iowa Chapter's 4th annual Harvest Party.  What a fantastic event!




Buy Fresh Buy Local is a campaign project of the Drake University Law Center that helps connect the community to local, farm-fresh food. Local farms, businesses and restaurants can become members to help support the project and connect with the public about getting easy access to local, fresh products.





The event is held at the Olmstead building at Drake University.  Drake University is home to the organization and there are lots of opportunities for students to get involved in the project.




The Harvest Party is Buy Fresh Buy Local's yearly fundraiser and what a party it is!  Supporting farms, restaurants and businesses donate local food items and time for preparation and serving. The public can buy tickets to the event to partake in lots of dishes prepared for them from all of these fresh, local ingredients.  There is a raffle with donated items from businesses as well, and all of the profits go to support this great organization. Tickets were $20 or $50 per family.






Part of the fun is getting to chat with farmers and business owners about their products and put a face with the person behind what you're eating.  It's so nice to know where your food is coming from and that it is the very best to be feeding yourself and your family.

Sponsors for the event include: The Des Moines Farmer's Market, Maytag Dairy Farms, Kitchen Collage, Campbell's Nutrition, Devour Des Moines, HoQ Restaurant, Drake University, Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation & Development, The Richard Deming Foundation and Sodexo.

Follow Buy Fresh Buy Local Greater Des Moines on Facebook for updates about upcoming events and about next year's Harvest Party, because you don't want to miss it!




Here is the wonderful menu for the evening (just click on it to view it larger).  Everything was fantastic!  About 200 people purchased tickets to the event and it has gotten bigger and better every year!  --------------->





Some of our favorite dishes of the evening included lamb meatballs and beet chocolate cake.  There are too many to mention, but we loved them all!




Eat, Play, Love Des Moines is hosting an event on November 7, 2013 at Confluence Brewing Company to benefit Buy Fresh Buy Local! This free, family-friendly event will offer local vendors and lots of fun and prizes Click here for more info!  Come out for dinner to support this awesome organization and eat some more great local food!