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Event Thu Jun 05 2014
Back to the Farm
If you need to get out of the city this summer, consider a short trip to a farm dinner hosted by some of the city's most well-known purveyors. Fairbury's Slagel Farms, which supplies to meats to a long list of local restaurants (Elizabeth, Girl and the Goat) has five dinners planned through October with several of its chef clients (from Three Aces, Endgrain, Owen & Engine, etc.) overseeing the menu.
Bruce Sherman (North Pond Cafe) and Paul Virant (Vie) are among the chefs who will make an appearance this season at the dinners at Prairie Fruits Farm, along with local talent (Jessica Gorin of Champaign's Big Grove Tavern). Additionally, Virant will oversee July 26th's Angelic Organics Peak Harvest Farm Benefit (tickets start at $150; bus service additional).
Heritage Prairie Farm, which is located four miles from the end of a Metra line (bring bikes!) serves its first dinner next Thursday; the "Pig Gig" is awfully porky, but later ones (July 10th's Bastille Day event) redeem the meatness; tickets $75.
If you want to stay closer to home (or can only afford to have your car share for a few hours), the Chicago Botanic Garden (pictured) has a short but sweet little series of dinners ($220) starting in July, with participants from their Green Youth Farm giving tours of the gardens; Cleetus Friedman of Fountainhead will supply the eats using ingredients from their garden, along with other local suppliers.