Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1468000
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MAY 18 - 24, 2022 UCW 23 EVENTS Farms Helping Families set to host Farm to Table dinner by CINDY WHITT Fourth Friday brings local artists, vendors downtown by ASHLEY SHIRLEY Channing Perdue wants people to experience the taste of locally grown produce and farm fresh meat, so she hosts Farm to Table dinners twice a year at her family homestead. e spring event, on Saturday, May 21, will include a cocktail hour with charcuterie and wine followed by a three-course dinner prepared by a local chef. People will also have a chance to tour her property, Farms Helping Families, and meet their animals. Locals will not have to go far to reach the 10-acre farm. "We're basically in the center of Fayetteville. So, we're easily accessible from I-95," she said. "Our property's a little hidden gem because our house is right on the road on Cedar Creek Road, but then our property goes back behind it, and it's peaceful back there." She and her husband purchased the home and land just over four years ago. ey decided to stay in the area after he left active military service and joined the Reserves. e home was built in the 1940s and renovated before they moved in, but the land needed their help. "(It) was completely overgrown, so we kind of rejuvenated it. It used to be a farm that raised mules and turkey. We've redone a lot of the pastures," she said. e idea for having a farm came be- fore Perdue even found the property. She started with a desire to teach her children how to grow vegetables in a garden, then she decided to purchase chickens so they could have fresh eggs. From there, her ideas grew to include having livestock and growing produce on her own farm. She also wanted to teach other children and adults the joys of farming and sus- tainable practices and provide farm fresh products to the community. e family now owns chickens, hogs and dairy goats and plan to add turkeys and cattle in the future. "I really wanted to have a farm to help families to learn about food, learn about where food came from and help our community," she said. Perdue is a self-taught farmer who learned from classes through the Cumberland County Coopera- tive Extension and the Soldiers to Agriculture program through North Carolina State's Agricultural Institute. e program introduces veterans and their families to careers in agriculture. After learning to develop her own land, Perdue began helping others interested in sustainable farming for their families. She shares her own ex- periences and helps them plot a piece of raw land with the appropriate areas for livestock and crops. "e thought process came to (me) because a lot of the farmers now are single commodity commercial farm- ers," she said "My brain goes back like hundreds of years before things got commercialized to 'How did we sus- tain life back then? What did we grow? How did our communities eat?'" Farms Helping Families has camps for kids teaching them how to start their own gardens. Each child is given a selection of vegetable seeds that they can use in a recipe for vegetable dip or salsa when they harvest the produce. She believes it is important for kids to understand where their food comes from. "We started with chickens because (my kids) didn't understand that eggs didn't just come from Walmart or the grocery store. ey actually came from a chicken." e Spring Farm to Table dinner is Perdue's chance to share their family's story and their hope to rebuild the culture of small sustainable farming. She wants to use the land to continue teaching people to build farms so they can provide for their own families. "It's taking a piece of land and figur- ing out how you can feed your family, but also feed the community." Tickets and more information about the event can be found at https:// farmshelpingfamilies.com/events. Cool Spring Downtown is throw- ing a party every fourth Friday of the month, and everyone in Fayetteville is invited. "Fourth Friday is when we line the streets of downtown Fayetteville with food carts, artisans, makers and vendors," said Lauren Falls, direc- tor of Marketing and Events for Cool Spring Downtown District. "It's a time when we invite families to come downtown and shop locally from 6 to 9 p.m."Beginning in March of each year, Fourth Friday concludes with the downtown Zombie Walk in Octo- ber, giving the people of Fayetteville around eight Fridays a year to see the city really let her hair down. Fourth Friday has been a popular addition to the downtown scene for over a decade. e block-party-type event is an opportunity for citizens to come together in love and pride for their city. Like so many other social events worldwide, Fourth Friday moved to a virtual platform during the height of the pandemic. Falls is excited for people to have the full Fourth Friday experience as the city opens back up to larger events. "Fourth Friday serves the families of this area because it's such an engag- ing experience for people of all ages. ere are so many things to do," Falls told Up & Coming Weekly. "You can come with your kids, grab something to eat from the food trucks, see local artists, listen to local music and visit some downtown shops." Visitors to Fourth Friday can look forward to extended business hours, live performances and art of all types on display as they weave their way through a bustling marketplace with a little bit of everything to offer. Like many programs and events throughout the city, Fourth Friday is part of a movement committed to bringing culture, arts and entertain- ment to the area while supporting local artisans and businesses. "I love so many things about Fourth Friday," Falls said. "I love seeing kids get excited when they see local art and watching the faces of people enjoying themselves as they go into different shops and experience something new." "Come expecting something unique," she said, offering advice to those visiting for the first time. "Be open to trying new things. Come out, enjoy new food and shopping experi- ences, and try out a new business or local merchants." Parking decks are located on the 400 block of Hay Street and the corner of Franklin and Donaldson. Both are open and available for public use dur- ing Fourth Friday. "I would love people to leave Fourth Friday excited about trying a new brewery or restaurant and loving where they live," Falls said. "I would also be excited for them to come back to see the plethora of events Cool Spring Downtown District organizes throughout the year. I would love each and every person to get plugged into the downtown scene here." Fourth Friday is a free event and open to the public. e next Fourth Friday event will be Friday, May 27, starting at 6 p.m. For more information, visit https:// visitdowntownfayetteville.com/ events/7046/. ASHLEY SHIRLEY, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200 A woman sits for her portrait on a street in downtown Fayetteville during a Fourth Friday event. (Photo courtesy of Cool Spring Down- town District) e Spring Farm to Table dinner is scheduled for May 21. (Photo by Aurie Jones) CINDY WHITT, Staff Writer. COM- MENTS? Editor@upandcomingweek- ly.com. 910-484-6200