'Farm Chic' Event Raises Thousands for Berkshire Grown

Submitted by Seth Rogovoy on March 2, 2010 - 3:16pm

Photos by Seth Rogovoy

 

(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass., March 2, 2010) – On Sunday, February 28, Farm Chic, a jewelry and accessories fundraiser sale to benefit Berkshire Grown, attracted more than 250 community members and raised more than $6,200, with works donated by community members and crafted by local artisans, at Allium Restaurant + Bar in Great Barrington.
 
 
 
The funds generated by Farm Chic will support the publication and implementation of the Berkshire Grown Farm to Table Directory. The state's budgetary crisis has cost the organization $50,000 for this year, a huge hit for such a small non-profit. Farm Chic committee members Laurily Epstein and Amy Rudnick, co-chairs; Robin Ban, Julia Erickson, Annette Grant, Roberta Haas and Hester Velmans were very pleased with the event.
 
 
“Farm Chic surpassed our most optimistic expectations. The enthusiasm about Berkshire Grown is one of the things that makes me so happy to live here,” said event co-chair Laurily Epstein.
 
 
Thirteen local artisans sold their wares at Farm Chic, donating a portion of their proceeds to Berkshire Grown. Vendors included:
 
•    Dai Ban – jewelry and five sterling silver charms designed exclusively for Berkshire Grown (pig, fork, cheese, apple, peapod) which will be sold online to benefit Berkshire Grown
•    Stephanie Iverson – jewelry
•    Saskia Larraz – jewelry
•    Lisa Anderson – jewelry
•    GeGe Kingston – scarves
•    Stephanie Gravalese – button jewelry and hair ornaments
•    Liz Olney – leather accessories
•    Lesley Ann Beck – handbags
•    George Reeves – leather handbags and belts
 
•   Crispina ffrench – sweaters and rugs
•   Lynette Cornwell – handbags crafted from books
•   Smartworks – scarves
•   Christina Koldys – scarves, shawls and hats
 
 
 
In addition, vintage and costume jewelry, scarves, hats and handbags were donated by friends and supporters of Berkshire Grown and sold at affordable prices.
 
 
“We’re very excited that so many people supported the Farm Chic fundraiser,” said Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown. “Our Farm to Table directory is considered the ‘jewel’ of our non-profit organization’s professional network and is an essential resource for farmers and local food producers and buyers,” she added.
 
 
 
Allium Restaurant + Bar hosted the event in one of their dining rooms during Sunday brunch service hours and chef Michael Pancheri provided refreshments including house-made pastries for Farm Chic shoppers.
 
 
For more information about Farm Chic or supporting Berkshire Grown, call 413.528.0041 or visit www.berkshiregrown.org.
 
 
 
More photos from the event, including participants, attendees, and crafts, are found in our photo gallery.
 
 
 
Berkshire Grown envisions a community where healthy farms define the open landscape, where a wide diversity of fresh, seasonal food and flowers continue to be readily available to everyone, and where we celebrate our agricultural bounty by buying from our neighboring family farms and savoring their distinctive Berkshire harvest.
 
 
 
Berkshire Grown champions farmers’ markets and CSAs, creates local food and farm networks, promotes the Farm-to-Table relationship between restaurants and growers, and educates the community about the importance of eating healthy locally grown food.
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

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