Springing to the Third Annual Farm Dinner

For the third year running, we gathered to enjoy the Spring Fest Farm Dinner.

The dinner spotlights small-scale sustainable agriculture, features community members exploring methods to support our local food system, and celebrates local foods with a farm-fresh meal.

The evening began with a golden hour tour of the Rural Studio Farm led by the Farm Manager, Eric Ball. Eric showed us around the Farm and greenhouse and explained the mission, to serve as a model for sustainable agriculture and student engagement, integrating educational, environmental, and social goals.

Following the tour, Emily McGlohn led everyone to the far corner of campus for an exclusive look into the new wastewater treatment system. She has piloted Rural Studio’s partnership with a statewide consortium to demonstrate the effectiveness of implementing a cluster-design sanitary sewer in rural areas, upgrading local residences with problematic septic systems to enhance rural community health.

Finally, we shared dinner in the Great Hall. The meal was crafted by Santa Fe residents, Brad Hart and Johanna Gilligan, friends and consultants of Rural Studio.

The meal started with a soup: a smooth blend of fresh carrots and ginger, garnished with chopped herbs. Next, the salad course featured farm-fresh lettuce and other veggies, tossed in a creamy herb dressing.

A southern-style cassoulet was the star and main course of the evening, a hearty and flavorful dish featuring smoked pork sausage, tender white beans, chicken, and leafy greens, slow-cooked to perfection with Southern spices.

Finally, for dessert, there was an Aperol Spritz Trifle Cake, a unique dessert layering the flavors of orange prosecco cake and Aperol pudding, topped with Chantilly cream and garnished with fresh mint.