9 Magical Vermont Farm Dinners
9 Farm Dinners Not to Miss
If you want to taste the freshest and most eclectic dinners in Vermont, book a farm dinner. Many farms offer just a few dinners each summer. Reservations are required and dinners sell out quickly so plan ahead. You can always call to see if there are last-minute openings or if additional dates have been added. Otherwise, to visit and sample from farms around the state, plan an itinerary for Open Farm Week, August 9-15, when farms set up everything from tasting stations to full dinners. Details at diginvt.com
Agricola Farm Dinner Club and Pranzi in Fattoria (Farm Lunch), Panton
butcher and farmer Alessandra Rellini shares her Italian heritage with guests in an idyllic farm setting near Lake Champlain. she offers an authentic eight-course Italian dining experience, featuring her pasture-raised pork. Dinners start with a quick tour of the farm and its characters (including the chickens, vegetable gardens, sheep and pigs) and conclude in the two dining rooms of Rellini’s 1850s Victorian-Georgian farmhouse. Lunch: June 16, July 28, Aug. 11, Sept. 11, and monthly year-round. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: $39, BYOB Dinner: July 6, Aug. 24, Sept. 7, Oct. 5. 5:30 p.m. Cost: $75, BYOB. agricolavermont.com.
Sage Farm Goat Dairy, Outstanding in the Field 2019 Summer Tour, Stowe,
This August 22, Molly and Katie Pindell, farmers and owners at Sage Farm Goat Dairy in Stowe along with chef Eric Warnstedt of Hen of the Wood, Doc Ponds and Prohibition Pig fame will host diners for a meal featuring fresh Vermont produce and locally foraged mushrooms. Enjoy small-batch artisanal cheeses, handcrafted by the Pindell sisters with milk from their herd of 20 pasture-fed Alpine goats under a full-sky Vermont sunset in their stunning field.Aug. 22, 3 p.m. Cost: $265 (includes wine and beer pairings). outstandinginthefield.com.
Bread and Butter Farm, Burger Nights Shelburne
Burger Night at Bread and Butter Farm has been a favorite of Champlain Valley locals since it was first launched in 2011. Expect grass-fed burgers from beef raised onsite, a heaping serving of farm-fresh greens and live music. Certain Fridays June 7-July 26, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Cost: $25. breadandbutterfarm.com.
Cloudland Farm, North Pomfret
At Cloudland Farm, nearly every vegetable and cut of meat served is grown and raised on the 1,000-acre farm and served in a post-and-beam dining room built from white pine harvested onsite. Expect creative and delicious dishes using in-season treats from the garden, like fried celeriac topped with pickled ramps. The three-course dinners are white tablecloth affairs, complete with tabletop bouquets and candles. The meals are served regularly on Thursday through Saturdays, and the dining room seats 50 people. Thurs.-Sat., 6 p.m., Mid-June to Mid-October. BYOB. Cost: $32-$49. cloudlandfarm.com
Kelly Way Gardens’ Red Barn Dinner Series, Woodstock
The farm at Kelly Way Gardens and the Woodstock Inn and Resort grows more than 200 varieties of organic vegetables, 50 varieties of herbs, 75 varieties of berries and 200 varieties of fresh flowers for the resort’s many rooms and its celebrated kitchen. July 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25. Cocktails 6-7 p.m. Dinner 7-9 p.m. Cost: $95 dinner with wine pairings, $75 dinner only. Cash Bar with local craft beers, wines and cocktails. woodstockinn.com
Knoll Farm Kebab Night, Fayston
Chef and farmer Helen Whybrow is an expert in Middle Eastern cuisine and her open-air picnic-style dinners feature Icelandic lamb, fresh vegetables and live music. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The lamb is entirely grass-fed in her pastures, which offer views of the Mad River Valley. July 19, 6 p.m. Cost: $30 adults, $12 kids. knollfarm.org.
Multiple Locations: Project Farm to Ballet 2018.
July-Aug., various times. Ballet: $20. Buy your dinner at onsite food trucks. farmtoballet.org.
Sandiwood Farm Farm to Fork Dinners, Wolcott
The menu is set according to what’s ripe in the Schlosser family’s garden and one of their goals is to offer meals at a variety of prices. Some are fancy three-course affairs, and others are more affordable. Dinner is served at sunset, and family-style at one long table with seats for about 120. Expect desserts topped with maple whipped cream from the Schlossers’ sugaring operation. July 14 and Aug. 14, 6 p.m. Cost: $30-85. sandiwoodfarm.com.
Vermont Fresh Network Annual Forum Dinner, Shelburne
If you can imagine an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord in one of the most beautiful “barns” you’ve ever laid eyes on, you’ve arrived at the annual Vermont Fresh Network Annual Forum Dinner at Shelburne Farms. Vermont Fresh Network member restaurants partner with local farmers to prepare tapas-style dishes using the freshest Vermont ingredients. Aug. 4, 5 p.m. Cost: $75. Includes wine, cider, beer tastings and views of Lake Champlain from the stunning Coach Barn. vermontfresh.net.
Featured Photo Caption: Kebabs made with organic produce grown onsite at Knoll Farm with organic, grass-fed Icelandic lamb. Photo by Peter Forbes
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