OEFFA’s 5th Annual Dinner Celebration at Maplestar Farm Set for August 25

Columbus, OH—The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association will present its 5^th Annual Dinner Celebration at Maplestar Farm Sunday, August 25.

The organization will mark its 40th anniversary with a fun and delicious evening hosted by Maplestar farmers Jake and Dawn Trethewey. The Tretheweys will lead guided tours of the farm as guests enjoy delicious bites of summer in the field and at the table.

Maplestar Farm and The Driftwood Group will once again collaborate on a fabulous farm-to-table menu of small plates to showcase a diversity of Ohio flavors, all paired with Great Lakes Beers and Wente Vineyards wines. Tickets are $70 and include drinks for the evening. They can be purchased online at https://maplestardinner.eventbrite.com.

“Jake and Dawn, along with The Driftwood Group, have built something truly inspiring,” says OEFFA Executive Director Carol Goland. “The spark that makes this event so much fun is the powerful farmer/restaurateur relationship they have, which enhances the quality of the food and the experience. Everything is so seamless because the hands that grow and the hands that cook are closely linked. It’s a great example of what hard-working local food entrepreneurs can achieve together.”

Located in Auburn Township, Ohio, Maplestar Farm is a family-owned farm in operation since 1940. The Tretheweys raise certified organic vegetables for farmers’ markets, an on-farm store, restaurants, and a small community supported agriculture program.

The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, comprised of farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, activists, and food lovers celebrates its 40^th anniversary in 2019. The organization has planned a year’s worth of special events to commemorate the milestone.

Events this summer and fall to celebrate the 40th anniversary include farm-to-table dinners at Jorgensen Farms and Maplestar Farm in August, an all-Ohio keg tapping at Fibonacci Brewing Company in Mt. Healthy in October, and a November open house, all of which are featured in the 2019 Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate 40 years of providing education and assistance to the good farmers who are growing good food on the good land for which they are the caretakers,” Goland says. “We were founded by visionaries committed to creating a more healthful food system. What might have been a dream in 1979 is a greater reality each and every year as society has come to share an understanding of the importance of agriculture in creating a sustainable future.”

From early meetings in living rooms, to a humble church basement office, to owning a picturesque Clintonville headquarters housing more than 30 staff members, OEFFA has continued to grow and evolve over the years.

Today, OEFFA boasts more than 4,000 members and hosts Ohio’s largest sustainable agriculture conference. In addition to offering education and technical assistance, as a national leader in the sustainable agriculture community, OEFFA works with policymakers in the Statehouse and Washington D.C. on behalf of sustainable and organic farmers. In 1981, OEFFA founded one of the first organic certification programs in the nation and currently certifies more than 1,300 farms and processing facilities in Ohio and other states.

More details about OEFFA’s 40th anniversary events are available at www.oeffa.org/news/40-years and information about other events in the 2019 Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series is available at www.oeffa.org/news/farm-tours-2019.

“The dedication and passion that has sustained and grown our organization over 40 years is something truly special that all of our members should be proud of,” Goland said. “All of the farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, educators, chefs, food entrepreneurs, and rabble-rousers have worked hard to get us here, and the future has never been brighter. We deserve to celebrate together.”