Gigi Market - The Eat Well Guided Tour Hits Home! by Karen

It was such a gorgeous night and between the berry pies, the peach pies, the apple pies, the meringue pies, the tart pies, the tangy pies and the entire-garden-on-a-pie pies there was nothing missing from our finale event at Greig Farm in Red Hook (at least my stomach didn't think so)!

Most of the Sustainable Table team started the day visiting at a small, working farm just north of Poughkeepsie, NY. Surrounded by woods and dotted with small gardens (bearing strawberries, tomatoes and grapes among other things), bleating sheep, horses and llamas, the old 18th-century farmhouse was just the place to start our sustainable celebrations. After an hour of walking through the woods and seeing the farm, we had local veggies for lunch and some of the most delicious grilled peaches I'd ever tasted. But that was only the beginning of a day's worth of wonderful food.

After a bit more necessary lounging on the wooden porch, we headed over to Gigi Market where the evening's preparations were in full swing. Organizers were running every which way, locals marched in with pies in hand (for the evening's big pie competition), and local producers set up their wine, fruit, greens and cheese at tables while we all waited for the bio-fueled tour bus to arrive from a press tour of local farms.

When the bus pulled up in front of Gigi Market, a gaggle of reporters and local food champions spilled out (along with part of the Sustainable Table road team) and the event got rolling. While a pair of musicians played some tunes, our own Diane Hatz (founder of Sustainable Table), Laura Pensiero (chef, dietitian and owner of Gigi's) and Janet Crawshaw (publisher of The Valley Table) took up positions on the stage to discuss sustainable farming, food and the flavor of local cultures and communities. It was a very informative and lively panel and I think it really helped frame why we were all there together.

After the panel we all settled in for some dinner (being vegetarian I ate a boatload of heirloom tomato dishes and all the fresh vegetables I could get my fork near) while a young group of fiddlers brightened the air with lively tunes. We were projecting The Meatrix on a cooking tent and kids would watch it once, mesmerized, and then a second and third time. Definitely a hit.

Wandering through the tables of local foods you could try some fresh milk, tangy arugula, goat cheese, crisp apples and flavorful heirloom tomatoes. The farmers and producers were all so friendly that it was really easy to find out about the farms and animals in the area. It is a truly vibrant community.

After dinner, the pies were laid out (with descriptive cards) and the competition started. Judges included representatives from Farm Aid, Sustainable Table and the Valley Table. I have no idea who officially won the contest, but I do know that they were all unique, inventive and utterly delicious.

The night ended with full bellies and a better understanding of sustainable farming and local food. Many thanks to Gigi Market and everyone who spoke, played or just had fun at our Harvest BBQ!

**Our live webcast of the event is being edited even as I type this and will be up soon -- so be sure to check back and watch our Hudson Valley event for yourself!

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