Woodland's Dinner on Main 2017

On Sunday I had the greatest time at an event that celebrated food, agriculture and community. Woodland's Dinner on Main celebrated it's second year and it was filled with laughter, making new friends and tons of hard work. I got to follow along with my friends, Joyce Hardi, who is the director of Slow Food Yolo and the owners of Savory Cafe, Juan Barajas, along with his wife, Kristin and his brother Toby. Whenever I run into them they welcome me in as family and also show me how community and hard work are done well. 

This wonderful farm to fork community meal was nothing short of lovely. Locals and newcomers alike sat at tables placed end to end in the center of Main street. Large farm equipment were place at the end of 1st and 5th street as a symbol of the coming together of land and city. It was a beautiful evening with words of praise coming from the new chancellor of UC Davis, Gary. S May along with other community leaders. This was also the official launch of Food Front the official brand and marketing initiative for Woodland's food and agriculture industry. 

I had such a great time and thank you Slow Food Yolo and Savory Cafe for including me.   

The most beautiful memories are made in the kitchen.....

Photography has given me such great opportunities to meet new people and explore different cultures. I'm fortunate to have a great friend who is a volunteer for Slow Food Yolo http://www.slowfoodyolo.com. She includes me in all of the events that they sponsor and allows me to use my photograph skills for a useful and I believe greater purpose, in the case of Slow Food, to promote healthy eating and to purchase your food locally whenever possible. 

Earlier in the spring she invited me to come to a dinner that was being prepared by Meera Klein https://meeraklein.com. Meera is a local author whose first novel "My Mother's Kitchen: A Novel with Recipes" is a beautiful combination of her great storyteller and her love of cooking. Meera had the group that gathered for this meal captivated with her stories of family and her home in India. She is a beautiful person whose love for her family and traditions was so evident in the stories she shared with us. 

I was able to capture the meal prep, as everyone had a part to play. Meera is so comfortable explaining the stories behind all of the food items that were prepared. It was a lovely evening and I look forward to enjoying another evening of stories and food by this precious lady. If you are interested in learning more about Meera I've included her website (above) and her Facebook link. https://www.facebook.com/meerakleinauthor/