Feast Of Fields 2012! [Events]
2012 Aug 22
I'm really stoked about the event this year! For those with kids, the venue is good in that it's fenced. We brought our three young kids and they had a great time, and there were lots of food items for even our picky eater.
We participated last year, but had really short notice. All we could provide our chef with was a pigs head, trotters, livers, tongues and tails! (Charlotte from Whales Bone Oyster House did an amazing job, btw!)
This year we'll have Spanish Chorizo & pork shoulder for our Allium chef to play with! He's even asked for some bootleg yogurt! ;-)
Something like this event is the closest I get to going out for fine dining in the city!
We participated last year, but had really short notice. All we could provide our chef with was a pigs head, trotters, livers, tongues and tails! (Charlotte from Whales Bone Oyster House did an amazing job, btw!)
This year we'll have Spanish Chorizo & pork shoulder for our Allium chef to play with! He's even asked for some bootleg yogurt! ;-)
Something like this event is the closest I get to going out for fine dining in the city!
2012 Aug 26
Tickets are selling faster than usual this year, but there are still some left.
You can also win yourself some tickets at the Ottawa Organic Farmers Market (one of our sponsors this year) on Saturday, September 1st. There are 4 tickets available to be won.
Here's a great clip about Feast of Fields. It's jam-packed with cooking, information on organics, illegal cheese, CSA's, HUGE beets, sun-tea, and more.
www.rogerstv.com
You can also win yourself some tickets at the Ottawa Organic Farmers Market (one of our sponsors this year) on Saturday, September 1st. There are 4 tickets available to be won.
Here's a great clip about Feast of Fields. It's jam-packed with cooking, information on organics, illegal cheese, CSA's, HUGE beets, sun-tea, and more.
www.rogerstv.com
2012 Aug 30
New this year to Feast of Fields, there will be an ATM on site.
No more running out of funds to fill your glass with Beau's Lug Tread, fine organic wines from Quebec's Vignobles des Domaine Météores, or to fill your shopping bag with the bounty on offer from some of Ottawa's finest organic farms.
No more running out of funds to fill your glass with Beau's Lug Tread, fine organic wines from Quebec's Vignobles des Domaine Météores, or to fill your shopping bag with the bounty on offer from some of Ottawa's finest organic farms.
2012 Aug 31
Sad news...
We wanted to serve organic wine from Domaine des Meteores at Feast of Fields. They're a local organic winery in Ripon, Quebec, a pleasant 1.5 hour drive from Ottawa. agritourismguide.ca
Alas you are right, organicgirl, we are unable to serve local organic wine because the Ontario rules say that the alcohol has to be purchased from an Ontario manufacturer or the LCBO.
The consequences for breaking the rule are great - future Special Occasion Permits Applications could be denied, huge fines could be levied against individuals and organizations, The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario enforcement and/or police officers could show up at the event and ask to see proof of purchase of alcohol purchased.
Crazy bureaucracy but one we have to live with. :-(
We are now waiting for confirmation from the Quebec wine folks that they will be attending the event sans their wine, hoping that they will offer a mini-workshop on their vinery.
We wanted to serve organic wine from Domaine des Meteores at Feast of Fields. They're a local organic winery in Ripon, Quebec, a pleasant 1.5 hour drive from Ottawa. agritourismguide.ca
Alas you are right, organicgirl, we are unable to serve local organic wine because the Ontario rules say that the alcohol has to be purchased from an Ontario manufacturer or the LCBO.
The consequences for breaking the rule are great - future Special Occasion Permits Applications could be denied, huge fines could be levied against individuals and organizations, The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario enforcement and/or police officers could show up at the event and ask to see proof of purchase of alcohol purchased.
Crazy bureaucracy but one we have to live with. :-(
We are now waiting for confirmation from the Quebec wine folks that they will be attending the event sans their wine, hoping that they will offer a mini-workshop on their vinery.
2012 Sep 9
The weather forecast for the 16th looks great, and there are still a few tickets available at the $70 rate. There are a limited number of tickets, and this will ensure that everyone who comes will leave with a full belly.
Chefs and farmers are busy this week putting together last minute details to make sure that this will be a feast to remember.
If you believe in organic food, and organic food production, then consider attending this event. What a great way to meet some of the Ottawa areas best organic farmers and chefs.
We also think that this event is a food bloggers dream. We had many food bloggers attend last year and they captured some amazing pictures.
Hope to see you there!
P.S.
Johnny English, your comments on the other thread Forum - Ron Eade & FoF were duly noted. Thanks for your input, we appreciate it.
Chefs and farmers are busy this week putting together last minute details to make sure that this will be a feast to remember.
If you believe in organic food, and organic food production, then consider attending this event. What a great way to meet some of the Ottawa areas best organic farmers and chefs.
We also think that this event is a food bloggers dream. We had many food bloggers attend last year and they captured some amazing pictures.
Hope to see you there!
P.S.
Johnny English, your comments on the other thread Forum - Ron Eade & FoF were duly noted. Thanks for your input, we appreciate it.
2012 Sep 14
Only two more days until Feast of Fields! We have a sneak peek at what two farms are making:
Aliment Magic Food Sprouts and Les Fougeres
Art-Is-In multigrain bread overflowing with seedling, sprout and apple slaw from Aliments Magic in Cantley, duck confit , crispy duck skin, homemade Lady Ross mustard pickle made from local, organic vegetables and Papineauville goats cheese from Ferme Floralpe.
and
Helios Farm and Town Fryer
Summer Squash Bread with Tomato Ginger Marmalade and a Maple-Pumpkin Custard served in a crab apple.
There will also be three workshops (included in your ticket price) held that day:
Seed saving, Renewable Energy, and one on Fair Trade.
AND:
Pierre Nault, Reiki Master-Teacher, Certified Reflexologist, invites you to enjoy a mini reflexology treatment that allows your mind and body to relax! No charge, but donations to COG-O gratefully accepted.
There are still a few tickets left for this event, what a way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
Aliment Magic Food Sprouts and Les Fougeres
Art-Is-In multigrain bread overflowing with seedling, sprout and apple slaw from Aliments Magic in Cantley, duck confit , crispy duck skin, homemade Lady Ross mustard pickle made from local, organic vegetables and Papineauville goats cheese from Ferme Floralpe.
and
Helios Farm and Town Fryer
Summer Squash Bread with Tomato Ginger Marmalade and a Maple-Pumpkin Custard served in a crab apple.
There will also be three workshops (included in your ticket price) held that day:
Seed saving, Renewable Energy, and one on Fair Trade.
AND:
Pierre Nault, Reiki Master-Teacher, Certified Reflexologist, invites you to enjoy a mini reflexology treatment that allows your mind and body to relax! No charge, but donations to COG-O gratefully accepted.
There are still a few tickets left for this event, what a way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
2012 Sep 19
I know it's a bit late, FoodTravel but you should have received an email telling you all you need is some ID at the gate, so you can save paper and NOT print your receipt.
Wasn't it a great day though? Most farmers and patrons I spoke with said they preferred that there were less people there. No big lineups, lots of food, big portions, lots of space to chat with people. I loved getting to put faces to some of the names from here too! :-D
Best part? Fund raising for COG was excellent, thanks to so many generous sponsors, and a very hard working coordinator.
Wasn't it a great day though? Most farmers and patrons I spoke with said they preferred that there were less people there. No big lineups, lots of food, big portions, lots of space to chat with people. I loved getting to put faces to some of the names from here too! :-D
Best part? Fund raising for COG was excellent, thanks to so many generous sponsors, and a very hard working coordinator.
2012 Sep 25
I booked using the earlier link on Sept 12 and it was up and went to paypal and accepted payment but never sent an email back except the paypal one.
Was tied up with work unexpectedly so did not get there till 2 pm or 2:15. By that time some chef teams already ran out and left. Another bunch left around 3pm.
Did get to taste a few things and some nice stuff including the duck confit from le fourgiere but half of the ones I really wanted to try were no longer serving.
When I tried to get some watermelon at 3:15 or 3:30 I was told they ran out but when it was wrapping up saw some volunteers with up to 10 watermelons (some small and some large) so I was a bit puzzled about that.
Not sure I would pay in advance in the future when you are not sure about weather in advance and some stuff that might come up making it difficult to enjoy the full event.
Was tied up with work unexpectedly so did not get there till 2 pm or 2:15. By that time some chef teams already ran out and left. Another bunch left around 3pm.
Did get to taste a few things and some nice stuff including the duck confit from le fourgiere but half of the ones I really wanted to try were no longer serving.
When I tried to get some watermelon at 3:15 or 3:30 I was told they ran out but when it was wrapping up saw some volunteers with up to 10 watermelons (some small and some large) so I was a bit puzzled about that.
Not sure I would pay in advance in the future when you are not sure about weather in advance and some stuff that might come up making it difficult to enjoy the full event.
2012 Sep 25
Thank you for your honest and forthright review. Maybe we could get the OP to come back and explain a few things and possibly give a rundown of what happened AT the event for us all. I mean, I don't mind skipping over all the dressed up descriptions of what they expected to have happen before the event, but love to hear about what actually happened during.
You know, from someone who was actually there and not on the payroll.
You know, from someone who was actually there and not on the payroll.
2012 Sep 25
Just to chime as someone who was actually there AND not on the payroll; a friend and I arrived at opening and had a wonderful time. There was a central station where you went to pick up (real!) cutlery, plates and glasses/mugs, and another station for beer and wine (not included in the ticket price), which we didn't check out. Coffee, tea, and various juices were available near the front gates.
There were about 25 food booths set up and there was rarely a wait to get your plate filled at any of them. For me, the highlights were the duck confit sandwich on Art-is-in twelve grain mentioned above (I went back for seconds!), and a delicious cauliflower fritter with tabbouleh and pickled roots from Oz Cafe. Also the always delicious purple carrot cake from Bryson Farms. Between the two of us we tried probably 15 of the offerings and had to stop because we were stuffed.
Problems that we encountered included occasionally struggling to find a seat at the long communal tables, and having a hell of a time finding spoons with which to eat the soups that several booths were serving. Once we managed to find some, we were ordered to not tell anyone where we got them, which we found quite odd. Obviously some dishes were better than others, but we had two real disappointments. One was a corned beef heart steamed bun served by a new restaurateur who's trying to set up a food truck who's name I didn't get; it sounded so interesting but was a dry, bland, chewy flop. The other was a beautiful looking dessert plate from The Table that tasted like saw dust. My guess is that it was vegan and/or gluten-free and/or sugar free, which is noble, but just did NOT work. I saw a LOT of those plates going in the trash.
I'm sad to hear that others that arrived after us didn't have the same positive experience; I think that this is an excellent event to support local organic food growers. I'd be pretty upset if I had spent $70 on a ticket and found nothing left when I arrived. I also wonder how good a time we would have had if it had been pouring rain. All told though, I will definitely attend again next year, and encourage others to as well.
There were about 25 food booths set up and there was rarely a wait to get your plate filled at any of them. For me, the highlights were the duck confit sandwich on Art-is-in twelve grain mentioned above (I went back for seconds!), and a delicious cauliflower fritter with tabbouleh and pickled roots from Oz Cafe. Also the always delicious purple carrot cake from Bryson Farms. Between the two of us we tried probably 15 of the offerings and had to stop because we were stuffed.
Problems that we encountered included occasionally struggling to find a seat at the long communal tables, and having a hell of a time finding spoons with which to eat the soups that several booths were serving. Once we managed to find some, we were ordered to not tell anyone where we got them, which we found quite odd. Obviously some dishes were better than others, but we had two real disappointments. One was a corned beef heart steamed bun served by a new restaurateur who's trying to set up a food truck who's name I didn't get; it sounded so interesting but was a dry, bland, chewy flop. The other was a beautiful looking dessert plate from The Table that tasted like saw dust. My guess is that it was vegan and/or gluten-free and/or sugar free, which is noble, but just did NOT work. I saw a LOT of those plates going in the trash.
I'm sad to hear that others that arrived after us didn't have the same positive experience; I think that this is an excellent event to support local organic food growers. I'd be pretty upset if I had spent $70 on a ticket and found nothing left when I arrived. I also wonder how good a time we would have had if it had been pouring rain. All told though, I will definitely attend again next year, and encourage others to as well.
2012 Sep 25
Work was doing an upgrade and ran into some issues so I was troubleshooting a bit. Additionally the unclarity with the ticket make me a bit later then the work since I was trying to figure out if I had a ticket or not. I did sent an email late Sat and left a message Sunday am but no response since they were likely at the event. When I checked Sunday am, the link provided above was still live but google the event webpage said online tickets were no longer available and only available at the door. Not sure when the change occured.
I did find food but considering they sold 220-230 tickets and booths were requested to prepare 400 portions, I am a tad surprised that some chef teams ran out and packed up before 2-2:30. When I made the comment to an organizer near the end about missing several of the chef teams I was very interested in, she denied they ran out of food at some booths... uhmm some packed up completely at 3pm..
It could have help for attendees to figure out the farms and the chefs if they had numbered them in the list and on the booth. Some signs of the farm / restaurant were a bit hard to read so sometimes I had to go back to figure out which restaurant/farms I liked. It would also make it easier if you are searching for a particular group.
I missed the dessert plate, which I believe was from Green door and probably vegetarian / vegan. I had my hands full with the first round when i spotted them and when I went for a second round including dessert they were gone. Managed to get a slice of the purple carrot cake as they were packing up and asked for half a slice of the zuchinni bread in the next booth.
The duck confit sandwich was excellent and won the well deserved prize and the purple carrot cakes was nice. Some decent soup and other stuff. One stand made their own flour tortilla but the beef innard used was a little different.
There were some entertainment but I did not pay much attention to it. The center stage was the food.
They had tasting booths also for coffee, cider/juice, yogurt, etc. but I guess the volunteer for those were finished around 3pm. They ended up selling the leftover tasting organic yogurt for $3 a tub and I bought one. If it is no longer staffed, would have been nice if they left a selection of samples (or watermelon) for people to help themselves. Not sure how many organizers and volunteers they had but the clean up crew after the event ended was sizable.
I think if the day is nice and you were there at the beginning, it would be very good. I would consider going next year but would probably only consider gate ticket not advanced purchase.
I did find food but considering they sold 220-230 tickets and booths were requested to prepare 400 portions, I am a tad surprised that some chef teams ran out and packed up before 2-2:30. When I made the comment to an organizer near the end about missing several of the chef teams I was very interested in, she denied they ran out of food at some booths... uhmm some packed up completely at 3pm..
It could have help for attendees to figure out the farms and the chefs if they had numbered them in the list and on the booth. Some signs of the farm / restaurant were a bit hard to read so sometimes I had to go back to figure out which restaurant/farms I liked. It would also make it easier if you are searching for a particular group.
I missed the dessert plate, which I believe was from Green door and probably vegetarian / vegan. I had my hands full with the first round when i spotted them and when I went for a second round including dessert they were gone. Managed to get a slice of the purple carrot cake as they were packing up and asked for half a slice of the zuchinni bread in the next booth.
The duck confit sandwich was excellent and won the well deserved prize and the purple carrot cakes was nice. Some decent soup and other stuff. One stand made their own flour tortilla but the beef innard used was a little different.
There were some entertainment but I did not pay much attention to it. The center stage was the food.
They had tasting booths also for coffee, cider/juice, yogurt, etc. but I guess the volunteer for those were finished around 3pm. They ended up selling the leftover tasting organic yogurt for $3 a tub and I bought one. If it is no longer staffed, would have been nice if they left a selection of samples (or watermelon) for people to help themselves. Not sure how many organizers and volunteers they had but the clean up crew after the event ended was sizable.
I think if the day is nice and you were there at the beginning, it would be very good. I would consider going next year but would probably only consider gate ticket not advanced purchase.
2012 Sep 25
Thanks guys. I usually love to attend these things, but was so put off by the person organizing this thread that I just couldn't put any serious thought into it. I literally winced every time I saw this thread come to the top. There was no personality to the posts. Everything seemed put on by a showy ad robot.
I'm glad you had a good time.
I'm glad you had a good time.
2012 Sep 28
Good comments! I will warn you rizak that as a participating farmer you might consider me to be on the FoF 'payroll' but our chef asked us to provide 40lbs of sausage, 40lbs of pork shoulder, as well as a bunch of yogurt, veggies, etc., to boot and we only get back a $200 honorarium, so I'd say I'm not on the payroll, or that the pay really sucks! I do think its worth it for us to participate though, as it is a good 'raise awareness' event, and we can use it as a marketing tool for our farm.
It was me (sorry my Ottawa Foodies friends!) that suggested to the FoF organizing team that they set up an Ottawa Foodies profile to get people talking about the event. The team (those showy ad robots!) posted anything that they could in hopes that some of you chatty folks might comment. Other than the bit about the illegal cheese, it seemed to be like pulling teeth to get people (other than me) to comment. And when I saw the post by OrganicWoman for a while, I was pretty sure it was my mom trying to help out or something!
This is totally a volunteer run event, so yeah, it's full of snafu's, mix-ups, and not enough hands to get all the work done. Anyone want to volunteer for next year? I will be seeing the event co-ordinator at the farmers market this Saturday, so I'll mention all the comments here, and ask her to reply to them. There is some really good feedback here.
I found the problem with the spoons weird! So many soups, and no spoons? And then being asked not to tell anyone where the spoons came from? Weird.
FoodTravel it's a real shame that there wasn't enough food left when you arrived. It seemed to me that portions were way bigger this year. I wonder, if chefs had made them more bite sized, would there have been more left when you arrived? Big portions are nice, but it made it a challenge to try everything and not waste food.
I don't recall exactly what time our chef packed up, but it was between 3 and 4 pm. We only had cilantro flavoured yogurt left by then. I did notice that many people came back to our booth for seconds and thirds though, so I'm fairly sure we had our 400 portions.
I thought it was supposed to be posted on the website about the hours that food would be served, but sounds like there were a few website problems. I had people asking me about how to get their tickets too, and yet some people knew that they just needed ID at the door. It was inconsistent.
And I agree, there should have been better signs for farmer/chef teams. I recall that last year, there were signs. Probably not enough hands to get the job done.
Dunno what to think about the watermelon thing... maybe those were melons from a farmers market stand or that had been purchased by someone, and not melons destined for desert? Did you ask anyone what they were for? If someone told me there was none, then I saw a bunch, I would have asked!
I also saw many dessert plates go uneaten. I liked the chocolaty cake slice, but yeah, the rest did nothing for me. I would have preferred to pick and choose for my own plate.
I might also be the one to blame for all the organs offer this year. Last year we were asked to join late in the game, and only had pork organs left, so our chef served tongue, head and liver, but it was really savoury! I noticed that both booths that were on either side of us last year were serving organs this year. Maybe that's all they had left too. Or maybe they think organs are groovy.
In spite of some of the less than perfect things that day, I had a really good time, and I ate well. Any of the folks that I knew personally that bought tickets also said they had a great day and enjoyed lots of food. It really seemed to me that the crowd this year was different. There were WAY more people interested in talking to the farmers compared to last year.
If I was not a participating farmer, I would certainly have bought a ticket to the event. In fact, next year, it would be cheaper for me to buy tickets than to be a farmer at the event! But I really do think that this is an important cause and I'm glad that I can support it. A day eating fine organic food and drinking Beau's is always a good day in my books.
It was me (sorry my Ottawa Foodies friends!) that suggested to the FoF organizing team that they set up an Ottawa Foodies profile to get people talking about the event. The team (those showy ad robots!) posted anything that they could in hopes that some of you chatty folks might comment. Other than the bit about the illegal cheese, it seemed to be like pulling teeth to get people (other than me) to comment. And when I saw the post by OrganicWoman for a while, I was pretty sure it was my mom trying to help out or something!
This is totally a volunteer run event, so yeah, it's full of snafu's, mix-ups, and not enough hands to get all the work done. Anyone want to volunteer for next year? I will be seeing the event co-ordinator at the farmers market this Saturday, so I'll mention all the comments here, and ask her to reply to them. There is some really good feedback here.
I found the problem with the spoons weird! So many soups, and no spoons? And then being asked not to tell anyone where the spoons came from? Weird.
FoodTravel it's a real shame that there wasn't enough food left when you arrived. It seemed to me that portions were way bigger this year. I wonder, if chefs had made them more bite sized, would there have been more left when you arrived? Big portions are nice, but it made it a challenge to try everything and not waste food.
I don't recall exactly what time our chef packed up, but it was between 3 and 4 pm. We only had cilantro flavoured yogurt left by then. I did notice that many people came back to our booth for seconds and thirds though, so I'm fairly sure we had our 400 portions.
I thought it was supposed to be posted on the website about the hours that food would be served, but sounds like there were a few website problems. I had people asking me about how to get their tickets too, and yet some people knew that they just needed ID at the door. It was inconsistent.
And I agree, there should have been better signs for farmer/chef teams. I recall that last year, there were signs. Probably not enough hands to get the job done.
Dunno what to think about the watermelon thing... maybe those were melons from a farmers market stand or that had been purchased by someone, and not melons destined for desert? Did you ask anyone what they were for? If someone told me there was none, then I saw a bunch, I would have asked!
I also saw many dessert plates go uneaten. I liked the chocolaty cake slice, but yeah, the rest did nothing for me. I would have preferred to pick and choose for my own plate.
I might also be the one to blame for all the organs offer this year. Last year we were asked to join late in the game, and only had pork organs left, so our chef served tongue, head and liver, but it was really savoury! I noticed that both booths that were on either side of us last year were serving organs this year. Maybe that's all they had left too. Or maybe they think organs are groovy.
In spite of some of the less than perfect things that day, I had a really good time, and I ate well. Any of the folks that I knew personally that bought tickets also said they had a great day and enjoyed lots of food. It really seemed to me that the crowd this year was different. There were WAY more people interested in talking to the farmers compared to last year.
If I was not a participating farmer, I would certainly have bought a ticket to the event. In fact, next year, it would be cheaper for me to buy tickets than to be a farmer at the event! But I really do think that this is an important cause and I'm glad that I can support it. A day eating fine organic food and drinking Beau's is always a good day in my books.
2012 Sep 29
Sorry Organicgirl. I should have been organized and found out which stand you were and came over to say hi. Who was the chef you teamed up with and where was your stand? Was it with Stone Soup Foodworks? I don't remember something with susage and pork shoulder off the top of my head..
Yeah I figured the farms and chefs are doing it for the publicity and exposure where any payment would not cover the costs. So the lack of organization to sign those chefs and farms detract from that. The signs I did see are those that were prepared and either had their own banner from something else or chalked up on blackboards.
I know some went back for 2nds but 3rd would have quickly depleted popular dishes. For that reason, I think I preferred the Tribeca food festival I went to where the cost of the small plates were reasonable (considering the chefs) and the tickets keep it moving.
Yeah I figured the farms and chefs are doing it for the publicity and exposure where any payment would not cover the costs. So the lack of organization to sign those chefs and farms detract from that. The signs I did see are those that were prepared and either had their own banner from something else or chalked up on blackboards.
I know some went back for 2nds but 3rd would have quickly depleted popular dishes. For that reason, I think I preferred the Tribeca food festival I went to where the cost of the small plates were reasonable (considering the chefs) and the tickets keep it moving.
2012 Oct 3
FoodTravel, we were right next to Aliments Magic who was with Le Fougere who presented the super sandwhich with sprouts and duck confit that won best dish. It was an amazing dish!
We were paired with Allium and we served an 'Organic Sloppy Joe'. I had many parents tell me it was the only thing their kids would eat at the event. As a mom to three young kids, that felt like winning a prize! :-D
I forget who Stonesoup Fooworks was with, but I know they were serving a veggie crepe and soup.
I also forgot to speak to the FoF co-coordinator at the market on Saturday, I'll send her an email to make sure she replies to the comments here.
We were paired with Allium and we served an 'Organic Sloppy Joe'. I had many parents tell me it was the only thing their kids would eat at the event. As a mom to three young kids, that felt like winning a prize! :-D
I forget who Stonesoup Fooworks was with, but I know they were serving a veggie crepe and soup.
I also forgot to speak to the FoF co-coordinator at the market on Saturday, I'll send her an email to make sure she replies to the comments here.
2012 Oct 3
As you walk down were you before Le Fougiere or after and next to the empty yogurt stand?
I started near the entrance and walked down since I could not figure out who they are easily to hit the ones I really wanted first. The first round had 2 soups so not much space for more than 2 other tastings, one of which was OZ Cafe which was tasty. The 2 beside Le Fougiere were some of the ones that ran out by the time when I went for my second round, likely after 3pm. Acutally one ran out of main and only had some of the sides and the other was completely out. Allium was one of the ones I was looking for and so was John Taylor of Domus.
If the organizer was a older lady that was near the main tent then I spoke to her after. She asked me to write it down on the comment card but not sure the comment got processed or not since they looked kind of harried. She was the one who assured me that they did not ran out of food. I said some stands ran out of food and the chef team(s) left by the time I got to the stand after arriving late to the event due to work.
I started near the entrance and walked down since I could not figure out who they are easily to hit the ones I really wanted first. The first round had 2 soups so not much space for more than 2 other tastings, one of which was OZ Cafe which was tasty. The 2 beside Le Fougiere were some of the ones that ran out by the time when I went for my second round, likely after 3pm. Acutally one ran out of main and only had some of the sides and the other was completely out. Allium was one of the ones I was looking for and so was John Taylor of Domus.
If the organizer was a older lady that was near the main tent then I spoke to her after. She asked me to write it down on the comment card but not sure the comment got processed or not since they looked kind of harried. She was the one who assured me that they did not ran out of food. I said some stands ran out of food and the chef team(s) left by the time I got to the stand after arriving late to the event due to work.
2012 Oct 9
FoodTravel we were between the yogurt stand and Le Fougiere. I'm sorry you didn't get to taste our wares. :-( There is a picture of it somewhere on Ron Eades Blog, but for some reason I always have a hard time finding the right web address for his blog.
Sounds like the older woman you spoke with was Margaret, she's with COG, but wasn't the event co-ordinator. The event co-ordinator has been away on business for a while, but I did catch her before she left and made her aware of the posts on here, so I'm sure she'll respond when she get's back.
I'm pretty sure the comments you handed in were accounted for, but I don't know why Margaret would have thought or said that no one ran out of food, unless that's what she really thought.
Say, did any of you find the soup portions to be a bit too big? I was hesitant to try them, because the bowls seemed big and I wanted to save space for other things too. I know soup isn't always that filling, but we shared one soup to our family of five!
Sounds like the older woman you spoke with was Margaret, she's with COG, but wasn't the event co-ordinator. The event co-ordinator has been away on business for a while, but I did catch her before she left and made her aware of the posts on here, so I'm sure she'll respond when she get's back.
I'm pretty sure the comments you handed in were accounted for, but I don't know why Margaret would have thought or said that no one ran out of food, unless that's what she really thought.
Say, did any of you find the soup portions to be a bit too big? I was hesitant to try them, because the bowls seemed big and I wanted to save space for other things too. I know soup isn't always that filling, but we shared one soup to our family of five!
2012 Oct 12
Thanks for the feedback everyone! We’ve had great feedback so far about this years FoF, and are thrilled that the event went so well, but also realize there is always room for improvement.
We are happy you enjoyed the use of real cutlery, plates, glasses and mugs. It was a big part of COG Ottawa’s endeavour to keep Feast of Fields’ environmental impact to a minimum. We'll obviously increase the quantity of spoons and bowls ordered for Feast of Fields 2013!
We understand that there was one or two people who were unable to come at the beginning of the event, and whose plates were not as overflowing as they would have liked. The surveys we collected on the day of the event thankfully reveal that this was a rare exception. Next year, we hope to be able to avoid this type of thing from happening at all.
All your comments are appreciated and important. We've included them in a report to the organizing committee for inclusion in the planning for 2013's Feast of Fields.
Thanks to your comments and ongoing support, and the ongoing support and commitment of farmers, chefs, organizers and volunteers, Feast of Fields 2013 should be fabulous.
blogs.ottawacitizen.com
We are happy you enjoyed the use of real cutlery, plates, glasses and mugs. It was a big part of COG Ottawa’s endeavour to keep Feast of Fields’ environmental impact to a minimum. We'll obviously increase the quantity of spoons and bowls ordered for Feast of Fields 2013!
We understand that there was one or two people who were unable to come at the beginning of the event, and whose plates were not as overflowing as they would have liked. The surveys we collected on the day of the event thankfully reveal that this was a rare exception. Next year, we hope to be able to avoid this type of thing from happening at all.
All your comments are appreciated and important. We've included them in a report to the organizing committee for inclusion in the planning for 2013's Feast of Fields.
Thanks to your comments and ongoing support, and the ongoing support and commitment of farmers, chefs, organizers and volunteers, Feast of Fields 2013 should be fabulous.
blogs.ottawacitizen.com
Feast of Fields 2012
Some of the finest regional organic farmers and chefs pair up into 20 teams. Each team creates extraordinary gourmet delights for YOU to enjoy! As well, there will be entertainment, a silent auction, a marketplace where some of the foods produced by the farmers will be available to purchase, door prizes, and more.
Beau's will be there selling and serving their fine, organic, local brews. Vignobles des Domaine Météores from Quebec will also be there with their fine organic wines.
This is a major fundraiser for COG-Ottawa, which brings you great programs like Growing Up Organic, Senior Organic Gardeners, gardening workshops, and many other organic education initiatives. This is also a perfect way to meet some of the people who grow and produce your food right here in the Ottawa Valley, and to support them during this difficult growing year.
We have no scandalous sponsors this year, we have only SPECTACULAR sponsors! Market Organics, Jewel 98.5, Debbie Holzman Designs, and others are pleased to help sponsor this great event.
Tickets for the event are $70, with a $35 charitable tax receipt. Discounts can be given for groups purchasing 6 or more tickets. There are a limited amount of tickets available! You can visit the website for more details.
There is a great clip here about the event as well: www.rogerstv.com
Visit the official Feast Of Fields Ottawa website to learn more about the event's Greening Initiatives, to see a list of the Farmer & Chef Teams, or to find out how you can help with this event!
www.cog.ca
Hope to see you there!