In recent years there’s been more of an emphasis on the transparency around food systems and finding natural and local alternatives to food conglomerates and factory farming. Now an event hosted by Sotheby’s Auction House New York will see heirloom vegetables given a status equal to that of fine art.
The Inaugural Auction of Heirloom Vegetables to Benefit Local Farmers is a first-of-its-kind event that celebrates edible heirlooms and the art involved in their creation. The event that takes place on 23 September 2010 is part of the annual Eat Drink Local Week, which runs from 26 September to 6 October 2010, hosted by Edible magazines and GrowNYC.
Sotheby’s will be hosting the auction of food items and culinary experiences, dubbed “Farm to Table: The Art of Farming”. Farmers from the area will produce vegetables and offer then for sale at the auction. Summer internships on farms, celebrity chef dinners, vegetable futures, farm-to-table dinners and field trips for school classes will also be happening.
Proceeds from the Art of Farming event will benefit the New Farmer Development Projects, which helps immigrants establish themselves as farmers in the area, and the Sylvia Center, which teaches children to eat well through hands-on experience.
