One local business is using farm fresh food to stimulate the economy, help the Earth and provide food to families in the community.

“People have lost touch with what they are really eating,” said Buford Pitts, one of the farmers that provided produce for the “Farm to Table Dinner,” organized by the Wild Ramp. “Going to the normal grocery store lets you buy food without knowing exactly where it is from or how it is made; even if you buy produce, most people still don’t know what happened to it before purchasing. Not many people still farm for a living around here, and I wanted to share something I do with people who would appreciate it. It’s not too often strangers get to sit down together at one big table and enjoy a meal together.”

The Wild Ramp’s “Farm to Table Dinner” was the third annual fundraiser for the business, where community members were able to share a five-course meal of original recipes prepared by a chef with ingredients provided by local farmers.

“The Wild Ramp is this little treasure in Huntington because it tries to make good food available to the community while also stimulating the economy and being kinder to the Earth,” Matt Moore, the programs manager for the Wild Ramp, said. “We want to provide people with quality products that come from this area, and the “Farm to Table Dinner” allows people to see who and where their food came from. This way, we can thank the farmers for the work they have done to provide such good quality produce while supporting the community and getting other people excited for fresh food.” 

The Wild Ramp focuses on allowing members of the community to have access to local food choices in Huntington while supporting healthier meal choices and farmers in the area. The “Farm to Table Dinner” allowed attendees to see the faces of the people who provided the dinner and they could potentially appreciate the time that went into preparing it. 

“Some food might be cheaper, but you sacrifice quality, the planet and your overall health in the long-run,” Carey Mitchell, a “Farm to Table Dinner” attendee, said. “I think this event is really good for the community because it reminds people of what real, honest food tastes like; there are no microwave directions on the back of a box and no mile-long list of additives and preservatives.” 

According to their website, the Wild Ramp is a non-profit farmers market based in Huntington that aims to encourage a stronger economy through local involvement as well as reduce stress from factory farming on the environment. The Wild Ramp organizes events like the “Farm to Table Dinne in order to educate producers and consumers on the benefits of buying and eating locally. 

Sarah Rowe can be contacted at [email protected].