Dinner Raises $2,500 for Greene County Extension

Contact: David Burton, civic communication specialist
Tel: (417) 881-8909
E-mail: burtond@missouri.edu

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Thanks to the generosity of individual business and farms, extension council members, and the owners of Sunshine Valley Farm, the “Dinner at the Orchard” event on June 14 raised $2,500 for the Greene County Extension Council.

Jan and Michael Wooten, owners of Sunshine Valley Farm, hosted the event so 100 percent of all tickets purchased could benefit the “Friends of Greene County Extension.”

The dinner featured locally produced and grown foods. Thanks to the following farms and businesses that donated all of the provisions for the meal: Circle B Ranch, Echigo Farm, Fassnight Creek Farm, Farm Road 168, Happy Mouth Foods, Katiemade Breads, Landers Meats, Mockingbird Gardens, Ozark Natural Foods, Quickley Produce Farm, Sunny Lane Farms, Sassie Sharons, Terrell Creek Farm, Urban Roots Farm, Yang Family Farm, Williams Creek Winery, Mother's Brewery and Oovvda Winery.

Farm chef Marci Sonnemaker planned the menu and prepared the meal with help from staff. Appetizers for the evening included deviled eggs, grilled asparagus wrapped in ham, hamburger taco wonton cups, smoked trout and crackers, meatballs in marinara and canapé of fresh tomato, basil and goat cheese. The meal included chilled tomato soup with basil and bacon, farmer’s market salad with herbs, garden vegetables and fresh blueberries, “pikes peak” beef roast with kale, carrots and garlic jus or roasted leg of lamb with glazed spring onions and roasted potatoes. Dessert was the Sunshine Valley dessert cabinet featuring apple, blackberry, blueberry, chilled fresh blueberry, gooseberry, peach, rhubarb-raspberry pies with ice cream.

MU Extension specialists and staff from Greene County waited tables and were assisted in the set up by members of the extension council. The following individuals volunteered their time and skills to make the evening a success: Carl Allison, Harold Bender, Jeff Barber, David and Stacey Burton, Patrick Byers, Jay Chism, Pam Duitsman, Craig and Tamara Vonfoerster, John and Lorri Winters and Marty Wood.

Since 1914, Greene County residents have sought help from Extension in areas related to agriculture, gardening, 4-H youth, nutrition, families, business and community development. Members of “Friends of Greene County Extension” contribute financially to make it possible for Extension to continue having a positive impact on the quality of life in Greene County. Individuals wanted to donate to Greene County Extension can get details online at http://extension.missouri.edu/greene.