FARMINGTON — On Saturday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m., a Farm To Table Dinner will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church’s Parish Hall, 133 Middle St.

The cost is $15 per person, $10 for college students or $30 for a family of three or more. RSVP by Oct. 15 by calling 491-5188 or emailing [email protected]

One organizer, Jennifer Taylor of East Wilton said, “New priest Father Paul Dumais wants to make local farms and food known and give people an idea of what’s available.”

The dinner will give the community a chance to experience the food that comes from local producers, Taylor said. 

Most Farm To Table Dinners are expensive events. Taylor said the organizers felt really strongly about keeping the price down. The money will be used to pay participating farmers a fair market price for the products provided for the dinner.

If there is a surplus, it will be used to help get next year’s dinner started, Taylor said.

Father Dumais said the Farm To Table Dinner is not original to him. He said he was eager to make use of the wonderful facility across from the church.

“I can’t help but admire the farming efforts in this area. The dinner supports local farmers and highlights their good works. It is a way of honoring the work of local  growers,” Dumais said.

The dinner is an opportunity for folks in the community to be together in a harvest time context, Dumais said. The hall can hold about 80 dinners, with a cushion for children.

No tickets will be sold prior to the dinner. Reservations are required and 40 have already been received.

“We may have to turn people away,” Dumais said.

Mike MacNeil of Farmington will be the chef. His wife, Teddy, is very active at St. Joseph’s and asked him to help. MacNeil used to own and manage restaurants and said he will be coming out of retirement for one show only. 

“I love to cook, it’s my passion. This is a chance for me to get back into it,” MacNeil said.

The MacNeils own Fleur-de-lis Farm and will be providing lamb and heavy cream for the meal.

Taylor, whose family operates Walnut Ridge Farm, said her farm will be providing cheeses from her goat dairy and blackberries for a dessert.

Tom Lequin of Starks, owner of Ironing Board Farm and prior priest at St. Joseph’s will be providing tomato juice, buttercup squash and blue Hubbard squash.

Berry’s Fruit Farm in Livermore will be providing winter squash, apples and cider.

Nezinscot Farm in Turner will probably be providing chicken, root crops, bread and cheeses, owner Gloria Varney said.

Rustic Roots Farm in Farmington, Summer Valley Farm in Sumner, Wilton Blueberry Farm and other local farmers are also providing produce or processed items for the meal.

The meal will include cheese and spread appetizers, pumpkin bisque, local meat and poultry entrees complimented with Harvest Slaw and fall vegetables. It will end with fruit desserts.

Live music will be provided by DJ Taylor and Craig Hutchinson.

[email protected]