Rooted in Wyoming’s Annual Farm to Table Fundraiser

On Saturday, Sept. 23, Rooted in Wyoming held its seventh annual farm-to-table fundraiser at Born in a Barn. The evening consisted of a dinner constructed by various culinary talents with ingredients from local farms. Chefs that participated in the meal preparation took off days to prepare this meal, donated their time, and even closed their restaurants down the evening of the event.

Chefs and restaurants included were Joe Surwald of Nubbs Bbq, Michael Mericle of Olive, Rob Gaarde of the Brinton Bistro, Travis Egan of The Wagonbox, and Tye Bach of Cottonwood Kitchen. This development is a massive collaboration to create a meal to show gratitude to the donors and sponsors for their continued support of Rooted in Wyoming’s goals and efforts. Music was also provided by bands Shot in the Foot and 10 Cent Stranger.

The Bomb Sommelier, Sheridan Liquor, and Cloud Peak Cultures provided the beverages for the evening, ranging from options such as beer, wine, and even kombucha. Zach Padilla, CEO of The Bomb Sommelier, introduced the evening with glasses of Scarpetta Prosecco from Italy that paired exceptionally well with the charcuterie appetizers presented to attendees. Padilla briefly explained the other wines for the evenings and his purpose in choosing the wines.

Antonia Armenta-Miller, Owner and Chef of the renowned food truck and catering company Bonafide was just one of the many chefs who helped construct the dinner menu for the evening. Armenta-Miller explained the courses for the evening and the purpose of the fundraiser.

She also talked about the importance of this fundraiser, the Sheridan community, her experience of getting introduced to local foods, and how she met Bonnie Gregory, founder of Rooted in Wyoming.

Since its formation, Rooted in Wyoming’s goal has been to create a better understanding of local foods, sustainability, and nutrition in our community. This concept has led to the mass creation of gardens in local schools and partnerships with Science Kids to pass these traditions on to the next generation.

RiW has spent several hours navigating and constructing relationships with the school districts, the University of Wyoming, the Scott Foundation at the Bridges Property, Whitney Benefits, and various local restaurants to ensure that their message and produce are being spread throughout the community.

During the entree course of the meal, Ian Cannon-Wallace, The Program and Outreach Coordinator of RiW, gave us an idea of one of the projects Rooted in Wyoming is currently engaged in.

While Rooted’s impact is felt, the board admitted during the event that they had struggled recently to find volunteers to help create and advance these planned projects. In doing so, they recognized two of their hardest working volunteers, Kent and Cathie Waugh, who have helped progress projects such as the farm wall outside of Smith Alley and the Who’s Blue Garden, created this year in partnership with Easterseals.

Kent Waugh shared his experience volunteering and working on the Who’s Blue Garden and what Rooted in Wyoming means to him.

The evening ended with a live auction where attendees could bid on items donated by the public to help fund Rooted in Wyoming’s ongoing goals. Some donated items were paintings created by artists Lisa Norman, Jessica Brophey, Becca Bouley, and Sonja Caywood.

Other auction items included charcuterie boards, a six-month pie subscription by Bonnie Blanche, and even a flight and picnic in the mountains provided by 307 Pilots. That was just the tip of the iceberg regarding donations, as a silent auction also occurred during the event with loads of donations from companies and people throughout the community.

Bonnie Gregory stated, “The volunteers that worked for months to solicit donations, sponsorships, run all the errands, decorate, set tables, run service, all the effort to pack it up and clean until the last dish was washed and put away are the true heroes of the event.”

Rooted in Wyoming is always eager for more partnerships and collaborations with other organizations to help its vision of connecting communities through local food. For more information about their organization or collaboration inquiries, they can be contacted via email at outreach@rootedinwyoming.org. Their website can be found here for more information on volunteering and what RiW has planned for future projects.