Ottawa County Hosting Fundraiser to Benefit Farmland Preservation

Ottawa County’s Farmland Preservation Program is holding its 2^nd annual Farms are the Tapas fundraising event on Thursday, September 20, 2018, from 6-8pm at Terra Square in Hudsonville. All proceeds from this event will support the preservation of farmland in the County.

This fun evening features a master chef cooking competition with chefs from Sonder Eatery, The Farmhouse Deli, Butch’s Dry Dock, and The Elbo Room. Guests will dine on delicious creations made with locally sourced ingredients and vote on their favorite one. There will be a cash bar with local beer and wine and live entertainment by West Michigan musician Jack Leaver.

New to the event this year is a silent auction that features outstanding agricultural-related items up for grabs, such as a CSA share, a Lake Michigan sunset cruise with a farm-to-table style dinner onboard, half of a locally raised pig complete with processing and freezer, a family farm pass bundled with local coffee and blueberries, as well as an aerial photography package. Also new this year is an Early Bird Gift Basket Giveaway—purchase your ticket(s) before July 31 and you’re automatically entered into a drawing for a gift basket valued at $125 that features gift cards from the event’s participating restaurants and a howler (with a fill) from Farmhaus Cider Co.

All of the proceeds from this event support the thriving agricultural community in Ottawa County, which is the most agriculturally diverse County in the entire state of Michigan. Ottawa County leads the State in the production of turkeys, blueberries, ornamental nursery crops, and perennials. The County’s productive farmland, made up of almost 1,400 farms, offers an abundance of jobs to hardworking individuals. It also lends to the natural beauty that the County is known for, and it provides us all with access to fresh, locally grown agricultural goods. Preservation of this land is of utmost importance amid widespread growth and development.

“Productive farmland is disappearing across the nation. Right here at home in Ottawa County we enjoy a bounty of local agricultural commodities thanks to our abundant farmland,” says Cliff Meeuwsen, President of Zeeland Farm Services and Chair of Ottawa County’s Ag Preservation Board. “To ensure that future generations can enjoy it as much as we do, it’s important to support farmland preservation whenever possible.”

Tickets for Farms are the Tapas are $50. For more information about Farms are the Tapas or to purchase tickets, go to www.miOttawa.org/Tapas.

Media Contact: Julie Lamer | Farmland Preservation Analyst | (616) 836-5795