“WUNDERGARTEN,” the folktale, is set on an 1870s-era strawberry farm in Cullman County, Alabama. Today, the area’s most passionate advocate for farm heritage is the North Alabama Agriplex. The Cullman-grown nonprofit CULTIVATES CULLMAN by honoring the agricultural glory of the past while planting seeds for future greatness.
14 REASONS THE AGRIPLEX’s HARVEST TO HOME DINNER IS THE PLACE TO BE ON SEPT. 14:
- HEAPIN’ HELPIN’s of DELCIOUS, IMAGINATIVE, LOCAL FOOD Look around the room at the other diners enjoying this hugely popular event – these are people who LOVE GOOD FOOD. I prioritize attending the annual North Alabama Agriplex Harvest to Home fundraising dinner every year. It’s a great cause, but it’s also a lip-smacking dining experience for any food-loving locavore. I see the ear-to-ear, happy smiles of many others who enjoy Cullman area restaurants, and who also travel for great food adventures as I do.
Chef Aaron Nichols, head of the Wallace State Community College Culinary program, is one of the finest and most creative cooking talents in Alabama. He is a Frank Stitt/Julia Child/celebrity chef caliber cook, and we have this kitchen magician here because he loves the harvested bounty of Cullman County farmers. Each year, Aaron relishes composing the menu for the Harvest to Home dinner and the top-tier, white tablecloth experience it provides his enthusiastic students. Thank you, Chef Aaron and the Wallace State Culinary Pride team.
HARVEST TO HOME MENU for SEPT. 14
- APPETIZERS: Zesty Bacon Figs and Heirloom Tomato Tartine
- FIRST COURSE: Vegetarian Wellington
- ENTRÉE: Smoked Center Cut Bone-In Pork Loin with Strawberry Summer Pepper Glaze & a Crispy Zucchini Caprese served with a Green Chili Cavatappi
- DESSERT: Baked Apple Tart with Toasted Marshmallow Fluff & Candied Apple
LOCAL FARMERS and MAKERS ARE SUPPLYING THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS
- MEAT: Ashlea Chance, The Farm a Hidden Springs (Baileyton); Brickyard Meat, Tamara Graveman
- CHEESES: Humble Heart Goat Farm
- VEGETABLES: Champion Farms (Falkville)
- APPLES: Steele Orchard (West Point)
- STRAWBERRIES: Festhalle farmers
- HERBS: North Alabama Agriplex raised-bed garden
- EGGS (donated): THE FOUNDRY FARM
CULTIVATE CULLMAN AGRIPLEX says “THANKS Y’ALL” to these Harvest to Home Sponsors:
- EVENT SPONSOR: ALABAMA FARM CREDIT
- ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR: Cullman Internal Medicine
- LIVE AUCTION SPONSOR: Visit Cullman
- PRINTING SPONSOR: Alabama Web Press
- IN-KIND SPONSOR: Wallace State Community College
- GREAT VALUE at a GREAT PRICE for a GREAT CAUSE Top-quality dinner and musical show is only $40 and would easily cost you five times that amount in Birmingham or Huntsville. If this Broadway-quality talent and James Beard award-worthy evening were in New York City instead of Hanceville, Tom Brady would have to come out of retirement to afford it.
- CABARET STORYTELLING REVUE by Paige Harbison Clabo, Cullman-grown entertainer with years of musical headlining experience at Dollywood; the singer/actress with her local voice students will share favorite songs of country music legend, Dolly Parton. (Dear Person Seated Next to Me: If this Alabama songbird sings “I Will Always Love You,” I’d like to go ahead and say, “Thankee for the hanky.”) Your Mistress of Ceremonies (she okayed the title) is lovely, local “live wire,” Christina Chambers.
- SHOPPERS PARADISE The silent auction has a bustling bazaar buzz with hand-crafted items, homemade baked goods, quilts, superb merch, original art, and desirable adventures to bid on.
- LIVE AUCTION CASINO ACTION What do I hear for a weekend getaway to a large cabin for 8-10 people in Gatlinburg, donated by Cullman State Farm Insurance agent, Bill Floyd? Where do we start the bidding for a gorgeous new living room chair valued at $500, purchased locally at Vincent’s Furniture and donated by ALFA Insurance agent Kathy Sims? One of the most oohed-and-ahhed over auction items is a 6’x 8’ cowhide rug, donated by Katie Brown, Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Guest auctioneer Kent Sanford brings his lively banter and suspense-smashing gavel to a dynamic round of bidding across the ballroom. (Sponsored by VISIT CULLMAN)
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY, BRING THE KIDS Come show off your beautiful, above average, well-behaved grandkids—we promise fun for all ages. Many Agriplex programs are created especially for children and youth. This annual dinner has something for everyone.
- 90 MINUTES of RELAXED PLEASURE Your time is precious. This is not one of those yawn-inducing, rubber chicken fundraisers with a lot of wind-baggery speechifying. Doors open at 5 p.m. for the silent auction, with dinner and entertainment at 6 p.m. (Thank you Cullman County Farm-City and other volunteer servers for your charm and efficiency.)
- GREET YOUR GROUP to bond together. Whether it’s your Sunday school class, your golf foursome, your family or all the above, this community gathering is a wonderful way to connect and strengthen your ties.
- DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW like a new dish by Chef Aaron and team, or a new artistic expression by an Alabama artist in the silent auction. CULTIVATE CULLMAN AGRIPLEX is about growing things, including growing your curiosity about the world around you.
- ENJOY A POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE OF COMMUNITY GOODWILL Lordy mercy, YES, we live in a divided America. But, whether you are a yellow dog Democrat, a Goldwater Republican, a dyed in the crimson and white fanatic or a “Shug Jordan Forever” Tiger cub—this annual fundraiser is a place like the “Cheers” bar where everybody knows your name “and they’re always glad you came.”
- SEE OLD FRIENDS/MEET NEW FRIENDS at this lively intermingling of folks from places throughout the countryside where there is a wagonload of love and laughter. I’ve met new friends from Blountsville, old friends from Bugtussle and a passel of kissin’ cousins from Baileyton to Butcher Holler.
- JUST SIT, SIP and SAVOR Feel comfortable to find yourself a seat near the stage or plop down in the back pews. Make yourself to home. Sometimes one wants to rub elbows with everyone, and sometimes it’s just good to settle in and chill out with a locally grown mocktail. Enjoy the factory air-conditioned ease.
- NO NEED TO PACK A SUITCASE nor a can of mace—this event is just a hop, skip and a jump to the Wallace State Community College. Easy, safe parking with no bumper-to-bumper, teeth-grinding frustration.
- NO DANCING, POETIC TOASTING nor anything that requires you to prepare. Just buy your ticket(s) and plan on having a really good time.
The Harvest to Home dinner will take place Thursday, Sept. 14, at 5 p.m. at the Wallace State Community College William F. Peinhardt Conference Center. Dinner begins at 6.
Tickets are $40 per individual; tables of eight are available for $400. Tickets are on sale now at www.agriplex.org. Tickets can also be purchased at the Agriplex.
SEE YOU AT HARVEST TO HOME on Sept. 14—AUF WIEDERSEHEN Y’ALL!
Find all columns in this series at www.cullmantribune.com/tag/celebrating-in-the-wundergarten.
