Carl and Cornelia Dhaseleer are fixtures at the local farmers’ markets. They farm a beautiful piece of land just south of Charlevoix, and many of the Brandywine tomatoes for our Heirloom Tomato Preserves are delivered to our kitchen by Carl himself. The Dhaseleers are also deeply committed to their community, and they host a series of concerts and events in their century-old barn to foster those community connections.

Last week, Carl and Cornelia invited us to join them for their first-ever farm dinner. Carl set up old wooden tables and chairs in the field beside the barn and Cornelia hung empty jam jars filled with wildflowers from their ancient apple trees.

Chris, our Culinary Director, made a savory potato tart and a fresh pea panzanella with produce he’d picked up from Carl earlier in the day, and we all sat outside in the fading sunlight sipping chilled white wine and enjoying food that had been grown in the fields we could see in the distance.

It was an altogether lovely evening, so lovely that we’ve already begun to plan the next farm dinner with the Dhaseleers. We’ll share details as we finalize them, and we hope you’ll be able to join us there beside the barn in the green shade of the apple trees.

UPDATE 08.04.11:

Join us on Saturday, August 13th for another dinner on the farm. We’ll post the menu a few days before the event once we know what produce will be available, but we’re planning a delicious seasonal meal. We’ll have grilled steak and three accompaniments made with fresh produce from Dhaseleer Farm, followed by dessert made with fresh local fruit and American Spoon Preserves. After dinner, the George Cole Quintet performs its original jazz music in the Dhaseleers’ barn.

Tickets for this event are $40 and will be available starting Friday, August 5th in our Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Charlevoix stores. Space is limited, so don’t wait long.

For more information, please call us at 800-222-5886, ext. 3008. Map and directions here.