By Peter Lyons Hall
Founded on the principle that creating a regenerative, resilient local food system to enhance the environmental and social health of Greenwood Lake’s community, Grow Local Greenwood Lake’s Third Annual Farm To Table Dinner at the Elks Lodge on Tuesday September 16, 2025 was a wonderful journey into a gourmet destination that celebrated the intersection of music, art, culture, and cuisine.
Farm to table dinners have taught us the value of freshness and flavor from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, the benefits of supporting sustainable agriculture and local economies, the importance of food transparency and traceability, and the deep connection between food, nature, and community through storytelling and mindful eating. For several years now, the collaboration between the Lakeside Farmers Market and the Grow Local Greenwood Lake organization has created one of the most sophisticated and successful community relationships in the Hudson Valley, with the weekly farmers market providing a more public visibility to the grass roots Grow Local initiative that has not only taught residents and visitors about the impact of a community garden but the impact that food waste has upon landfills, contributing as much as 25% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile the Lakeside Farmers Market vendors have been the source for the Farm To Table dinner menus. This approach also fosters chef creativity with seasonal menus and highlights a more sustainable and ethical food system. According to Fast Food Nation film producer, Eric Schlosser, and author, Michael Pollan, mergers and acquisitions that began during the Reagan administration and accelerated during the pandemic “have created food oligopolies that are inefficient, barely regulated and sometimes dangerous.” That’s why we need to become more familiar with local producers found at farmers markets, and events like the Annual Farm to Table Dinner. The menu was created by Grow Local’s Cuisine Committee that involved chefs from the community and a collaboration among local vendors whom the chefs rely upon for their provisions of seasonally appropriate ingredients:
WELCOME SNACK
- Chips and Salsa
Source: Hudson Valley Pantry
APPETIZER: Chef: Camille Strano, former pastry chef• Vegetable Dip Medley with Sourdough Crackers – Baba Ganoush, Pesto Alla Trapanese, Roasted Carrot Dip
Source: Carrots, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic – J&A Farms; Cheese – Edgwick Farm; Nuts – Tierra Farm; Herbs – Camille’s garden; Flour – River Valley Community; Sourdough – Camille’s starter
SALAD: Chef: Jamie Heller, The Village Buzz
- Grilled Fennel Salad
Source: Cherry Tomatoes – J&A Farms;, Greens & Fennel – Norwich Meadow Farms; Olive Oil – Warwick Valley Olive Oil; Herbs – Common Ground Community Garden
DINNER: Chef: Michael Narciso, former Head Chef of The Ranch
- Lemon Wheat Berry Grains
Source: Grains – River Valley Community; Dried fruit – CurrantC.com; Kale – J&A Farm
- Vegetable Napoleon
Source: Zucchini – J&A Farms; Red Peppers, Butternut Squash – S & SO Produce Farm; Cashews – Tierra Farm; Sweetman’s Farm –Butternut Squash
- Pinwheel Herb Chicken
Source: Chicken – Hillery Farms; Spinach – Norwich Meadows Farm; Eggs – Beth’s Eggers; Herbs – Camille’s Garden; Olive Oil – Warwick Valley Olive Oil
DESSERT: Donated by Noble Pies and Bellvale Creamery
- Apple Crumb Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
WINES• Wine provided by Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery
For this year’s dinner, musical entertainment was provided by the Missyping Duo with Michael O’Brien and Melissa Mahoney, followed by the James Katz and Matt Lambiase Duo, two artists with unique interpretations of traditional standards and pop tunes. The tables’ floral decorations of exquisite arrangements grown in her garden were supplied by Megan Leyden, owner of The Flower & Dough. High school volunteers from Greenwood Lake, Monroe and Warwick schools were the table runners and wait staff, who eagerly sought to demonstrate their professionalism while serving more than 80 guests in attendance. Organizers were quick to thank the efforts of the committee who produced this year’s event, including Chad Pilieri, Camille Strano, Sylvia Harding, Karen Wintrow, Chelsea Whittaker, Beth Cohen, Brenda Wiley, Jamie Heller, Karen Appell, and Peter Lyons Hall.
“Sharing a love of the earth and growing our own food is a gift we can give to the next generation,” said Grow Local’s founder, Chad Pilieri. “Today, Grow Local Greenwood Lake offers a variety of programs for the community. The local Scouts and school groups have joined for Planting Workshops, Sweet Potato Digs, and a Spiral Herb Garden planting. We’ve instituted Food Scraps Collection at the Farmers Market, Composting at the Community Garden, and Crop Sharing between fellow gardeners,” continued Pilieri. To learn more, click on GrowLocalGreenwoodLake.org and VillageofGreenwoodLake.gov/lakeside-farmers-market. Both organizations can be found weekly on Saturdays at Winstanley Park on Windermere Ave. in Greenwood Lake, from 9AM to 1PM.
Photo credits: Peter Lyons Hall
