ChathamArts continues “Potluck in a Pasture” summer suppers

Posted Sunday, May 13, 2007

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Siler City, NC - A plentiful supply of small farms and creative artists makes rural Chatham County special. You can learn more about many of them during ChathamArts’ second annual “Potluck in a Pasture” series inviting you to tour a working farm, share home-grown seasonal food, and meet local artists monthly throughout the summer.

The series takes place every third Sunday beginning May 20, from 5 to 7 pm, at Horizon Cellars at 466 Vineyard Ridge south of Siler City. The vineyard owned and operated by Guy Loeffler is nestled on a 20-acre property off U.S. 421 south of U.S. 64. Directions and information about Horizon Cellars can be found on it's web site.

Featured artists at the first potluck of the season include potter Libba Adams, photographer Mark Bashista, watercolorist Shannon Bueker, welded steel artist Tamera Mulanix and pianist Liz Tedesco.

Visitors are asked to bring a pot-luck dish for eight that includes at least one locally grown ingredient (and the recipe to share), as well as a beverage, a lawn chair or blanket and a $10 donation to ChathamArts ($8 for members), $5 for children over 6 ($4 for CA family members). For an additional $5, adults can sample the wines and take a wineglass home to keep. Proceeds benefit ChathamArts, the non-profit county arts council that supports diverse arts and cult ural programs in the schools and the community throughout the year

“Our local farms nurture our bodies and inspire our artists,” said Daryl Walker, the ChathamArts board member who came up with the idea for the series which drew many visitors last summer. “We hope these suppers will encourage even more people to buy locally produced art and food, and to become more aware and appreciative of the farmers and artists who contribute to our economy and our community.”

Local food ingredients for your pot-luck may come from your own backyard or neighboring farms, from local farmers’ markets at the Chatham County Fairgrounds in Pittsboro (Thursdays), Fearrington Village (Tuesdays), in downtown Siler City (Saturdays), at Southern Village (Thursdays) and in Carrboro (Wednesdays and Saturdays), or from Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro and Weaver Street in Southern Village and Carrboro.

The series will continue with other farms and artists on June 17, from 6 to 8 pm, at Holly Hill Daylily Farm in Moncure; July 15, from 6 to 8 pm, at Pugh’s Cedarbrake Sheep Farm near Silk Hope; and August 19, from 6 to 8 pm at Harland ’s Creek Farm west of Pittsboro.

Information and directions will be available on-line at the ChathamArts web site.

ChathamArts also exhibits and sells the work of local artists at its gallery at 115 Hillsboro Street in historic downtown Pittsboro. Open every Tuesday-Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and First Sunday’s from 12 noon to 5 pm when other Pittsboro shops, eateries and galleries are open with arts and crafts for sale on the sidewalks. 919.542.0394.