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Hubs Peanuts, Commune Restaurant and River Road Farm recently announced the second annual Homegrown Harvest Festival set for Oct. 4-6, highlighting the best of Virginia cuisine, music and community. 

A news release stated that the Homegrown Harvest Festival will benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, the T2 Fitness Foundation and The CROP Foundation to further their missions and create new opportunities for student involvement with the Foodbank’s new Western Tidewater Branch in Franklin. 

According to Feeding America’s most recent food insecurity data, one out of every 13 Virginia residents lacks consistent access to enough food to live an active, healthy life. Out of those 658,470 people facing hunger, 182,170 are children. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore works to eliminate hunger among children and adults in the community through their Mobile Pantry, Kids Cafe and BackPack programs and by partnering with schools, soup kitchens, food pantries and emergency shelters to distribute food to those in need. The CROP Foundation creates opportunities and resources for local youth interested in pursuing culinary, agriculture and closely related fields to foster a new food-conscious and food-passionate generation. By supporting both of these organizations, Virginia is on the road to being a healthier, more sustainable and culinary-rich state.

“At the core of Homegrown Harvest is our love and concern for the community we’re so deeply a part of,” said Marshall Rabil, Hubs Peanuts co-owner and director of sales and marketing. “Bringing together locals and visitors to celebrate the bounty Virginia has to offer while raising funds, awareness and physical support to tackle hunger and provide culinary experiences for students is immensely meaningful to us. We raised $30,000 last year, which funded Izzie’s Field for the Foodbank and will provide scholarships for our students. We hope to double that this year.”

Food featured during the festival will be handcrafted by the area’s best chefs, including the following: 

• Harper Bradshaw from Harper’s Table in Suffolk; 
• Kip Poole, who was on HBO’s “The Big Brunch” and runs The CROP Foundation; 
• Sedley native and experienced chef Nic Hagen; and 
• Select out-of-town guest chefs, like Walter Bundy, owner and chef at Shagbark in Richmond; Brent Cowan, owner and chef at Heirloom Virginia Beach; John Whitaker, Heirloom’s chef de cuisine; and Ryan Anderson, a Southampton County native, who was a chef in London and New York before becoming a private chef in Tampa, Florida.

Captain Chris Ludford from Pleasure House Oysters will serve Lynnhaven’s best oysters and provide education on sustainable aquaculture. 

Sarah Bethcer, an acclaimed dessert and pastry chef, will satisfy the sweet tooth of attendees all weekend.

Beverage providers include Michael Shaps Wineworks, Cirrus Vodka, Ragged Branch Distillery, Crunchy Hydration and others. Mixologist Cole Sweeney will be curating cocktails throughout the weekend. 

Student volunteers from the local high school culinary programs will help bring the event to life, assisted by chefs and mentors from the Hubs, Commune and River Road Farms teams. 

The event schedule is as follows: 

Friday, October 4

Opening Party + Panel Discussion – 6-9 p.m. – The Hubs Vine, 1459 Armory Drive, Franklin, VA 23851

There will be a per-person ticket fee to attend.

Brent Cowen and his team from Heirloom VB will serve a family style dinner highlighting Tidewater’s fabulous ingredients. Cathy Lewis from HearSay on NPR will moderate a panel discussion of food historians, writers and farmers from the commonwealth.

Saturday, October 5

Goose Hill Farm Hoedown – 6-11 p.m.- Goose Hill Farm, 22090 Bethel Road, Franklin, VA 23851

There will be a per-person ticket fee to attend.

Ryan Anderson, Walter Bundy, Harper Bradshaw, Nic Hagen, Chris Ludford and Sarah Betcher will transform Goose Hill Farm into a culinary escape with an array of food stations. Common Ground Bluegrass Band will provide the soundtrack for dinner.

Once dinner is over, guests will be transported by tractors on a hay ride to the corn maze, where DJ Gabe Niles will send them into a fury with his curated playlist perfect for the occasion. 

Sunday, October 6

Franklin Rising Brunch – 11 a.m.-2 p.m. – River Road Farm, 1300 N. High St., Franklin, VA 23851

There will be a per-person ticket fee to attend.

The entire team of chefs, students, winemakers and brands will gather at the farm for an open-fire cooking demonstration accompanied by some of Virginia’s tastiest libations and a good time.

Music in the Country – 2-5 p.m. River Road Farm, entry included with brunch ticket

After brunch, guests can stroll up to the main house lawn to be entertained by The Lone Bellow and Jacob Vanko, who will close out this year’s Homegrown Harvest Festival.

There is a separate rate for all-inclusive weekend tickets. All tickets can be purchased online at https://secure.givelively.org/event/crop-foundation/homegrown-harvest-festival-2023/ and include food, drinks and access to live music. 

Sponsorship packages are available.

Contact Marshall Rabil at marshall@hubspeanuts.com for more information, including ticket prices.