Chautauqua Lake Living

Plan a visit during Chautauqua in June, a celebration of local farms, food and drink, May 31 - June 16, 2013. Learn to appreciate and use locally grown foods, regional wines and local brews while discovering Chautauqua's agricultural and grape heritage. The two week schedule is filled with hands-on workshops in culinary, creative and cultural arts, as well as outdoor recreation. For more information, call 1-866-908-4569, download a course guide, or see the schedule online.

Go Foraging for Fungi and Wild Edibles

Fungi, Foraging and Feasting, June 2, 2013, 1 - 5 pm

Join chef and mushroom hunter, Garrett Taylor, and forager, Harold Reynolds, on a tasty culinary learning adventure at the Heron farm in Sherman. Learn to identify, harvest, preserve and savor at least ten different wild edibles available in springtime. These might include leafy greens like dandelions and Indian cucumbers, edible flowers like daylily buds and cattail shoots, ramps, leeks and chives, wild strawberries, and herbs. Farmer Steve Rockcastle will lead a tour of the shiitake mushroom yard and help participants make a shiitake log to take home. The day wraps up with a tasting menu created from the day's adventures. The foraging workshop is appropriate for all ages. Participants should expect to do a fair amount of walking.

Join Farm-to-Table Adventures

Three part series, Athenaeum Hotel, June 6-7, 2013

Chefs from Chautauqua Institution's historic Athenaeum Hotel will showcase the Farm-to-Table movement, providing educational experiences through a three-part series with dinners and a workshop in the field. On June 6 and 7, Executive Chef Ross Warhol, Alex Gray and Marissa Love will take students through the Farm-to-Table culinary process including visiting local farms, sourcing ingredients, a tour and tastings at Southern Tier Brewing Company, a hands-on culinary class using the locally sourced ingredients, and the third annual spring Farm to Table Dinner. Take part in one event or all three.

Learn to Grow Hops

Hops Production in the Lake Erie Region, June 15, 2013, 8 am - 4 pm

Learn what it takes to grow hops during the new hops production workshop at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Research Laboratory in Portland. Integrated pest management specialist, Tim Weigle, hops specialist, Steve Miller, commercial hop growers, and extension staff will share their knowledge and experience in an eight hour workshop. Participants will learn about soil preparation, pest control, irrigation, and trellising. Local brewers will also be on hand to discuss the brewing process the growing market for hops.

A Farm, 4-Diamond Restaurant, and Winery

Farm-to-Table Brunch, June 16, 2013, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

Consider this a "Farm-to-Table" experience in three locations: a farm, a restaurant, and a winery. Jonathan Haloua, chef and owner of La Fleur, a AAA 4-diamond restaurant in Mayville, is planning a special brunch menu to showcase spring foods available at Good Grass Farm in Ashville and wine pairings available from Johnson Estate Winery in Westfield. Participants will start with a morning tour at Good Grass Farm, then drive to La Fleur for an elegant spring brunch, and lastly to Johnson Estate for a tour of the winery and vineyards.