Field to Vase Dinner Tour Comes to Arcata!

The Field to Vase Dinner Tour is starting 2016 off right!  The widely-acclaimed dinner tour (the brainchild of American Grown) is kicking off this year's circuit right here in Arcata, in one of Sun Valley's very own tulip greenhouses--and you are invited to join us for this enchanted evening among the flowers.

Sounds magical, right?  Believe me, it is.  What I love about the concept is that it is not just a typical gourmet dinner in a pretty setting.  It is those things, but it is also an opportunity to support your immediate community, while also advocating for our country.

Yeah, I said it, and it's not hyperbole..... (Okay, maybe a little bit).


What do I mean by that? Well, did you know that 80% of flowers in the United States are imported from South America?  Unfortunately, this statistic is not well-known, which is why the American Grown brand (an offshoot of the California Cut Flower Commission) launched the Field to Vase Dinner Tour last year.  Its intention is to create awareness of the domestic flower movement.  Everything about the enchanted evening highlights the importance of Fresh, Local, and Sustainable--the flowers at the center of the table (and surrounding it), the wine in your glass, and the food on your plate.  Studies have shown that given the choice, consumers prefer American Grown flowers, echoing the preference of those who care where their beer was brewed and how their beef was raised, chickens were reared, and so on.

Last year, the dinner tour was a smashing success, nearly selling out in every location, and it looks like we are on track to do that here.  Here's what to expect:

A four-course meal of local food prepared by local businesses--think Eel River Grass fed Beef incorporated into gastronomical delights by Arcata's own Café Brio and Folie Douce; beer flowing from McKinleyville's Six Rivers Brewery; a selection of award-winning wine from StargazerBarn.com and Trinity River Vineyards (Willow Creek); and Drunken Botanist-inspired cocktails mixed from locally-made vodka.  Dinner will be served on a single long table, against a backdrop of millions of growing tulips.  This is the unique setting for an intimate tour of Humboldt County's epicurean and agricultural delights.

The tulips growing in the greenhouse won't be the only flowers, of course. There will be arrangements galore, all done by local business owner Faye Zierer Krause of Flora Organica Designs.  She'll be using Sun Valley flowers, greens, and botanicals to make table arrangements and dramatic installments, and there's even going to be a small demonstration for those who want to learn a few tricks.  

Also joining the evening for drinks, dinner, and conversation will be best-selling author and flower fanatic, Amy Stewart,  floral advocate and garden geek Debra Prinzing, and Winemaker Wil Franklin.  Of course, the evening would not be complete without our very own CEO Lane DeVries, whose passion for flowers, this community, and the Sun Valley team stands as testament to the American Grown feel of the entire event.

Tickets are $184 and include all the food and drink, a farm tour led by Lane DeVries, a flower demonstration by Faye, a swag bag of American Grown goodies, and of course an armful of local flowers.  There are only 150 tickets available for this once-in-a-lifetime event, so you better get while the gettin is good. 

So, what are you waiting for? Show Humboldt Field-to-Vase some love, buy your tickets here.