Great Food for Good Cause

Great Food for Good Cause

Charles Romans

The Ashland Beacon

Farm to Table returns again this year on July 18 at Imel’s Greenhouse on Route 1 in Greenup, Kentucky. The popular annual event helps bring together local farmers and others involved in the agriculture industry, but it goes far beyond an agricultural event. Yes, there is delicious, homegrown food provided by local producers (including mouth-watering desserts like homemade ice cream), and yes there will be guest speakers and entertainment, but Farm to Table is first and foremost an event that brings the community together over shared interests and personal interaction.

The Greenup County event began in 2019 and has grown to become one of the largest of its kind in the entire state of Kentucky.  The 2026 ticket price is $35, and profits go toward the support of the Historic McConnell House, Greenup FFA, and Greenup 4H. “It’s really important that we all turn out to support our community and the youth of the community,” Kenny Imel of Imel’s Greenhouse said of the event. “We need to be there to help them not only at event like Farm to Table but also be there for them every day.”

The event will open at 5:30, and patrons can browse through vendors, meet old friends – and maybe make some new friends – and of course get a seat close to delicious food that becomes available at 6:30. “The Greenup Old Time Equipment and Machinery (G.O.T.E.M) will be serving homemade ice cream like they do every year,” Bud Matheny of the McConnell House said. “And we will be serving a pork dish and a chicken dish,” Kenny Imel added.

“We will also be having cowboy beans, a baked bean dish with sausage, bacon, and beef,” Imel said. “There will be a vegetable medley and some new potatoes, and a cold vegetable salad. I there will be about five courses,” Imel said of the meal. “And there will be plenty of it. You’ll never go away hungry from Farm to Table.” Imel said the food is served buffet style, but if some needs assistance to just let them know.

“We started in 2019 at the McConnell House,” Bud Matheny said of the event. “We missed 2020 because of COVID, but after that we moved to Kenny’s greenhouse, and it has just got bigger and better every year.”

Both Imel and Matheny said there has been a huge amount of support for the event from local businesses and individuals. They have varying levels of partnership that many have taken advantage of, but there are sponsorships still available, they said. Those levels range from the Seed Starter Level at $250, Rising Sun at $500, Clover at $1,000, Harvest at $2,000, Field to Fork at $3,000, and Friend of the Farm at $4,000. Anyone interested in becoming a partner at any level of support can feel free to contact Kenny Imel at 606-832-1208. Checks can be sent payable to HASTC, attention Bud Matheny, 2210 Caroline Road, Flatwoods, Kentucky 41139.

The donations, partnerships, and all support goes toward helping the FFA, 4H, and McConnell House in various ways. For the McConnell House, it assists with things like exterior painting, maintenance, and with the Scale House Rebuild. It also helps with their programs such as tours of the historic home for both school groups and homeschool students.

The Greenup County FFA benefits from the event because the funds raised assists with their Washington Leadership Conference, National and State FFA Championships, Kentucky FFA Leadership Camp, the hosting of Youth Livestock shows and clinics, and senior scholarships.

Partnership and support from the community helps support various programs for the Greenup County 4H as well. Programs such as educational Field Trips, Showmanship Clinics, Livestock Trainings, as well as other projects such as Rabbit and Poultry Cage Expansion. Community support also helps with program equipment upgrades and so much more.

Imel and Matheny both expressed a huge amount of appreciation for the local students themselves who have put out a lot of effort consistently each year to make the event themselves. “These kids are extremely hard workers,” Imel said. “They truly are,” Matheny agreed. “There’s no way we could do all this without them.”

The students are everywhere and are involved in every aspect of the event, making it truly their own. “The Greenup County Farm to Table is more than just a dinner,” Greenup County FFA Vice President George Hieneman said. “It's a community event that brings everyone together during the summer to relax and fellowship. It allows people to catch up with one another while enjoying a great meal and supporting the youth.”

Greenup County FFA Treasurer Hunter Stewart said,”Farm to Table is a dinner, but it's also way more!  It's a way to come together and see friends, family, or people you just don't get to see often.” Stewart also added a personal expectation he anticipated for this year in particular. “This year, I am excited to see the produce that George and I grew on everyone's plate.”

Zoey Keyes, who is the current President of the Greenup County FFA chapter, President of County Kids 4H Club, and the Farm to Table chair for Greenup FFA, has nothing but good things to say about the event. “Farm to table has always been a great experience for me,” Keyes said. “From the set up to the dinner, you spend countless hours with people from your community. Even though it is a lot of work it is worth it in the end,” she said.

“The opportunities that Farm to Table allows the youth involved in agriculture are endless.” Keyes said. “I am entirely grateful for the sponsors who support year after year, and for the community that comes together all because of this event. If there is one thing that the Farm to Table event makes you want to do, it is to stay in Greenup County.”

“The support has been amazing,” Imel said. “They (the sponsors) see the potential of Greenup County and the value of supporting these kids. When you see these kids and talk to them, you realize there is a lot of hope for our future. And we need to do everything we can to support and nurture that.”