2016 Barn Edition
The Feast of the Fields - 2016 Barn Edition event was held on Saturday, October 15, 2016.
2016 BARN EDITION - COMMENTS
“What another glorious evening! The food was spectacular and the setting is magical! Thank you for sharing your love of agriculture with all of us in such a truly “labor of love” way!
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“I was so excited to be invited to this wonderful event as I had attended a previous one. It was so much fun and the barn was beautiful, the weather was wonderful and the company exceptional! We were treated to wonderful food, great wine pairings and a picture perfect moon rising through the barn doors right in front of our eyes! I wouldn’t have missed it for the world and feel very lucky that I was there. I can’t wait for the next one!
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“Love this event. The barn and setting is perfect. Beautiful tables. The wine was great. I thought the food was different. No complaints. It is always good to try new things.”
“Saturday night adventure, what a great time! The setting was dreamy, Chef Renee Kelly is brilliant, the company was captivating - the whole deal was worth it! Thanks River Creek Farms for doing this night!
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“We enjoyed your Feast of the Fields so much! It was really great fun…beautiful setting and decor, the food was very good, wine was wonderful (wine guy added to the entertainment!). And that bread from Radina’s was amazing….I could have eaten nothing but that and been very happy! We are so happy we finally made it to one of your events! We met interesting people and really had a fun time.
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“We had a lovely time as always. The farm and barn are such an amazing setting. I love that you use the FFA students from the college. Not everyone knows about that organization so it is great publicity and a friendly face for the group. We had a wonderful time and look forward to future events at the farm. I speak of these events often to many people, I love the uniqueness of the whole thing.”
“Thank you for a wonderful evening of great conversation, delightful food and stunning wines. The barn dining made for a magical & unforgettable night.”
“You were wonderful hosts and we all had a wonderful time. Your event is so unique and special. Not many events are really memorable. The two events of yours are often talked about and we all remember so many special memories.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There were many wonderful people involved in helping to make the 2016 Feast of the Fields an amazing night for all. First, of course... the chef needs to be thanked. Chef Renee Kelly was awesome. The cuisine was artfully plated and as visually delicious as the actual taste of the food itself. The information she shared about her products and sources was very appreciated by our guests. They FFA students thoroughly enjoyed working with her and her enthusiastic vivacious personality made everyone smile. Thank you Chef Renee!
I always tell the Feast servers that I believe they have the most important job. The FFA students did a fantastic job in this capacity and greatly contributed to the success of the dinner. Hardworking, courteous, and joyful, they will be excellent leaders and spokespeople for the agriculture industry, making those of us who farm feel very proud! I am always thrilled to work with their director Mary Kane and her State FFA Officers! Thank you all!
So grateful to Jan Miller of Steve's Floral for making the tables of our Feast of the Fields event so visually beautiful with live greenery used as a table runner. Equally thankful to Wade and Annette Radina for the amazing, delicious bread that complemented the meal.
We were honored to have at the table this year Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Jackie McClaskey and her husband, Mike Matson.
Other individuals that I also would like to acknowledge with gratitude include Cellist Dr. David Littrell, Photographer Scott Stebner, Sous Chef Daniel Cook, "wine guy" Clayton, and friends and family - Cathy McDonaugh, Megan Whitesell, Amanda Cipriani, Beth McQuade. Especially appreciate the help and support given throughout the organization of this event by my sister-in-law, Kim Mertz.
I hope those of you that attended this year's Feast enjoyed the food, wines and atmosphere! We hope to welcome you back to the table in the future. Thank you all for participating - you were great guests to host!
Mary Mertz
Feast Coordinator
River Creek Farms