Good Fields

T

he Southeast’s newest food and farm festival emphasizes the importance of local agriculture and is already drawing attention from some of the region’s top culinary minds. Hosted at the 150-year old Shipley Farms in Vilas, North Carolina, tucked away in the hills just a few miles west of Boone, Good Fields will highlight the region’s rich agricultural heritage with 12 top chefs from across the state. The evening will be a chance for attendees to gather with chefs and farmers to enjoy live bluegrass music, local craft beer and wine, vendors, and more.

The chef lineup includes 2019 NCRLA Chef of the Year Steven Goff from Asheville’s Tastee Diner, along with multiple James Beard award nominees and Chef of the Year finalists. The event also features a live music performance by IBMA Showcase Artist Nick Chandler and Delivered, and storytelling from Evan Peter Smith, author of the popular nonfiction novel Here By The Owl. Each culinary professionals will draw from Shipley Farm's products, other locally produced goods, Appalachian foodways, and their own inspirations to create their signature dishes.

With the theme of “Local Food Elevated,” Good Fields will bring attention and support to the decline of family farms and agricultural land in the High Country and across North Carolina. Currently the state ranks second in the country for farmland projected to be lost to development in the next two decades. To address this issue, Good Fields will donate a percentage of proceeds to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Piedmont Culinary Guild, the NC Choices initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, and the Watauga High School chapter of Future Farmers of America.

General admission ticket sales are currently live. Details and more information can be found at the Good Fields website, GoodFieldsNC.com.