SUNY Potsdam's Dining Services Showcases Local Foods at Farm to Table Dinner on Oct. 7

POTSDAM, NY (09/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Potsdam Auxiliary College and Educational Services (PACES) Dining Services will showcase local farm products during the annual Farm to Table Dinner at SUNY Potsdam's Lehman Dining Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 7. The buffet dinner will be available from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., and tickets are available for community members to attend.

The annual Farm to Table Dinner at Lehman will feature a cornucopia of local ingredients, such as kale, arugula, corn, beans, squash, broccoli, peppers, watermelon, tomatoes, onions, chard, root vegetables and brussels sprouts. The dinner will also feature local meats and homemade desserts.

The dinner will include local meats from Kilcoyne Farm, fruit from Fobares and other local orchards, as well as produce from Martin's Farmstand.

Martin's Farmstand, a local food hub on the Needham Road in Potsdam, is a primary supplier of produce for PACES. Daniel and Mendy Martin are the owners of the farmstand, and coordinate and distribute the sale of food from local farms. PACES buys as much as possible directly from the food hub during the growing season. In addition, the College's Dining Services purchases regional and New York State products from Renzi Brothers of Watertown, N.Y. throughout the year. PACES works with numerous other local businesses, including the Potsdam Food Co-op, Three Bears Gluten-Free Bakery, St. Lawrence Valley Roasters and Anastasia's Bakery.

The food hub came into being as a way for farmers to get produce to market easily. The Martins estimate that more than 40 acres of farmland, from 10 different farms are "growing together" and supplying the food hub. Currently, six farms involved in the hub are owned and operated by the Amish, many whom chose not to open roadside stands this year as a result of the kidnapping incident last year. Martin also works with backyard growers who have a bounty of harvest, a "bucketful of peppers, or a bushel of apples," all of which continues to support and encourage sustainable farming in the area.

For community members, reservations must be made by calling PACES Dining Services Manager Terri White, at (315) 267-2627, before Monday, Oct. 5. Tickets for the dinner are $12.96 for community members, inclusive of tax.

About PACES Dining Services:

Potsdam Auxiliary and College Educational Services Inc. (PACES) is a not-for-profit corporation operating under contract with SUNY Potsdam. PACES' mission is to offer high-quality products and services, while maximizing customer value and financial return, to the benefit of the larger SUNY Potsdam community. PACES Dining Services was rated the No. 1 dining service for comprehensive colleges in the SUNY system, in the Student Opinion Satisfaction Survey. For more information about what makes PACES No. 1, visit www.potsdam.edu/offices/paces.

Founded in 1816, and located on the outskirts of the beautiful Adirondack Park, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges. SUNY Potsdam currently enrolls approximately 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its handcrafted education, challenging liberal arts and sciences core, excellence in teacher training and leadership in the performing and visual arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community recently launched Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which aims to raise $32 million by the College's bicentennial in 2016.

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