by Ashley Lodato
On a crisp Labor Day evening that foretold autumn, 300 guests gathered at TwispWorks to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Bluebird Grain Farms. With catering provided by Cameron Green and guest chef John Sundstrom of Seattle’s lark restaurant, the paella dinner was as stunning a visual anchor for the event as it was a tasty, almost entirely locally produced meal.
Fires were laid in the four Hotspot Fire Pits earlier in the afternoon in order to provide the hardwood coals needed to cook the three paella dishes made with Bluebird’s organic whole grain emmer farro as a base: one vegetarian using local squash, onions, and peppers, one meat using locally raised chorizo, and one seafood, with clams and other shellfish (not local, of course!).
As young servers passed appetizers, guests mingled on the TwispWorks campus near the North Warehouse, sampling Methow wine, beer, and hard cider while listening to the lively tunes of local fiddlers and banjo players.
When the food was ready, Brooke and Sam thanked the gathered guests for supporting Bluebird’s vision over the years. Then, seated at three long rows of tables, guests ate paeala, salads, and bread, shared stories of their own joys, hardships, and adventures from the summer, and toasted the success of a thriving, small-scale family-owned organic farm.
As Brooke wandered through the crowd greeting friends old and new, she met two women who had traveled from Alaska for the dinner! The pair receive Bluebird products in their CSA at home, are crazy about Bluebird’s organic emmer pancake and waffle mix, and decided to use the dinner as the focal point of a vacation in Washington State.
The celebration also served to showcase TwispWorks’ Methow Made project, which connects a wider consumer audience with Methow farmers, producers, and artisans.
The best part of the evening for Brooke and Sam was the opportunity to gather Bluebird’s staunchest supporters in one place; to share a meal with those who have purchased products, created recipes, leased farmland, spread the word about little-known heirloom grains, and in other ways helped sustain Bluebird Grain Farms. We at Bluebird Grain Farms are delighted to mark our 10th anniversary and we look forward to many more such milestones in our future.
