Category: Community Events

Spring has sprung! So has the eagerly awaited return of our annual Forage & Feast Experience. 

This year, we were thrilled to welcome sixty guests to the farm for a SOLD OUT immersive five-hour experience to explore, learn, create and indulge. Our collaboration with nature and partners; Proper Flower and Partners and Grapes, set the stage for a day filled with adventure, connection, and culinary delights.

Guests embarked on a forest journey in search of elusive morel mushrooms, guided by seasoned foragers. Their efforts paid off as they uncovered a treasure trove of these coveted delicacies, which only flush for two – four weeks each year!

After foraging, guests were greeted with a Mushroom Elixir Mocktail (recipe below!) and mushroom – centered hors d’oeuvres.

Guided shiitake mushroom log inoculation had guests engaged in a hands-on activity while fun tunes filled the air.

Proper Flower’s talented team transformed our Cedar Barn with an enchanting table-scape and playful mushroom trees.

Our Executive Chef Joy Turner and her culinary artisans crafted a menu to celebrate the best of our farm and the region, sourcing seasonal ingredients from local growers. Smoky rosemary adorned our Mushroom Pot Pie for a delightful aromatic element. Our Forager’s Tool Box Chocolate Cake was accompanied by a shovel spoon for guests to “dig” in with. To top it off, each course was served alongside an organic wine pairing by Partners and Grapes.

At the end of the night, guests departed with memories to cherish and their inoculated mushroom log!

As we look ahead to the future, we are filled with excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to continue this tradition for years to come.

The Fungi’s Mocktail Recipe:

 

3oz Alive Ancient Mushroom Elixir Root Beer

3oz Blenheim Hot Ginger Ale

1 Sprig of Fresh Mint

1 Lime Wheel

Pour Alive Ancient Mushroom Elixir Root Beer and Blenheim Hot Ginger Ale over ice, stir and add garnishes.

 

Here is a look into our full menu with wine pairings!

 

To Taste

Woodland Roll

Mushroom pork spring roll with a spicy mustard sauce and micro greens

 

Followed By

Mushroom Pot Pie

Mushroom pot pie with root vegetables, puff pastry and smoky rosemary

Partners & Grapes Organic Xarel-lo

 

And Then

Gardener’s Greens

Simple green salad with Green Goddess dressing, marinated mushrooms, peas and chives

Partners & Grapes Organic Rosé Blend

 

Main

Spring Chicken

Prosciutto wrapped mushroom stuffed chicken breast with red wine pan sauce over a polenta cake with seasonal vegetables

Partners & Grapes Organic Red Blend

 

At Last

Forager’s Tool Box

Chocolate cake with chocolate crumble and sauce, white chocolate dipped strawberries

Partners & Grapes Organic Cava

 

Please enjoy the photos below by our talented event partner Comma Photo. We hope to see you at our next event (details coming soon!). In the meantime, check out our Event Calendar for more information!

 

Wednesday, February 14th 2024 | Friday, February 16th 2024

THE EXPERIENCE: The third annual Valentines Dinner at North Corner Haven, but this year we had two full nights filled with live music, Chef Joy’s farm-to-table delights, and heartfelt fireside chats. It was a night of love, magic, and everlasting memories. Nothing fulfills us more than witnessing the joy from others on the Farm, hearing the laughter echo through the walls of the Cedar Barn, and seeing smiles radiate across the room.

THE MENU: With a passion for farm-fresh flavors, Chef Joy carefully an unforgettable Valentine’s Day dining experience at North Corner Haven. Check out the menu below!

Each dish was a masterpiece of its own, carefully crafted with hand-selected ingredients straight from local farms, ensuring that every bite represented culinary artistry. Each bite left guests wanting more!

A BIG thank you to our Farm friends for all of the sourced fresh ingredients:

 

A THANK YOU- All the love to the following vendors for helping make this Valentines Dinner a success:

Photographer – Amy Ledyard Photography

Rentals – Curated Events

Florist – Proper Flower

Entertainment – Falllift

Join us for our next Community Event, Forage and Feast on Saturday April 13th for an afternoon of Foraging, Mushroom Log Inoculation and a four course feast.

Curious on our past Valentines Day Dinners on the Farm? Catch up by reading our blog post here!

The Latest Community Event on the Farm

A hands-on Bone Broth crafting experience with Chef Joy followed by a delightful meal in the Farmhouse!

Our Bone Broth class was more than just a culinary adventure. Led by Chef Joy, participants embarked on a journey through the fundamentals of broth making, from selecting the finest ingredients to mastering the art of simmering, and gained knowledge on the health benefits that accompany this art form.

We’re sharing our Bone Broth Recipe for you to recreate in your very own kitchen-

Bone Broth 101 Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 lbs veal or beef bones
• 1 lb yellow onions, cut into thick wedges
• ½ lb celery
• ½ lb carrots
• About 3 ounces tomato paste
• ½ cup dry red wine (optional)
• 1 ½ gallons (24 cups) cold water
• 1 bouquet garni (2 parsley sprigs, 1 thyme sprig, 5 peppercorns, and a bay leaf wrapped in cheesecloth and secured with kitchen twine)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread the beef bones on the baking sheet(s). Use a brush to coat the bones evenly with tomato paste. This step is called “pincé.”
3. Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer the roasted bones to a large stockpot using tongs. Drain any excess fat from the baking sheet.
4. Place the now empty baking sheet over two burners and heat over medium heat. Carefully add the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. This step is called “deglazing.” Pour the wine and browned bits into the stockpot with the bones and vegetables.
5. Add the cut-up mirepoix (onions, celery, carrots) to the stockpot. Pour in the cold water and add the bouquet garni. Ensure that the contents of the stockpot are completely submerged with an additional 2 inches of water over the top. Bring to a simmer.
6. Gently simmer the broth for 8 to 10 hours or overnight. Skim any fat from the surface of the broth as needed. This step is known as “dépouillage.”
7. Remove the stockpot from the heat and strain the contents through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot or storage container. Repeat the dépoillage process if necessary. Store the stock as desired. It will last up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Following the Bone Broth workshop, guests were treated to a delicious farm-to-table lunch prepared by Chef Joy . We’re sharing this nutritious recipe below:

Recipe 

Zuppa Toscana is a hearty Italian soup traditionally made with Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, onions, garlic, and sometimes bacon, all simmered together in a flavorful broth. Here’s a basic recipe for Zuppa Toscana:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Italian sausage (spicy or mild), casings removed. We recommend our Andouille Grilling Sausages from our Farm Shop!
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Red pepper flakes (optional, for added spice)
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the Italian sausage over medium heat, crumbling the sausage until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pot leaving the sausage  grease in the pot.
2. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Pour in the chicken broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the diced potatoes and cooked sausage back into the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
4. Once the potatoes are cooked, stir in the chopped kale and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender.
5. Stir in the heavy cream and cooked bacon. Season the soup with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using), to taste.
6. Serve the Zuppa Toscana hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

Feel free to adjust the seasonings and ingredients according to your taste preferences. This soup is delicious served with crusty bread for dipping. 

At North Corner Haven, we believe that true wellness begins from within, and our bone broth making class was a testament to that. Participants were left with a new culinary skill, knowledge on a centuries-old tradition, and full bellies from a nutrient-rich meal!

As we continue to share our passion for farm-to-table living and wellness, we invite you to join us in our upcoming Community Events, be sure to follow along for our latest event drops! In the meantime, catch up on our past Farm Cooking Experiences by reading here.

In celebration of the growing season and this year’s honey harvest, we welcomed 60 guests to our (sold out) Honey Dinner on the Farm on Friday, August 18th! 

The guests of honor (not including the bees!) were our longtime keepers Bill & Deb Huey. Bill has been working the hives at North Corner Haven since 2012 and now manages over 50 active hives! He is also currently serving as President of the Lancaster County Beekeeper Association.  Throughout the evening, Bill & Deb were around to answer any questions and share their knowledge around bees.

The evening started with a hands on cocktail hour experience where guests were able to roll their own beeswax candles while sipping on a specialty “Ginger Buzz” cocktail.

The Ginger Buzz Cocktail

• 1.5oz Bourbon – we use Makers Mark
• 4oz Blenheim Ginger Ale – this locally produced ginger ale is incredible, just make sure it’s the spicy kind!
• Lime Wheel, Fresh Rosemary from the Garden

We ended the evening with a sit down dinner in our Cedar Barn, sourcing fresh ingredients straight from the North Corner Haven Farm and other local farms listed below. Chef Joy whipped up a delicious honey-inspired five course meal for all 60 attendees to enjoy, including pork sourced directly from our Farm! Check out the full menu below.

Ingredients sourced from: Freshlist, Boy and Girl Farm, Barbee Farms, Street Fare Farm, Correll Farms, Homeland Creamery, Oreno Ladi Oilve Oil, Bush-N-Vine, Dabhar Farm, Fair Share Farm, Rich Hill Farm, Mai’s Farm

Check out a few sneak peeks of the event below!

 

Interested in attending a future Farm Dinner? Stay in the know by checking out our event calendar and signing up for our newsletter.

We were so excited to host our second cooking experience in August and focus on something near and dear to our hearts – canning! This lost art allows the home gardener to preserve the harvest for month’s past the last frost. In this (sold out!) hands on workshop, our guests were invited to learn the step – by – step process of home preserving including tips and tricks passed down for generations.

Within the three hour workshop, each guest prepped and canned fresh from the garden tomatoes and enjoyed lunch and conversation around the Farmhouse table afterward. Chef Joy and Deb Huey led the day and we can’t wait to dream up the next experience! See below for some photos of the event & a surprise recipe to get you started canning this season…

As an added bonus, we sent everyone home with a basic canning kit from Ball like this. If we could do it again, we’d probably send them with a more inclusive package like this one. 

From the Farm Kitchen – Roasted Tomatoes 

This delectable Roasted Tomato recipe transforms simple garden-fresh ingredients into a burst of rich flavors that elevate any dish. With a handful of steps, you can create a mouthwatering dish that brings new life to tired-looking tomatoes and onions.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs tomatoes, cored and large dice (garden fresh preferred)
• 0.5 lb onions, large dice – white or yellow onion preferred
• 4 cloves garlic, whole – peeled
• 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil (browse a variety of high quality oils here.)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking instructions:

• Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Lightly pan spray a rimmed sheet pan to prevent sticking.
• Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, onions, and whole peeled garlic cloves. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the mixture. Gently toss everything together until the ingredients are evenly coated.
• Spread on Sheet Pan: Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared rimmed sheet pan. Ensure the vegetables are in a single layer to allow proper roasting.
• Roast to Perfection: Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and roast for about 30 to 40 minutes. Keep an eye on the tomatoes and onions; they should develop a slight char and caramelization.
• Flavorful Finish: Once the tomatoes and onions have achieved a delightful char, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Season the roasted vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. The flavors will intensify, offering a wonderful combination of sweetness and savory richness.

This Roasted Balsamic Tomato Medley is incredibly versatile. Serve it as a standalone side dish, spoon it over toasted bread for a bruschetta-like treat, toss it with pasta, or use it as a topping for grilled meats. The roasted flavors and balsamic glaze will surely impress your taste buds.

Interested in learning more about our upcoming community events? Be sure to check out our event calendar and sign up for our newsletter for more details.

All photos by Amy Ledyard. 

Over the weekend, we hosted our annual Forage & Feast event in collaboration with nature and our friends Proper Flower and Field & Forage Farms. We host the event in early spring, typically the last week of March, first of April in hopes of finding some morel Mushrooms growing in our forest (they only grow for two weeks out of the year!).

We welcomed forty guests to the Farm for five hours of adventure, connection and a beautiful meal made for an incredible day! We explored the forest, found some (hit the gold mine, actually!) illusive morel mushrooms, created shiitake mushroom logs and enjoyed time around the table making new friends.

Can we talk about the table? Proper Flower’s team really brought the event up a notch by foraging for materials in our woods to create an enchanting table-scape for all to enjoy.

For dinner, our Chef Joy and her team prepared a wonderful menu for guests which included Pork, pastured raised here at North Corner Haven and ingredients grown around the region. This truly farm to table experience was enhanced through our collaboration with Partners and Grapes, an organic wine company that has recently launched in the Charlotte area.

It was truly a wonderful afternoon on the farm filled with laughter, connection and learning. We can’t wait to do it again next year!

WHAT WAS ON THE MENU?

first

Cheesy Gougers

mushroom duxelles + goat cheese

Partners & Grapes organic Xarel-lo

second

Oyster Mushroom

herbed garlic butter and mushroom based carolina gold rice

Partners & Grapes organic Rosé Blend

third

North Corner Haven Pork Medallion

seasonal vegetables, potatoes and

a simple mushroom pan sauce *this turned into a morel pan sauce with our forest finds!* 

Partners & Grapes organic Red Blend

fourth

Lemon Mousse

crispy cookie, lemon milk crumble

 

Please enjoy the photos below by our talented event partner Comma Photo, and we hope to see you at our next event in June (details coming soon!). In the meantime, check out our Event Calendar for more information!

Did you see us on the News? North Corner Haven’s Forage & Feast event was featured on WCNC Charlotte Today, WBTV QC Life and QC@3. 

Saturday, February 11th 2023

THE EXPERIENCE: Everyday, our goal is to create meaningful experiences at North Corner Haven and this year’s Valentines Dinner was no exception. This sold out evening invited guests to the Farm to enjoy live music, delicious food and even better company. An intimate affair, guests mingled around the fire pits and gardens before entering the Cedar Barn for dinner. A truly memorable night, we were honored to help our guests celebrate their love. As the sun set on the day, the night faded into a blur of smiles, laughter, candlelight and even swaying on the dance floor for our guests…

 

THE MENU: Our Executive Chef Joy Turner dreamed up a menu to satisfy the senses and carefully curated a plate with ingredients grown locally and regionally.

The ingredients on your plate came from many wonderful growers + purveyors:

BEHIND THE DESIGN: We worked closely with our friends at Curated Events Charlotte to design a romantic tables-cape for this valentines dinner. Their updated inventory includes a wide range of specialty tables, chairs and tabletop decor to match any desired design aesthetic.

To view the details behind the design, click here. 

A special thank you to our partners for this event: 

Amy Ledyard Photography

Curated Events Charlotte

Falllift

Firefly Productions 

Rose Transportation 

EXPERIENCE THE FARM: Join us for our next Community Event, Forage and Feast on Saturday April 1st for an afternoon of Foraging, Mushroom Log Inoculation and a four course feast. Click here for details.