Poughkeepsie Farm Project’s Soup-a-Bowl aids hungry
Let’s do lunch.
Sounds simple. But when lunch is the Poughkeepsie Farm Project’s Soup-a-Bowl event, I can’t help but think of most movies I see: The event is short but the credits are long!
That is my experience in the two years I have chaired the Poughkeepsie Farm Project’s Soup-a-Bowl event committee. Dozens of people and local businesses each year pitch in their time, talents and resources to create an afternoon of food, music and crafts that raise funds to support the charitable and education programs of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project (PFP).
The cast of Soup-a-Bowl characters includes the farmers who grow the food; chefs and cooks who create tasty and imaginative soups (I’m reliving last year’s vegan roasted beet and kale concoction as I write) and accompaniments; pottery makers (professionals and novices) who hand-craft a dazzling array of colorful bowls; and musicans, artists and a host of volunteers and businesses from all walks of life (Kirchhoff-Consigli Construction Management is this year’s lead sponsor) who come together to put on an event that helps PFP make its produce accessible to a wide swath of our community.
Committee members reach out to community businesses to secure sponsorships and items for our silent auction and raffle, including gift certificates to restaurants, baskets of wine and beer, gift certificates to local shops and personal services and beautiful handmade pottery, glass and art.
Cathy Coughlin, her enthusiastic family and others reach out to local restaurants for donations of soup, bread, beverages and desserts. On event day, Cathy also manages the kitchen and food service to professional standards. Generous local businesses and the 225 event attendees helped raise more than $16,000 last year.
Each year, hundreds of bowls are created for the occasion. I am one of many who find the bowl-making part of the production to be the most unusual and fun part of the effort. Though many of our bowls are crafted by professionals, most are produced by novice potters in a collaborative process. I am one of the latter, and I have thrown, trimmed and glazed various pots this year, coming home covered in clay and satisfaction.
Karl Krusczynski organizes the pottery sessions at Art Centro, a community arts space located in the Middle Main neighborhood of downtown Poughkeepsie, operated by the Mid-Hudson Heritage Center. Art Centro provides PFP with discounted classes for people who wish to learn how to “throw bowls” on a pottery wheel.
“From forming the bowl on the wheel, trimming the base, smoothing the edges, firing, glazing and firing again, one bowl may be worked on by six different people!” Karl reports. The results are beautiful, surprising, one-of-a kind pieces that attendees select and take home.
Soup-a-Bowl is fun, yes, but the benefits flow beyond the day and into our community. Last year the event funded the donation of 8,195 pounds of fresh food to our sponsored share families and 19,037 pounds of produce to five emergency food providers.
So, let’s do lunch. I guarantee you won’t have another like it for at least a year.
Margery Groten is a member of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project and chairs this year’s Soup-a-Bowl event. Email her at soupabowl@farmproject.org
If you go
What: Eighth annual Poughkeepsie Farm Project Soup-a-Bowl lunch benefit
When: Oct. 4. Two seatings: Noon-1:30 p.m. and 2-3:30 p.m.
Where: Vassar College Alumnae House, 161 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie
Tickets: $30 per person through Sept. 18; $35 per person after Sept. 18; $10 for children. Purchase in advance online at www.farmproject.org/soup-a-bowl. An adult ticket buys a handmade pottery bowl, three servings of soup and accompaniments, the chance to participate in a raffle and silent auction, and live music
Information: Visit www.farmproject.org/soup-a-bowl; email soupabowl@farmproject.org; call 845-516-1100