19 Jun 2009

The Greenhorns Goat Spit Menu Sneak Peek! (and a chat with its founder/filmmaker)

by | posted in: Events, NYC Events | 6

Get your goat fix! Tomorrow, rain or shine, a block party takes place in Carroll Gardens to benefit the Greenhorns, a Hudson Valley-based non-profit that promotes and recruits young farmers. This event is just too packed with stuff to really fit on a poster, or a proper blog post. But there will be a screening of the trailer for the documentary about young farmers by Greenhorns founder Severine von Tscharner Fleming, also called The Greenhorns, a performance by Reverend Billy, an urban gardening workshop led by Ben and Annie of the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, an auction, farming and animal raising demos, and a bike-powered spit rotating baby goats for savory sandwiches. The organizers promise a few more surprises. I’ll be there, too, helping to feed the masses.

When asked why we’re rotating whole goats on a spit instead of, say, a pig, Severine explained that while America may have developed an obsession with goat’s milk and cheese, its meat hasn’t been as embraced as in other cultures. Plus, male goats exist, too! So they’re bringing three baby goats from a small farm in New Jersey to roast, with an array of flavors. The team of cooks are talking about doing one up with dry-rubbed Caribbean spices, going Mediterranean-style for another with olive oil, garlic and rosemary, making a simply seasoned one for real game-lovers, and serving some cucumber raita on the side.

Aside from goat sandwiches, there should be plenty to eat. If goat’s still not your game, grass-fed hamburgers are in store, as well as salads and a host of treats from several local farms and purveyors (check out this post on the Greenhorns’ blog for more food and details).

For more background on the nonprofit, the film and the fundraiser, I was able to bug Severine for a few more questions, below. Hope to see you at the party!

What is a greenhorn?

SVTF: A greenhorn is a novice. A new entrant into agriculture, in our case. Given the crisis of attrition in American Agricultue- average age 56, we’re glad to see that thousands of young farmers are entering the field. Entering with a force of intention and a commitement to sustainable practices, their success is critical and must be structurally supported: culturally, educationally, and with public policy that promotes healthy agriculture instead of corporate monoculture.

Tell me a little more about why you decided to make this film?

SVTF: I saw a film in Ireland called Fowl, about the chicken industry. It was shot by a lovely fairy filmmaker named Andrew Legge. Andrew and I were staying at the same  cheese farm and went walking together over the cliffs of West Cork. We talked about suburban sprawl and ag-industrial moonscapes while walking down a most quintessentially perfect lane of family dairies, woodlots, smallholdings and hedged pastures. I resolved that we’d bring the stories of young farmers and the landscapes that they inhabit and create to the youngers of my country. Once we started-everything came together. I kept meeting awesome, and eager! film-skilled people– and the greenhorns community.
Why do you think there is a boom of young farmers today, with many of them taking up farming for the first time in their lives?


SVTF: Why more young farmers? Well, certainly not because its easy. Becoming a young farmer in America today means overcoming some quite profound structural obstacles. Those who succeed in starting, running and keeping their farm business are brave, hard-working, stubborn and mostly somewhat lucky individuals. We celebrate their work. Many more young farmers, and aspiring farmers  are trying to get a toehold, find some land, raise the capital, gain the skills and education, convince themselves, their partners or their parents. Social mobility for those exiting school with a burden of debt is sadly diminshed.  The infrastructure for local food processing, local food marketing, medium scale agriculture and diversified, sensibly sized farm operations has been destroyed by sequential farm crises–caused by the agribusiness lobby, consolidation, global trade and a Farm Bill designed by greedy beneficiaries.

Goat SPIT
Hosted by the Greenhorns, a benefit
Saturday, June 20th, 2009

2 – 10pm
513 Henry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Corner Sackett/Henry

6 Responses

  1. Kelly
    |

    just pointing out that on their blog it says $5 to get in and that gets you a beer…not $50. Though I’m sure $50 would be greatly appreciated.

  2. nbm
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    good lord, that’s just down the street. I can stop in on the way back from the library! (If it is not too soggy for fun.)

  3. nbm
    |

    and I did, and there’s a short post chez moi to prove it.

  4. SriMathe
    |

    cool read

  5. tin tuc
    |

    tin tuc…

    […]The Greenhorns Goat Spit Menu Sneak Peek! (and a chat with its founder/filmmaker) » Not Eating Out in New York[…]…

  6. tin tuc , bong ban, the gioi , viet nam , cot vot ,mat vot , donic , joola , nitaku , buterfly , DHS
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    tin tuc , bong ban, the gioi , viet nam , cot vot ,mat vot , donic , joola , nitaku , buterfly , DHS…

    […]The Greenhorns Goat Spit Menu Sneak Peek! (and a chat with its founder/filmmaker) » Not Eating Out in New York[…]…

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