By Kevin Coughlin
Not sure who this Al Fresco guy is, but he sure knows how to throw a party.
Incredibly, Saturday’s “Alfresco at the Farm” fundraiser was the sixth annual summer bash by Grow It Green Morristown. From little seeds, big things grow!
About 200 people anted up for the afternoon gathering at the Urban Farm at Lafayette, said Grow It Green Executive Director Abby Gallo.
Proceeds will help fund educational programs at the Urban Farm, the state’s largest teaching farm, according to Gallo.
Millie’s Old World Meatballs & Pizza brought 55 pizzas. The Artist Baker served S’mores. SmartWorld Coffee supplied the caffeine.
And the Original Music School sent Jordan Green & The Good Enuffs. Which they were, and then some.
Two of Grow It Green’s co-founders were on hand. Samantha Rothman said last year’s hiring of Gallo has freed her up for some quality gardening time of her own– at home.
“We have such a great team right now,” Rothman said.
Co-founder Carolle Huber said she is devoting more time to planning the expansion of Grow It Green’s Early Street Community Garden.
Cconstruction started last month on a walking path there; a solar powered pavilion should follow in the fall, and a composting toilet, underwritten by craigslist founder Craig Newmark, is anticipated to be in place by spring.
So far, Grow It Green has raised about one-third of its $200,000 goal for the garden expansion, which will include a doubling of the growing plots available to the public. The Urban Farm, meanwhile, is on pace to surpass last year’s 1.69 tons of produce donated to area soup kitchens and charities, Gallo said.
“To get approvals, and open something like this for the public, with programs for kids–that’s quite a coup for these three women,” said Cora Thomases of the Red Oaks School, one of Saturday’s sponsors. “We’re very proud of it.”
Myra Bowie McCready is the other co-founder of Grow It Green.
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Speaking of growing, we were delighted to see and hear Emmi Long singing with Jordan Green’s band. Emmi literally has grown up before our eyes, starting as an impish third-grader singing Hannah Montana’s Who Said? What Else? at Morristown’s Got Talent seven years ago.
Emmi returned to the talent show last February, duetting with Jordan on the Sara Evans country tune, Suds in a Bucket. In a few weeks, Emmi will be a sophomore at Morristown High School.
So what stage advice does this veteran performer have for all of us aspiring wanna-bes?
“It may seem stupid to you,” Emmi said, “but you always have to be smiling, and be having a good time.”
Mission accomplished!
