Sunday Supper at Sparrow benefiting Urban Harvest on November 8th!

October 25, 2015

Urban Harvest is more than an award-winning farmers market where locavores gather to enjoy provisions from neighboring farms and vendors. Urban Harvest is a community of passionate individuals who have an appetite to spread the good word about sustainable and organic food production through advocacy and education — including among Houston’s youth.

That’s why “Sunday Supper at Sparrow” on Nov. 8 at Sparrow Bar + Cookshop supports Urban Harvest’s Youth Education Program.The school education initiative, which celebrates its 12th anniversary this year, has grown from a handful of locations to include more than 20 school partners as well as community centers, influencing the lives of more than 25,000 children and young adults.

“While Urban Harvest’s curriculum teaches about organic food systems, the school environment is transformed into an active immersive environment where students learn to become leaders, caretakers and entrepreneurs,” Carol Burton, director of youth gardening education, says.

At Peck Elementary, a pollinator garden bursting with color is home to butterflies, caterpillars, lady beetles, bees and many species of birds."The outdoor garden teaches the students how to care for a habitat, benefits of organic foods, and exposure to fruits, herbs and vegetables they have never experienced,” Lakeisha Ogbor, science teacher at Peck Elementary, says. “We are also able to share fresh fruits and vegetables with the community.”

To support these efforts, eight local chefs are partnering with seven local farmers and vendors to prepare a multi-course dinner

In partnership with chef Monica Pope, “Sunday Supper at Sparrow” will offer a bountiful spread of dishes that spotlight seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms. A group of Houston’s notable chefs have pledged to impress guests with sophisticated combinations that bespeak Urban Harvest principles of encouraging community, good nutrition and sustainability through organic gardening.

Alongside Pope, contributing chefs include Justin Yu of Oxheart, Randy Rucker of Bramble, Adam Doris of Pax Americana, Mark Decker of Down House, Soren Pedersen of Currant Kitchen, Ara Malekian of Harlem Road Texas BBQ and Dylan Murray of Benjy’s and Local Foods. Participating vendors include Atkinson Farms, Honeychild's Sweet Creams, Java Pura Coffee, Pat Greer's Kitchen, Plant It Forward Farms, Sustainable Harvesters, Tavola pasta and Tejas Heritage Farm.