With Food + Love Pop-Up Dinner Series

interview by Leah Fithian and Anna Powell Teeter of Driftless Magazine
with Sherrie Castellano of With Food + Love
winter photographs by Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen
spring photographs by Meghan Izaguirre

How did you get the word out about the pop-up?
The food community in St. Louis is really engaged and supportive, and the concept has been warmly received mainly through my blog and social media.

What was your inspiration for the menu?
I plan my menu exclusively around what is available to me. I work with some wonderful farmers and I utilize whatever they have growing or whatever they have foraged.

Why do you feel it's important to gather people around the table to share a meal together?
I have a deep desire to care for others through food. It is truly my love language. These meals are a great reminder that slowing down and enjoying unplugged time with others is still very much alive and well.

Where you live and what do you do?
I live in Saint Louis, Missouri. I am the content creator behind my blog, With Food + Love. I am a pop-up chef. And I'm the director of marketing for Big Heart Tea Co. — a badass women run, ethically sourced herbal tea company.

When did you first begin the pop-up dinner series?
May 2016. Since then I've held them about every two months. More information here! The next one is our Early Summer dinner on June 10th. 

How many people are typically invited and involved?
My pop-up dinners are open to everyone. It is an all inclusive event. No invitations, no special lists, anyone can attend. But there is a limited amount of seats available (about 24 per dinner).

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WINTER DINNER — January 22, 2017

Polenta
braggadocio polenta, sweet dumpling squash, black pepper turnip ragù

The Last Hour
bitter cacao nibs, wild elderberry syrup, aeries port, pinckney bend vodka

Mousse Me
bissinger’s dark chocolate, caramel, hibiscus, blood oranges - recipe here!

Pears + Pine
pear shrub, wild pine syrup, pinckney bend gin

Bowl of Winter Whites + Seeds
fennel, cauliflower, white beans, yogurt, seed loaf

Salad – From The Earth
beets, baetje farms coeur de la crème, oregano vinegar, wild chamomile greens

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FOREVER SPRING DINNER — April 13, 2017

Plucked, Spring Mix Salad
pea shoots, spring greens, petite radish, herbs, johnny jump-ups, wild violet vinegar

Brewed, Oolong Broth Stew
forever spring oolong, asparagus, potatoes, carrots, crispy lentils

Sorrel Sour
sorrel syrup, parsley, 360 vodka

Churned, Golden Affogato
vanilla ice cream, sunshine dust, salty cacao nibs

Brings May Flowers
hibiscus, wild violet, rose lavender, lilac bitters,
lion’s tooth dandelion liqueur, 360 vodka

Pulled, Green Garlic Soup
green garlic, tokyo long whites, spinach,hemp seed dukkah

Foraged, Ramp Tartine
ramps, white beans, union loafer baguette, flory’s truckle

Creating a Sense of Place at Marble Hill Farm

words and pattern by Lindsay Welsch Sveen of The Fiber Archive
photographs by Anna Powell Teeter of Driftless Magazine

Some people see the Midwest as a swath of corn and soybean fields. Indeed, there are many of those here in Indiana. But the Midwest also boasts a growing number of small farms with diversified crops and sustainable practices.

Kip and Whitney Schlegel own Marble Hill Farm, a 150-acre plot about ten miles southwest of Bloomington. By day, they’re both on faculty at Indiana University — Whitney in Biology and Kip in Criminal Justice. But when they get home from campus, they throw on jeans, lace up their boots, and head out to gather eggs, feed sheep, or move cows from one paddock to the next. The farm is part of their livelihoods — they sell beef and eggs at farmers’ markets and local co-ops — but it is also an investment in the future of their land and their community. Whereas large-scale, mono-crop farms (“big ag”) aim to get as much as they can out of the soil, Kip and Whitney adopt practices that put nourishment back in.

“Our best resource is our pasture,” says Whitney. “We tend the land to keep our animals healthy and create a wonderful product — and make sure the soil has a future.”

The Schlegels have received grants from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a partner with the USDA, to install fences, water lines, and other infrastructure that allows Marble Hill Farm to function on a sustainable, rotational model. The specialized fencing is crucial — it enables Kip and Whitney to rotate their cattle, sheep, and chickens among several fields, ensuring that no stretch of land becomes overgrazed.

“I do believe small farming is a sustainable practice, in all communities,” Whitney says. “We love to have people come visit and say, ‘That’s cool! I could do that!’”

One of the highlights for any visitor is Whitney’s flock of Shetland sheep. They’re a small heritage breed with distinct personalities and a range of fleece colors. In true Shetland fashion, each new crop of lambs is named according to a theme: fruits, herbs, flowers, and (my personal favorite) cheeses — Whitney’s eldest ram is a stately chap named Chevre.

In addition to being amusing and adorable, the sheep also provide one of the farm’s newest products: wool. Whitney uses her homegrown (and hand-dyed) yarn to create hats, scarves, socks, and more for her friends and family, and she sells bundles to local fiber enthusiasts. “People can meet the sheep over here and see the plants we use to make the dyes over there,” Whitney explains. “You can’t get that in a yarn shop.” Kip adds, “That’s what we do best here. We create a sense of place.”

That sense of place imbues everything Kip and Whitney produce, including the yarn. Whitney entrusted me with two skeins she had dyed with the willow that grows near their pond and then modified with additional farm-grown dye plants. One, over-dyed in indigo, is a soft forest green. The other, over-dyed with walnut, is a classic tan. These yarns inspired me to design and create the Willow Hat. You can make your own using the pattern below, if you also feel inspired.

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Willow Hat

The Willow Hat’s slanted grid colorwork mimics the fences that define the Marble Hill Farm landscape. Its structure pays homage to farm life, with a doubled-up brim to keep ears warm on brisk mornings and a loop at the top for easy hang-up after a long day’s work.

Gauge

4” = 20 stitches and 24 rows

Materials

• 1 skein worsted weight yarn in main color
• 1 skein worsted weight yarn in contrasting color (if doing colorwork version)
• Size A: 16” size 7 circular needle
• Size A: Size 7 double-pointed needles
• Size B: 16” size 5 circular needle

Pattern

• With size B needle, cast on 96 stitches using long-tail cast-on (or preferred cast-on method).
• Join and place marker at beginning of round.
• K1, P1…. continue to alternate until end of round.
• Repeat K1, P1 ribbing for 36 rounds or until piece measures 4.5 inches (or twice your desired brim depth).
• Switch to size A circular needle.
• Place every other stitch from cast-on edge onto size B circular needle. Fold brim in half, positioning the cast-on edge behind your working stitches. You’ll be joining these two edges in the next round.
• Knit one round, knitting also into cast-on edge every other stitch, to end of round. (If stitch on left needle is a K, knit into that stitch and next stitch of cast-on edge. If stitch on left needle is a P, knit into only that stitch.)
• Discard size B needle. Place marker on size A needle at beginning of round.
• Knit 5 rounds.
• For next 16 rounds, follow chart (below). One round = 6 repeats of the 16-stitch pattern. Place markers after each repeat, if desired.
• After completing chart, resume main color and knit 5 rounds.
• *K1, K2tog, K19, SSK, PM. Repeat from* two more times. K1, K2tog, K19, SSK.
• Knit one round.
• *K1, K2tog, knit until two before marker, SSK. Repeat three times.
• Alternate previous two rounds until 16 stitches remain.
• K2tog until 4 stitches remain, removing markers as you go.
• With 4 remaining stitches, knit an I-cord two inches long (approximately 12 rows).
• Bind off and pull tail through top of hat to create a loop.
• Tie off tail to secure loop, then weave in ends.
• Block as desired.

View more of Lindsay's work from The Fiber Archive and in Issue 6 of Drifltess Magazine.

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Upcoming Events at Marble Hill Farm
8101 South Victor Pike Bloomington, Indiana 47403

Homegrown Indiana Farm Tour
Sunday, July 9th
4pm - 8.30pm

Shearing Day
Saturday, April 22nd
11am - 4pm

The evening will culminate in a dinner prepared by local chefs from Big Woods Bloomington, C3 Bar and Truffles, including vegetarian and vegan options. It is a farm to fork experience you will not want to miss. Co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, Harvest Moon Flower Farm (featured in Issue 3!), Big Woods Bloomington, C3 Bar and Truffles.
More information

Come share in this community celebration and welcome Spring on the farm with the shearing of the flock of Shetland sheep. Visit with the lambs and learn all about wool with demonstrations and hands-on activities. Discover wildflowers, pollinators and more with scientists and naturalists from our community. Experience small farm life and land stewardship practices that enhance our use of natural resources and support conservation efforts. There will be hayrides, walking tours and farm products available.
More information

Issue 7 Submissions

Interested in contributing content to Driftless? Know of an incredible small business that would make a great feature? Have a seasonal recipe you just can’t get enough of? Just got back from an unbelievable adventure? Let us know – we would love to hear more!

Our content is based on contributions from our readers, and we highly value the interest and expertise that local stories bring to the table. When accepting submissions for print, we are looking for content based around Midwest America. Our definition of the Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. 

Submissions for Issue 7 – Spring + Summer 2017 – are now open. In order to submit a feature for consideration, fill out our online form and submission fee of $12. Submissions will not be considered until the fee is paid. This submission fee helps support the cost of printing – Driftless is completely ad-free, and by paying the submission fee you help ensure we can continue printing physical copies of the magazine. You’ll also receive a complimentary issue for submitting.

Any questions can be directed to info@readdriftless.com with a subject line of "Issue 7 Submission Inquiry." We couldn't be more excited for this 2017 Spring + Summer issue, and look forward to seeing your work!