Sotheby’s Auction: Food Sense?

Sotheby’s Auction House hosted the inaugural Tri-State Heirloom Vegetable auction, titled The Art of Farming, last week in New York City.

Sotheby’s Auction House hosted the inaugural Tri-State Heirloom Vegetable auction, titled The Art of Farming, last week in New York City. The concept provided a unique platform for local farmers, purveyors, celebrity chefs, food industry experts, and high-profile New Yorkers to join together to celebrate edible heirlooms and the art involved in their creation. The Lempert Report is thrilled to see the entire food process from farm to table not only celebrated but cherished. 
 
“Sustainable farming and preservation of heirloom varietals is a true art form. We are proud to support our local farmers - the food artisans - by integrating the food and art communities with this first ever edible auction,” commented SVP Director of Worldwide Marketing for Sotheby’s, Amy Todd Middleton. The overall mission of the event was to raise awareness about heirloom vegetables and to fundraise for two organizations: GrowNYC’s New Farmer Development Project, which trains immigrants who have agricultural backgrounds to establish farms in the northeast and provides them with space to sell their produce in the city’s greenmarkets, and The Sylvia Center, which teaches New York children healthy eating, cooking and where their food comes from through hands-on experiences. Raising children’s awareness around food, farming, and healthy eating will help shape America’s future not only by creating healthy eating patterns at a young age but getting kids involved who will hopefully be our next generation of farmers.
 
The auction not only included heirloom vegetables but featured rare animals, food and drink experiences ranging from summer farm internships for students and field trips for school classes to celebrity chef dinners, farm-to-table dinners, and New York wine country getaways. Inevitably conversations addressing social and environmental issues, implementing sustainable practices, eating fresh local and seasonally as well as composting were the talk of the night.
 
The event was followed by an exclusive dinner reception whose menu featured fresh, seasonal ingredients similar to the ones on the auction block; each table was hosted by a local farmer. All proceeds from the event will benefit the aforementioned charities, and, according to MSNBC, the event raised about $250,000.
 
This event truly signifies the arrival of local, seasonal and sustainable regarding our food supply as well as a greater appreciation and even celebrity status for the farmers who work hard to feed their communities. 
 
For more information on The Art of Farming www.artoffarming.org.