Press Releases

 

Homegrown By Heroes rancher hosts alpaca dinner to benefit national farmer-veteran organization

 

For Immediate Release
Monday, September 21, 2015
For more information contact:
Ted Sloan
(502) 564-1138

 

RICHMOND, Ky. – A Kentucky Proud and Homegrown By Heroes producer will host a one-of-a-kind dinner with alpaca as the main attraction.

Alvina Maynard’s River Hill Ranch near Richmond will welcome up to 30 guests for the farm-to-table dinner on Sept. 26 from 6-10 p.m. Chef Robert Weickel of Hill Restaurant, a pop-up restaurant in Lexington, will prepare the meal.

“Alpaca increasingly is becoming popular as a delicious, nutritious meat and a sustainable source of natural fiber,” Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “This event will showcase alpaca as well as other Kentucky Proud products. It also will raise awareness of Homegrown By Heroes and benefit a good cause.”

River Hill Ranch, which raises alpacas for meat and fiber, will provide the alpaca. Nearly all the other ingredients for the dinner will come from Kentucky Proud producers, including Blue Moon Farm of Richmond, Forest Retreats of Berea, Stonehedge Farm of Versailles, Hoot Owl Hollow Farm of Waynesburg, Three Springs Farm of Carlisle, and Irie Hills Farm and FoodChain of Lexington.

Tickets are $95 and may be purchased at http://www.riverhillranch.us/shop-river-hill-ranch/alpaca-farm-to-table-dinner.

A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Davis, California. “River Hill Ranch received a grant from FVC to fund shearing equipment and fencing for more pasture,” said Maynard, an Air Force reservist. “This is our opportunity to pay it forward by helping another military veteran farmer.”

Homegrown By Heroes is a brand that designates farm products produced by military veteran farmers. Commissioner Comer launched the brand in January 2013. The brand expanded nationally the following November and is administered at the national level by the Farmer Veteran Coalition.

For more information about the dinner, go to http://www.riverhillranch.us/ranch-events/2015/9/26/farm-to-table-dinner.