Inside "Forage and Feast": An All-Ages Celebration of Local Food and Community
On a beautiful June afternoon, 20 families from across the city and suburbs gathered at The Talking Farm in Skokie for the inaugural Forage and Feast event—an immersive, farm-to-table experience for all ages. The farm came alive with the energy of excited toddlers, elementary schoolers, and even a few babies. We started with a tour of the fields, dug our hands into the dirt to harvest early summer crops, chopped fresh veggies and herbs, and shaped burger patties before finally sitting down to feast!
Families learn about The Talking Farm before taking a walking tour.
I had been dreaming of a farm-to-table dinner for all ages for a long time. After visiting The Talking Farm last year, I knew it was the perfect venue to bring this idea to life. The non-profit urban farm is on a mission to educate the community about sustainable food and farming; they even welcome kids from the neighboring preschool to "work" on the farm every week!
As I was scheming up what a kid-friendly farm dinner would look like, a conversation with my friend, Chef Ernesto of El Molcajete Sauces, added a brilliant piece to the event blueprint: “Why not involve the kids in every step, from harvest to cooking?” There was no better way for kids to learn exactly where their food comes from. The result was a local collaboration showcasing the power of responsible farming, quality food, and community.
Foraging the Farm
After gathering for quick introductions, our tour guides, Angela and Hannah, led us across the farm, chatting with families about their organic practices and the incredible mission behind the non-profit. Once we got a lay of the land, it was time to split into groups for foraging, harvesting, and a fun, self-guided scavenger hunt to spot farm staples like bugs, flowers, veggies, and even the local barn cats!
Thank you to our photographer Tina Alhani of Sotosama (sotosama.com) for helping us capture this beautiful evening. Check out all the photos from the event here.
Foraging was serious work, but our "farmers-in-training" were more than up for the challenge! The crops they collected were destined for the evening's dinner, all thanks to Chef Ernesto and his new team of mini sous chefs. On the menu for the feast: summer squash, cilantro, basil, kale, chard, cucumbers, and so much more.
Cooking with Chef Ernesto
After washing all the freshly picked crops, Chef Ernesto led the young sous chefs through a chopping demonstration. Then, the group got straight to work cutting veggies (using kid-safe knives) and shaping burger patties. The older kids even got to test their culinary chops at the grill station, carefully flipping burgers. 
The smiles said it all! The shared excitement and eagerness to prepare dinner united the young chefs and their grown-ups alike.
The Community Feast
The dinner was a truly authentic farm experience, right down to the decor: the beautiful centerpiece flowers were harvested straight from the fields and arranged by the team before guests arrived. 
The meal was a delicious collaboration of Skokie Farmers Market vendors: all veggies and herbs were sourced from The Talking Farm, the ground beef came from Finn’s Ranch, and the sourdough burger buns were baked by Nena’s Sweet Treats.
The locally-sourced and seasonal menu.
Chef Ernesto’s famous chips and sauce, another market staple, rounded out the spread! To accommodate a variety of dietary requests, I chose Sweet Ali’s Bakery in Hinsdale for gluten-free and dairy-free buns, along with some sweet gluten-free desserts.
A Locally-Sourced Collaboration
My mission for this event was to create a unique experience that would spark an appreciation for sustainable food and local community for all ages (including my three-year-old son!). This vision came to life thanks to a spectacular collaboration of local businesses, including our amazing hosts at The Talking Farm, Chef Ernesto, and our generous event supporters at Green Light Speech Therapy and Finn’s Ranch.
Even the souvenirs were local works of art. The “farmer-in-training” mini canvas tote bags I designed were printed nearby at Thread House Custom Apparel, a family-owned studio in Highland Park that uses eco-friendly, water-based inks for sustainable screen printing. We hope these totes accompany the kids on many family trips to the farmers market this season!
So, what was the official verdict from our little farmers? As one young guest excitedly told the chef: “That was the best burger I’ve ever had, even better than McDonald’s!”
Mission accomplished.
