Simply outstanding

<p>Imagine dining outdoors right alongside the local farmers and food artisans responsible for the meal on your plate. Sound good? The opportunity to do just that is being offered at Outstanding in the Field, a dinner fund-raising event being held at Canvas Ranch in Two Rock on Sunday, Nov. 5.</p><p>“Outstanding in the Field called us after seeing our Web site,” said Deborah Walton, owner of Canvas Ranch. “They asked us if we wanted to host one of their dinners and we said sure.”</p><p>Now in its seventh season, the Santa Cruz-based group Outstanding in the Field aims to reconnect people with the land where their food comes from by staging family-style dinners set right at the source. Farmers, ranchers, cheesemakers and other food producers who provide the ingredients for the feast, share the table with diners and the chefs who cook the meal.</p><p>“The main thing is that it celebrates local food from small local farms,” said Walton. “That’s the part of it I really love. They figure we’ll have between 75 and 100 people here for dinner.”</p><p>On Canvas Ranch, Walton grows fruits and vegetables, which she delivers to subscribing customers. She also raises Baby Southdowns, an ancient breed of miniature sheep. Because of their stature, about 24 inches tall, the sheep are used as organic weed control in vineyards. “They’re ideal for putting into grazing situations because they can’t reach the canopy of grapes.”</p><p>The Outstanding in the Field event also offers folks a chance to tour Canvas Ranch. After the tour, guests will sit down to a Tuscan-style five-course meal served outdoors and prepared by chef Duskie Estes of Santa Rosa’s Zazu Restaurant. The meal will be paired with wines from Chateau St. Jean of Kenwood.</p><p>“Duskie is kind of a friend of the farm and she’s thrilled that she’s going to be doing the food,” said Walton.</p><p>A portion of the proceeds will benefit North Coast Grown, a farm-to-school program working to get fresh, local fruits and vegetables into schools and connect children to their food through school gardens and hand-on experiences with growing, harvesting and cooking.</p><p>“We’ve been getting a lot of publicity lately,” added Walton. “This is really exciting stuff for us.”</p><p>(Contact Yovanna Bieberich at ybieberich@arguscourier.com)</p>