Every year, University Dining provides a change of menu at Fountain and Clark Dining Hall. Instead of the usual processed foods, all-natural food grown exclusively on farms around the Carolinas is brought in for a special dinner option. This showcase of the hard work and livelihood of local farmers is called the All Carolinas Meal.
The annual event, a staple of University Dining, features local grown and farmed food from the area, including producers such as Brookwood Farms, Carolina Catfish, Wayne Bailey Farms, and House of Raeford .
Kelley Brackett , a recent University graduate who works with University Dining, described the event as an opportunity to provide something different for students.
“At Fountain, we serve about 5,000 students,” Brackett said. “It’s really hard to provide local ingredients that are in season, for that many students, on a daily basis. We’d certainly like to do it more if we could.”
The event, which lasted from 5:00 to 8:30 last Thursday night, saw a large number of students turn out to sample the foods on offer. Even students who do not normally eat at the dining halls chose to visit and try out the locally-grown wares.
Sara Hess, a junior in computer science, found the selection to be an exciting change of pace.
“I thought the food that was provided was excellent,” Hess said. “I really like homegrown food, and it’s great to be able to support North Carolina agriculture here on campus.”
Students were given numerous choices at the four dining stations in Fountain. Meal options included BBQ, green beans, red skin potatoes, and hush puppies. Even farm-raised catfish was available, providing a wide range of meat options. Even dessert was a special treat, with Howling Cow Sweet Potato Pie ice cream on the soft serve machine.
The focus of the event was not only on providing good food, but also on showing students just how much agriculture is a part of the North Carolina economy. Placards above each item on the buffet told students from which farm each item came, and what town in the state the farm was located in. Also, large signs proclaiming “Good things grow in North Carolina” were hung up around the dining hall.
Jesse Cox, a sophomore in criminology, appreciated University Dining’s goal to provide a better understanding of agriculture in the Carolinas.
“It is always a good idea to let people know where their food comes from,” Cox said. “It’s feels like it’s something that’s overlooked a lot. It puts it in perspective to know where the food is grown.”
Cox was also just happy to see a change of pace in the selection at Fountain.
“It’s a good selection, and a little better than usual,” Cox said. “I always like it when there’s a cut of meat to choose.”
The All Carolinas Meal proved successful with students, and Brackett is hopeful that students will continue to look into the agricultural impact of North Carolina.
“A film screening for the documentary film Ingredients is going to take place [September 14] at the Witherspoon theater,” Brackett said. “The film shows how items are brought from the farm to table. The director will be taking part in the screening, as well as a discussion panel afterwards.”
The clear goal of the All Carolinas Meal was to introduce students to the farmers that support the economy of North Carolina, and the hope of Student Dining is that this came through. If nothing else, students were provided with an enjoyable meal.
