Annual tour features farm-fresh refreshment

By Catherine Odson, catherineodson@miconews.com

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Local chef Michael Hursey will take his first shot at an emu egg omelette this weekend.

It’s one of many foods Slowfood Kansas City chefs will make Saturday and Sunday using products from the stops of the Miami County Farm Tour.

Free samples will be available at the Louisburg Cider Mill, 14730 W. Kansas Highway 68, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.

Italian sausages also will be available for $3.

It’s a new stop on the annual tour, which features eight different farm operations in the county.

Slowfood Kansas City is the local branch of an international group that encourages eating locally grown products, Hursey said. Many producers on the tour are already members, he said.

The movement isn’t anti-fast food, but helps support local producers, he said, not to mention that the food is fresher.

“Everybody should eat local,” Hursey said. “It will save so much on energy.”

Hursey will team with Kansas City, Mo., chef Jasper Mirabile on Saturday.

Mirabile will broadcast his radio show live from the Cider Mill from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Hursey has also planned a $5 meal for Saturday evening to pair with a concert by singer-songwriter Adrienne Young.

The meal includes pasta, salad and bread, with proceeds going to Slowfood.

The concert starts at 6:30 p.m., and admission is $10 per person 10 and older. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

On Sunday, a number of local chefs will prepare samples from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We’re trying to bring families back to the table,” Hursey said.

The free farm tour runs 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.