Farm Hang at 8 Hands Farm
Photo Credit: John Smith
No one wanted the evening to end, twilight on the farm was the perfect setting for our first 2025 fundraiser. 8 Hands Farm, a 28-acre family farm on the North Fork has earned our Snail of Approval for their growing practices. 8 Hands work and journey have earned our admiration and they welcomed all to their farm for a delicious dinner and farm tour to support Slow Food’s mission.
The farm’s origin story is moving:
“After viewing the documentary Food Inc., we learned much about the industrialized food system we didn’t know and didn’t like. With the large-scale animal confinement operations that dominate the food industry today, our society has gotten so far from what is natural and normal. Herbivores should graze pasture, chickens should scratch to uncover bugs and eat grass, and pigs should root and turn up the soil in search of food. It is these natural behaviors that play a critical role in soil, animal health, our environment, and ultimately in the food we eat.
We realized that real change in the food system would have to occur at the grassroots level. So with no experience in farming, but driven by a desire to make a difference within our own community we decided to start a farm. After much reading and research, and visits to other sustainably run farms, we decided to put our knowledge to practice and start farming. We rented some farmland and bought some sheep, and began our journey. Since that time,e we have been challenged with the realities of farming that no book can prepare you for. Still, with perseverance, our farm has grown to the diversified operation we had first envisioned, built with the support of the wonderful community that has encouraged us every step of the way. “
The evening included a private behind-the-scenes tour with Farmer Tom which included a chance to meet the newest lambs and learn more about 8 Hands philosophy which informs all they do. Beekeeper Chris Kelly of Promise Land Apiaries showed off the bees and talked about their hives and importance to the farm’s ecosystem. The night was beautiful and everyone was wowed by the farm-to-grill multi-course tasting menu prepared by 8 Hands chefs Max and Jon of Fyr & Salt accompanied by Bedell Cellars wines and Doublespeak Craft cocktails. If you want to book a private event, tasting and tour, we highly recommend the experience, a great place to slow down and enjoy local produce, pasture raised meats at one of the most scenic farms on the East End,
