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Slow Food Utah Announces 2018 Micro-grant Award Winners

Feast Of The Five Senses (Gastronomic SLC)

Slow Food Utah awards small grants to Utah food producers to help them grow their businesses, to schools for gardens, and to education programs statewide. Slow Food Utah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting food that is “good, clean and fair,” has funded over 90 food-centric projects over the past 10 years, totaling more than $100,000.

This year the organization issued 13 awards, ranging in size from $300 to $2000. Recipients include family farms, community gardens, refugees, beekeepers and a summer day camp. Their grants will provide funding for irrigation equipment, beekeeping equipment, fencing supplies, fruit trees, water filtration, tools, a walk-in cooler, mycology workshop fees and more.

Winners for 2018 are: Johnson Farms, Washington Elementary School, Evan Kenison, Cherry Creek Farms, Utah Conservation Corps Urban Community Farm, Cache Valley Refugees, Dogwood Plat, Box Elder Community Garden, Top Crops, Hand Sown Homegrown, Sunshine Family Farms, YMCA Taylorsville, and Katie Lawson.

Slow Food Utah’s Microgrant Program is funded entirely by proceeds from the Feast of Five Senses, an annual banquet at which Utahns celebrate a delicious and sustainable meal and help build a strong and vibrant local food community.

The fundraiser, the 14th Annual Feast of Five Senses will be held Sunday, October 21. The gathering begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, 650 E. South Temple. Tickets are available at SlowFoodUtah.org for $125 (plus $25 for optional wine pairings).

This year’s sponsors include Creminelli Fine Meats, Caputo’s, Muir Copper Canyon Farms, Salsa Del Diablo (a former microgrant recipient now giving back), Beehive Cheese and Laziz Kitchen. The Feast is accompanied by a renowned silent auction, with many of the items related to Slow Food Utah’s mission.

At the feast, winners will also be announced for the 2018 Snail Awards, the group’s annual tradition to honor those in our community who are dedicated to Slow Food principles and ardent supporters of Slow Food Utah. Categories for the Snail Awards include: Local Business Leader; Community Leader; Farmer/Producer; and Restaurant/Chef.

About Slow Food Utah

Slow Food Utah, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is run by an entirely volunteer board. Slow Food Utah is dedicated to bringing everyone to the table to celebrate the pleasures of good, clean, fair food. They link producers and consumers, foster community and promote eating local foods.