Image by Lowcountry Local First

April 2013 is the 2nd Annual Eat Local Month, a celebration of the bounty of local food available in the Lowcountry.

Organized by local non-profit Lowcountry Local First, Eat Local Month will provide fun and educational opportunities for those in the Charleston community and beyond, to actively engage in eating what is ripe and in season. There are multiple events planned throughout the month of April to celebrate eating local and support family farms.

Lowcountry Local First encourages the community to join in the month-long ‘Eat Local Challenge.’ Participation in the Challenge is easy. Join in one of the many events planned throughout the month of April, join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, support area fishermen and head out to the farmer’s markets which reopen in April. Ask your favorite restaurant what dishes are made using local ingredients

The list of events during Eat Local Month is as follows:

Saturday, April 13 – ‘Plow to Chow’ at the Charleston Farmer’s Market 

Area chefs and farmers will be teaming up for tastings featuring local ingredients; as well as children’s activities and a photo booth.

Saturday, April 20 - Lowcountry Farm Tours 

This one-day farm tour event allows visitors to tour local farms via car or via bike. Meet the farmers, tour the farm, learn about the farming process. Tours will take place from 10am-5pm. Tickets: $30 for LLF Members per car and $35 for non-members.

Sunday, April 28 - The 6th Annual Chef's Potluck

The Chef’s Potluck is one of LLF’s most popular events of the year, with over 350 people in attendance in 2012. Several of Charleston’s high-profile chefs partner with growers and producers to prepare all-local ingredient dishes to taste out at Middleton Plantation from 4-7 p.m.. Come enjoy live music by the Cuban Garage Band, local beer from Coast and Palmetto, wine from Grassroots Wine and cocktails from Firefly. This year’s restaurant participants include: Caviar & Bananas, Cru Café, Cypress, Daniel Island Club, EVO, FIG, The Glass Onion, The Grocery, Heart Woodfire Kitchen, Monza, Poogan’s Porch, Social Restaurant & Wine Bar, SNOB and Two Boroughs Larder. Tickets: $60 for LLF Members and $70 for non-members and $70 and $80 at the door.

Funds raised during Eat Local Month will go toward Eat Local, LLF’s sustainable agricultural initiative which is designed to grow and support local food systems by connecting local farms, producers, and apprentices to the local restaurants, institutions, and people with a hunger for farm fresh food and goods.