I will be reopening my oven JUST for this special event. I couldn't resist the opportunity to bake the magical Elven "lembas" bread that sustained Frodo and Sam on their quest into Mordor. It is proving a delightful challenge to create a sturdy, yet magical, "wafer". We will also be providing some of the vegetables for this dinner, and our friends Seth Swingle and Fiona Balestrieri of Hollow Bone Farm, top-notch traditional musicians and farmers, will be putting together a little band to provide the music.
Ben has spent the last year reading the Hobbit, and then the Lord of the Rings, to Sam and Hazel. Now the whole family are fans. We almost have our outfits ready to go, and hope to see you there!
Press release
A Long Expected Party: All-Local Hobbit-Inspired Dinner Brings Storybook Magic to Ten Wrens Flower Farm, September 20
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Ten Wrens Flower Farm in North Garden, Virginia will become the Shire for one night only. A Long Expected Party is an immersive, family-style feast inspired by the warmth, whimsy, and fellowship of hobbits. They are the “small folk” who, in true Tolkien fashion, remind us that even the smallest hands can change the course of the future. Every element of the evening is rooted in the region: locally grown food from beloved Virginia farms, handcrafted dishes from award-worthy chefs, with beer and wine sourced exclusively from local producers, and a local irish folk music group led by a farmer.
Guests will gather at candlelit long tables draped in moss and flowers, savor dishes that showcase the peak of Virginia’s late-summer harvest, and raise a glass to those who work the land. With live music, whimsical décor, and a setting beneath the Blue Ridge stars, it’s more than a dinner ... it’s a journey into a story where food and fellowship carry guests on an adventure.
EVENT DETAILS
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What: A Long Expected Party – All-Local Hobbit-Inspired Farm-to-Table Dinner
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When: Saturday, September 20, 2025 | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
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Where: Ten Wrens Flower Farm, North Garden, VA
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Experience: Family-style dinner, live folk music, candlelit tea tables, fantasy-inspired décor
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Farms Featured: Dragonfly Farm, Little Hat Creek Farm, Shirefolk Farm, and other regional producers
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Local Drinks: Wines by Jake Bushing Wines and fellow Virginia winemakers; local craft beer from the region
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Chefs:
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Heather Coiner – Legendary baker of Little Hat Creek Farm, reopening her ovens just for this event
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Gianna Stanley – Rising Richmond chef, recently featured on Virginia this Morning, known for community-focused cuisine
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EmmaLee Gough – Conscious Table founder, creating dishes that connect people to place
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Beneficiary: Field of View, nonprofit championing small farmers through storytelling
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Produced by: HERD Ventures (www.herdventures.org)
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Tickets: $150 per person, includes two drink tickets; limited to 144 guests
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Purchase: here
MEDIA RESOURCES
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PBS Coverage of Last Year’s Event: here
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Press Pack (Google Drive): here
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Event Overview Video from 2024: here
CONTACT FOR INTERVIEWS & DETAILS
Daniel James
Creative Director, HERD Ventures
info@herdventures.org | 703-581-4458