For Immediate Release | Oct. 9, 2024
Press contact: Department of Strategic Impact | 616-738-4852

'Kicked Up a Notch': Record attendance, record funds raised at Farms are the Tapas fundraiser

From left: Ottawa County Farmland Preservation Analyst Julie Lamer poses with 2024 Farms are the Tapas chef's competition winner Brad Post, representing Frank's Restaurant in Zeeland, and Agricultural Preservation Board Chair Josh Hucul, on Sept. 24, 2024.

Frank’s of Zeeland wins chef’s competition
with braised pulled pork slider; $30,000 raised for Ottawa County farmland preservation program

HUDSONVILLE - The taste for farmland preservation continues to grow as a record 172 people flocked to the Red Shed the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 24 for Ottawa County's eighth-annual Farms are the Tapas fundraising event and silent auction.

Including auction items, sponsor support, and ticket sales, $30,000 was raised for the Farmland Preservation Program.

This year, five restaurants faced off in the chef's small plate competition, including Holy Smokers BBQ of Holland, The Beard and The Gal of Holland, Frank's Restaurant of Zeeland, Field & Fire of Grand Rapids, and One Eyed Pete's of Coopersville. Chefs again incorporated locally produced ingredients to make tapas-style dishes uniquely their own:

Holy Smokers offered a Smoked Brisket Burger with a golden tuber bun, featuring brisket locally sourced from Raterink Farms and topped with cheddar and jack cheese, cucumber, tomato and spicy aioli, a type of mayonnaise.

Field & Fire Cafe served up Italian Beef Sandwich bites, featuring shaved Waygu beef from Raterink Farms and giardiniera (Italian-style pickled vegetables) made from Visser Farms produce.

The Beard and The Gal prepared a caramelized onion and white cheddar sourdough shaved beef sandwich bite topped with giardiniera and horseradish crema.

One-Eyed Pete's served a smoked pot roast with stewed heirloom beans, kale, kale chips and lemon oil served atop sweet potato "haystacks".

Frank's Restaurant of Zeeland revealed a braised pulled pork slider topped with homemade coleslaw and two unique homemade barbecue sauces - brown sugar bourbon and a mustard-based Carolina-style sauce. Paired with the slider was a mushroom pepper jack cheese soup.

A record 172 people flocked to the Red Shed the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 24 for Ottawa County’s eighth-annual Farms are the Tapas fundraising event and silent auction.

"I didn’t want to go ... shoot for the moon and just start serving filet mignon. That’s not the kind of food you’re going to get at Farmhouse or Frank's. You want something that’s home-cooked, it's down to Earth - something that you would make for yourself at home, but just kicked up another notch."

Farms are the Tapas 2024 Winner Chef Brad Post
Frank's Restaurant, Zeeland

"As always, each restaurant served wonderful dishes," said Farmland Preservation Analyst Julie Lamer. "With their skill and creativity, the competing chefs demonstrate the culinary possibilities of Ottawa County products. We’re lucky to have such innovative cooks in West Michigan."

Although competition was fierce, Chef Brad Post of Frank’s eked out a win with his original take on a pulled pork slider.

"I didn't want to go ... shoot for the moon and just start serving filet mignon," said Chef Brad Post of his slider. "That’s not the kind of food you're going to get at Farmhouse or Frank's. You want something that’s home-cooked, it's down to Earth - something that you would make for yourself at home, but just kicked up another notch."

It seems that competing in Tapas is a family affair, because his cousin, Jeremy Barendse, had competed as a chef and won the first event in 2018 representing the now-shuttered Elbo Room. "Now (ahead of the competition) I was talking to him about it. He said, 'Well, I won one. So now you gotta go win one, and that's exactly what I did."

Left photo: Mike Brokema of Shady Side Farm in Olive Township (second from left) speaks about his experience farming during a farmer q&a session at Farms are the Tapas 2024 on Sept. 24, 2024. To his left is his wife, Lona Bronkema; to his right is Matt and Amy Hehl of Hehlden Farm in Polkton Township; Christine and Tim Kruithoff, with preserved farms in Wright and Chester townships; and Mark and Norma Jongekrijg of Zeeland Township. Right photo: Mark Jongekrijg speaks during the event.

Along with competing restaurants, sponsors shared 18 unique packages in the silent auction. Experiences such as a guided kayak trip up the Macatawa River, membership to the Outdoor Discovery Center, a sunset cruise, and beef, breakfast, and grilling packages from local farmers were just a few of the items offered this year.

"It's exciting to see our sponsorships and silent auction continue to grow with a range of items at various price points," said Lamer. "We are grateful to have such strong support from area businesses and nonprofits."

Although much of the focus of Farms are the Tapas is on raising cash for farmland preservation, the event is also about advocacy.

"Tapas also is an opportunity for education," said Ottawa County Economic Development Coordinator and Michigan agriculture advocate Becky Huttenga. "Land protection is just the tip of the iceberg. We also support succession planning and collaborate with local municipalities to encourage ag-friendly zoning and planning practices. At Tapas, we have a captive audience to inform and advocate for this vital local industry."

Reinforcing that message on Tapas night were four farming families who have protected their property through the County’s farmland preservation program, including the Bronkemas; the Hehls; the Kruithoffs; and the Jongekrijgs. Each family was invited on stage during the event to speak about their experiences in agriculture and what the program means to them.

Tim Kruithoff, whose family has raised hogs, beef cattle, and crops in Ottawa and Kent counties for more than 50 years, said: "That's what I take pride in - being able to see my dad's dreams come through and have (our farm) passed down to his grandchildren and hopefully to our grandchildren."

Chef Post, for one, also sees the value in supporting the message of Farms are the Tapas.

"I do love supporting our local farms and our local food distributors ... especially now with the way that everything is getting so expensive, I think it’s more important for us to keep our ingredients local and ... try to keep things as fresh as possible," said Post. "I think that the Farms are the Tapas competition is a great way for us (restaurants) to do that."

About the Ottawa County Farmland Preservation Program 

With area farmers producing more than $726 million in products annually, Ottawa County is an agricultural powerhouse. Ottawa is also one of fastest growing counties in the state and has a low unemployment rate. But this growth comes at a cost to agriculture: according to the most recent Ag Census, Ottawa County lost 8% of its farms and 16% of its farmed acreage. Ottawa County's Farmland Preservation Program seeks to protect this vital industry and slow the loss of farms and farmland through programmatic efforts, including the Purchase of Development Rights Program. 

Funded through a combination of private donations and state and federal grants, the PDR program preserves farmland through the purchase and donation of development rights for actively farmed property. This voluntary program allows participating landowners to receive compensation for the development potential of their land, yet still retain ownership and other rights associated with it through a permanent easement. 

To learn more about Ottawa County's farmland preservation efforts, visit MiOttawa.org/Farmland.