Doing Stuff is Hard
Doing stuff is worth it.
On Friday, July 11th, I participated in a James Beard Foundation Chef Dinner at Farrand Hall, fundraising for their joint educational and development work in the culinary sphere. I almost didn’t commit when the Farrand Hall team (James and Jacob) reached out in the winter knowing summer is busy. I work at a farm in an area with a huge summertime influx of tourists and residents. Summer is busy. When I told Erik about the invitation and my hesitation, his only response was our little household song, “Doing stuff is hard. Doing stuff is worth it. Everybody DO STUFF NOW!” I rolled my eyes and agreed to the event.
Erik was right. Doing stuff is worth it. The event was a lovely night filled with big-hearted people without pretense, working together and sharing space for an evening.
There were a lot of highlights, but two standouts.
One, Chef Alex Skrzypczyk has been leading the Granor Farm Kitchen for over a year. It felt disingenuous to attend this dinner without including her, and the dish that Granor presented, Gnocchi alla Romana with Garden Escabeche, was her work. We talked about it some. I asked that vegetable escabeche be included, but she conceptualized the rest utilizing her culinary experience (the gnocchi), the farm’s ingredients (so many vegetables), and input on the logistics of the FH kitchen from previous events I’ve done there.
The James Beard Foundation’s mission is to promote and develop great American food. It is an honor to see how Alex has built on the foundation developed by the Granor team and moved the food into the next chapter. That was on display nowhere more prominently than at Farrand Hall the other night.
Two, my favorite thing about an event with a bunch of cool people at it is getting to talk with them. It can be hard to draw folks out, especially when they are working. My solution is to think of questions in advance of the event and then just ask them. The question I was most drawn to that night was, “What is the most surprising thing about your business now than when you opened it?”
The answer, and ensuing conversation, that has most stuck in my mind was with Hamissi Mamba of Detroit’s beloved Babo Fare. He said, “The thing that is the most surprising to me is that I don’t feel like my restaurant belongs to me. It belongs to the people who eat there and the people who work there. It is like children. They are of you, but they are their own entities.” He went on to say that it has given him so much freedom with an understanding that he cannot control it and that it is separate from his person.
His words have left me thinking a lot about the importance of creating space (or a space) for “doing stuff” where the outcome is wholly outside of us. When it is busy I tend toward isolation. The night at Farrand Hall reminded me to engage if for no other reason than to witness all that others bring to the table— their work, their histories, their know-how, and what they are thinking about right then.
Plus, it is just nice to see friends.
If you’re interested in Doing Stuff (with me), here’s a list of events coming up…
Milk Street Virtual Intensive (Dates TBA) — Three sessions about fruit, use code FRUIT15 for an Abra special discount.
Aug 18th, 2025: Michigan Small Farm Conference— I’ll deliver the keynote address and then be on-hand throughout the conference.
Aug 20-24th: Traverse City Food and Wine Festival— A handful of events including lunch at Farm Club/Loma Farm (SOLD OUT), two Wind Dance Sails with Bel Lago Winery, and demonstrations at the Grand Tasting.
September 15th: Make Food Not Waste statewide coalition meeting in Detroit— I’ll be giving opening remarks.
October 5th: Farm to Flavor in Madison, Wisconsin— you never knew that farmers, plant breeders, and chefs could throw such a party.
November 16th: Field Dinner at Stonewood Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley— capping off their season of farm dinners raising money for their food insecurity and education initiatives.
See you there.
Lots of good stuff here that showed up at just the right moment! Also, especially love that last photo!