Root to Table Food Movement!
A non-profit building a strong Culinary and Agriculture Community in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont area of Virginia and West Virginia.
We invite you to join our community!
How a Busy Farmer, Foodie, Small Business Owner, Web Developer, Mother and UVA Rugby Coach Benefits from Root to Table
Ever heard the phrase, “if you want something done, give it to a busy woman?” Erica Cavanaugh is one of them. University of Virginia Web Developer and Rugby Coach, Erica is also an enterprising Small Business Owner, growing and marketing her family’s farm business, and raising a daughter. How does she do it all? “I keep lists upon lists, and love marking things off as done!” says Erica.
Erica’s involvement in her family’s Honeysuckle Creek Farm (https://honeysucklecreekfarm.com/) began several years ago, when Erica’s grandfather needed help harvesting produce. “We were so small,” Erica explains, “that we could not compete by selling the same produce as large farms in the area. Instead, we started companion planting, or looking at ways that different plants can benefit one another sharing soil, as Indigenous Communities have done for centuries.”
For example, basil was planted, as it keeps aphids off tomato plants. Lavender was introduced at the base of fruit trees to deter deer. Marigolds were grown as they bring in pollinators and deter other pests. Erica began dehydrating the excess vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers and produced an array of what she calls “value added” products that have “really differentiated us” and generated income. Think herbal teas, cookery seasonings, bath bombs, scented candles, cocktail flavoring kits.
Erica’s involvement with R2T has allowed her to build income generating partnerships, that helped put her family business on the map. At last year’s Salute to Women event, Erica was introduced to two individuals who offered Erica important opportunities to get her products to audiences that may never have seen Erica otherwise. Executive Chef Pete Smith, of Haymarket’s Piedmont Club, was looking for nonalcoholic beverages, and invited Erica to feature her herbal teas at two Piedmont Club events—a Mother’s Day brunch and a VMI classmates (and wives) reunion. Another key connection generated at the R2T event was Athena Eastwood, of Eastwood Winery, who invited Erica to participate in several events, including a chef’s tasting series, where Erica supplied microgreens from her family farm. “In terms of networking, R2T has been a gamechanger.”
Embark on a Culinary Journey with the Root to Table Culinary Series
Transitioning Taste of Blue Ridge to Root to Table
A new brand but the same community. Beginning July 1, 2024, we are changing our brand Taste of Blue Ridge to Root to Table. Our members are the same.
Root to Table embraces both the culinary and agricultural communities offering a voice on topics of interest. We are supported by an amazing audience of consumers who support our small businesses and their effort to bring the best of culinary to their communities.
What It’s About
Root to Table is the pinnacle for food lovers in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and West Virginia. What started as a way for our chefs and farmers to network, Root to Table has become a region-wide celebrated culinary experience. Unlike the average Farm to Table dinner, Root to Table focuses on Appalachian history, culture, and community. The Root to Table series has expanded from one event in 2017 to multiple events in both states!
Why Attend
Whether you’re passionate about food, interested in sustainable cooking practices and meeting the chefs supporting local sourcing, or are looking for a fun night with friends, Root to Table is for you. Each event is unique based on the location and our regional top renowned chefs with ingredients comprised of the West Virginia and Virginia’s agricultural wealth.
Visit & Meet the People behind the Experiences
Local chefs, innkeepers, farmers, and artisans of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountain Region come together
- Breathtaking Mountain Views
- Outdoor Adventure
- History
- Fondness for Food
Our weather is as great as the scenery!
- Warm summers, comfortably cool nights
- Magnificent Fall foliage
- Winters aren’t bitter cold, only occasional snows
Taste The
Food & Drink
Make Your Meals
Locally Sourced
An Easy Day Trip or Weekend Getaway
We’re an easy drive from where you live
- One and a half hours from Washington DC
- Two hours of Baltimore, MD
- Three and a half hours of Philadelphia, PA
- Within four and a half hours of New York City
Become a Local for a Day
Experience a destination where people don’t ask what you do, but rather, what your passions and interests are. Join people from all across the Mid-Atlantic who come to experience the lifestyles of locals here in the Blue Ridge.
Find out why the Blue Ridge is as real as it gets >>
An Agricultural Oasis
When you think of Virginia and West Virginia, you may think of the Civil War and hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You might not think about the size and diversity of our agriculture industry. Virginia and West Virginia are bursting with farms.
A Foodie Hub
Food in the Blue Ridge carries a sense of tradition that’s present in every dish. Here we like to call it “Root to Table”. Our foodie community lives and breathes their commitment to our roots in order to bring the best quality food to our friends and visitors.