Who knew a farm would have so many friends?

Lord knows Alan loves dessert! This one is called pandowdy. More on this later.

Mahasti Vafaie and her enthusiastic staff at the Tomato Head on Market Square played host to about 80 folks on Monday for one of the most charming fundraisers we’ve ever attended.

The event was called “Raise the Roots.” The beneficiary was Beardsley Community Farm, which is an urban demonstration farm in the Mechanicsville neighborhood where workers from CAC AmeriCorps and scores of volunteers grow organic produce and tend bee colonies and free-range chickens.

The fundraiser, which only cost $25 per person (a great deal, by the way), provided a scrumptious vegetarian dinner and warm camaraderie on a rainy night. Staff from the Tomato Head volunteered their time. Vafaie designed the menu, which was out of this world.

Farm manager Khann Chov said Beardsley Community Farm never sells its food, but gives it away to food pantries and volunteers. Last year it grew and gave away 3,000 pounds of food. Folks from the farm also teach elementary school students about nutrition, food and healthy living and they provide after-school projects for students and others.

Growing healthy food, for healthy people in healthy communities. That is the farm’s goal, Chov said. If you would like to volunteer on the farm in exchange for some of that healthy food, click here and visit the farm’s great website. Monetary donations also are gratefully accepted.

Gay Lyons, holding radish, Edward Richardson and Linda Gay Blanc

The decorations were so creative and cute! Lots of big stuffed vegetables and insects made by volunteers.

Big basket of stuffed veggies

Stuffed bee

Appetizers, passed during the cocktail hour, were crostini with a variety of spreads.

Jade Flanigan, a server at Tomato Head, offers crostini topped with goat cheese and cranberries.

Wes Caylor and Charlotte Tolley. She runs the Market Square Farmers' Market.

Susie Ries, left, and her mother, Julie Webb. Susie came from Nashville to attend this event.

Friends Carol Bell, left, and Ellen Keim

From left, Flossie McNabb, Darla Smith and Judy Loest

City Councilman Dan Brown attended. He is sitting with Joy Arnett.

John Harris, director of Knox County CAC Green Thumb, and his daughter Mallory.

I thought the centerpieces were simple but terrific. I plan to duplicate them at my next picnic.

Radishes and baby carrots added spashes of color.

Yet another use for herbs!

The Jerusalem artichoke soup was very unusual — and very good. The organic Jerasalem artichokes came from Sono Farm in South Knoxville.

Jerusalem artichoke soup.

The main course was smoked butternut squash polenta with wilted greens and mushrooms. It was served with a side dish of roasted root vegetables. The polenta had folks raving.

The main course

The dessert that had Alan so excited? Pear cranberry pandowdy. Our friend Gay Lyons remarked, “Have you ever heard of a more fun word to say than pandowdy?”

Pandowdy. You gotta say it!

Katie Ries clears the table.

Music was by the John Gillenwater Band.

Everyone got a pin.