Looking for something to do on Saturday that’s also for a good cause?  Then the Garden State Culinary Arts Foundation has something for you!

“Got Cow?” is a true collaboration among some of NJ’s top culinary pros with Oasis TLC Farms as the beneficiary.  Oasis TLC is a nonprofit organization that establishes and operates residential farms in New Jersey for adults (college-age; folks in their late teens/early 20s for the most part) with autism to train and prepare the students for careers in farming, food preparation, hospitality and related culinary arts.

“Got Cow?” has been created by New Jersey’s top culinary superstars on behalf of The Garden State Culinary Arts Foundation, will take place in two parts on Saturday, September 16.  Oasis TLC (TLC stands for Therapeutic Life Centers) created its first farm on Sleepy Hollow Road in Middletown. Stroll around the property and you’ll see goats grazing, fields flush with vegetables and fruits, and hens racing around plucking leaves from greens. You’ll also find a wood-burning oven where pizzas and breads are baked, artwork and fine crafts on display and in progress – and students everywhere, tending to farm chores and practicing the life arts. Oasis is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote inclusion and acceptance of autistic individuals into their local communities by establishing environmentally exemplary farm centers that provide meaningful work, peaceful and healthy residences, and community interaction.  Though this farm’s success is evidenced by the accomplishments of its resident students, it is missing something important: cows for the students to milk. The kind of cow appropriate for Oasis students is a miniature Jersey cow. Easier to handle than larger standard breeds, the mini Jerseys nonetheless deliver milk aplenty for making not only milk, but butter, cheeses and other cow’s-milk products.  The less-common mini Jerseys cost considerably more than standard cows, according to Oasis founder Mai Cleary.

And that’s where the culinary pros come in. In the two-part event presented by The Garden State Culinary Arts Foundation (GSCAF) on Saturday, September 16, the culinarians aim to raise the funds needed to purchase the first cows for Oasis.

“Got Cow?” will feature the talents and products of GSCAF partners:

• Nick Pizzonia, Court Liquors and Court Wine Club, Long Branch; finalist Garden State Culinary Arts Awards (GSCAA) 2017 Outstanding Wine Professional category.
• Bruce Lefebvre, The Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick; winner GSCAA 2017 Best Restaurant.
• Dan Richer, Razza Pizza Artigianale, Jersey City; multiple James Beard Award candidate and nominee GSCAA 2017 Best Chef.
• Jonathan and Nina White, Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse, Milford; finalist GSCAA 2017 Outstanding Food Artisan.
• Drew Araneo, Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, Keyport; winner GSCAA 2017 Best Chef.
• Russell Lewis and Michael Johannesen, Watermark, Asbury Park; winner GSCAA 2017 Outstanding Spirits Professional.

Supporting the culinary professionals are designer Elizabeth England; singer Audra Mariel and guitarist Doug Clarke; artist Sarah Hilton, and the student body of Oasis Farms, who will be staging and staffing both afternoon and evening events.

Here’s the “Got Cow?” bill of fare for Saturday, September 16:

“GOT COW?” AFTERNOON OPEN HOUSE
for the entire family at Oasis Farm, 89 Sleepy Hollow Road, Middletown; for Google mapping purposes, please use Red Bank in the address.

From 1 to 3:30 pm:
* Pizza from the Oasis wood-burning oven made by chef and pizzaiola Dan Richer of Razza
* Snacks from Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse and Oasis Farms
* Farm tours (at 1:30 pm and again at 2:30 pm)
* Arts and crafts on display

Cost: $25 per adult; $12.50 ages 12 to 18; under 12, free. All proceeds go to Oasis Farms.

“GOT COW?” EVENING GALA
(including Wine Seminar, Cocktail Hour, Farm Dinner)
at the new Oasis Farm, 911 Navesink River Road at the corner of Deep Hollow Drive, Locust; for Google mapping purposes, please use 4 Deep Hollow Drive, Middletown, as the address.

* Wine seminar from 6 to 7 pm in the upstairs Grand Ballroom. Partnerships in wine and food with Nick Pizzonia, under the auspices of the Court Wine Club, and Andy Clurfeld, founder of the Garden State Culinary Arts Foundation. In this conducted tasting, artisan, organic wines will be paired with specially prepared seasoned popcorn from Drew Araneo of Drew’s Bayshore Bistro.

* Cocktail hour from 7 to 8 pm on the first floor. Oasis cocktail created for “Got Cow?” gala by Russell Lewis and Michael Johannesen of Watermark. Performance by Audra Mariel and Doug Clarke.

* Farm dinner from 8 to 10 pm on the first floor. Multi-course dinner featuring produce from Oasis Farms prepared by chef Bruce Lefebvre, owner of The Frog and the Peach. Each course paired with wines selected by Pizzonia and Clurfeld.

Cost: $200 per person; $350 for two. Price for the evening event includes the wine seminar, cocktail hour and farm dinner; reservations required; seating is limited. All proceeds go to Oasis Farms.

To purchase tickets for the “Got Cow?” Afternoon Open House and the “Got Cow?” Evening Gala, email Laurie Medoro at lauriemoasis@gmail.com.

Specify the event you would like to attend, the number of tickets you wish to purchase, and your contact phone number and email address. Medoro will contact you to complete the reservation. For questions, call 908-601-6363 between 9 am and 2 pm Monday through Friday only. Reservations for the evening gala must be made no later than Monday, September 11, 2017.

For additional information about Oasis Farms, visit www.oasistlc.org.

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