As one of Long Island’s first CSAs (community supported agriculture), Homecoming Farm is excited to be 
celebrating its 22nd growing season with its inaugural Cocktails in the Cloister on September 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. This event is made possible by the gracious generosity of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, as it will be held in their beautiful Cloister Garden and Rosary Hall Chapel. It will also feature the culinary creations of Chef Tom Schaudel, of Jewel, including a signature cocktail created with honey from the hives on the farm.
Located on the land of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Homecoming Farm, a sponsored ministry of the congregation, is committed to the understanding that the human and natural world are one community of life. They believe that when we care for Earth, we care for ourselves, each other and future generations while creating sustainable communities. This belief finds expression in their CSA farm project, their educational programming, their partnership with The Interfaith Nutrition Network (The INN), and their commitment to growing food with certified organic and sustainable methods. “One of our goals is to contribute food to the hungry among us, not just from our surplus but from our source,” explains Elizabeth Keihm, Homecoming Farm’s executive director. “Last season, we donated over one ton of our food to The Mary Brennan INN, in Hempstead, to be used in their soup kitchen and offered to guests using their pantry.”
As a nonprofit committed to working to benefit the greater community, Homecoming Farm welcomes students that are required to perform community service hours as part of their curriculum. They work with Eagle Scouts and Gold Girl Scouts, supporting and mentoring them in their projects. Homecoming Farm welcomes adults, teens and children to its programs at the farm in an atmosphere of peace, beauty and harmony.
The chapel was built in 1878 based on 13th-century German architecture, and the 1992 restoration brought back the beauty of its stained-glass windows and cathedral wood ceiling. The Cloister Garden, located directly next to the chapel, was built so the sisters could experience and enjoy being outside while remaining in the cloister. “Our guests at the event will be transformed to another time, a simpler time, as they enter the chapel and see the colors in the garden,” says Keihm.
The money raised at Cocktails in the Cloister will support all of the work of Homecoming Farm, including its educational programming and its commitment to providing beautiful, certified organic, locally grown, absolutely fresh food to the INN.
This spectacular evening will include live music, beautiful food, and drinks in a gorgeous setting that is not to be missed.
Cost: $200 per person. Location: 555 Albany Ave., Amityville. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 631-608-9307 or visit HomeComingEarth.org.
