A Collective Garden Party
An evening highlighting the joys of seasonal eating in Minnesota.
The apple tree hangs heavy with fruit, the tips of the branches brushing the ground, surrounding the heart of the tree in an emerald canopy. A table is nestled within this haven, ready for friends to gather. The tablecloth corners dance in the summer breeze, plates sit ready, filled with dappled light. As guests arrive, I top the pesto pasta with a scatter of parm. We head to the garden, tucking into an evening together. Plates and glasses are filled, laughter and conversation flow. As the sun sinks low, we lean back in our chairs and listen to the frog’s song. A lovely end to a well-spent summer evening.
Food is my life
As a home cook, gardener and food-focused Art Director, I am deeply passionate about food. I have found over the years of creating recipes and gardening, I love to combine the two as closely as possible. The ultimate expression of this is to host dinners in my garden. Building a menu and bringing people together around a table nestled beneath the apple trees is such a joy. There is something about removing yourself from a dining room that makes food taste better, the delight of family and friends richer.
Through my Substack On the Acre, I share recaps of the backyard dinners I host, seasonal meals I am creating, and monthly dinner party plans including a menu, tableware and outdoor venue ideas. My goal with On the Acre is to invite people into my garden, see the harvests and the dishes made from what I grow, and how it all culminates in dinners enjoyed with family and friends.
The Summer Garden Party
What drew me to Collective Magazine is the Minnesota creative community filling the pages of this publication. To celebrate this ethos, I am sharing with you my take on a Collective Garden Party. The images featured within this article are a collaboration with photographer Josh Grubbs, food stylist Lara Miklasevics, and stylist Toby Rae. I have pulled together a local curation of tableware and a simple menu inspired by these images.
The Table
I have chosen a mix of local artists and shops to feature within the garden party. With any tablescape, I look to include three things: texture, contrast, and pop.
An inclusion of various textures–basketweave, wood, vintage, ceramics, etc.–gives the table a dimensional and eclectic feel. Our homes are eclectic, and it feels more true to how we as people pull together memories and things we love.
Contrast comes in by including a dark and rich tone–here I included a deep cobalt to offset the bright food and lighter table elements. The rich blue feels unexpected for summer which I love, a hue that is striking in contrast to the greens of the apple trees.
Then there is the pop. I like there to be an unexpected element to the table, a twist to feel modern and refreshing. My curation features the green and blue striped napkins against the pink linen tablecloth as a playful and impactful moment.
A bit more about my choices for the table
For glassware I chose stemless cuties–I think their round shape will highlight the bright yellow-orange beverage beautifully. I love the idea of plating the watermelon on the stunning cake stand–it makes a simple fruit feel like a showstopper. As far as decor, I am seeing the tapers and bud vases mixed together, the bud vases featuring stems of yarrow, cosmos and trailing nasturtium for an organic and playful floral arrangement.
Last but not least, my essential entertaining item is a large harvest basket. It makes it easy to haul tableware, linens and glassware out to the garden. I have featured the one I own from Eggplant Urban Farmer which I absolutely love.
The Menu
Garden Greens with an Herb Infused Vinegar Salad Dressing
Watermelon with Maldon Salt
The menu celebrates the transition from spring to summer. Here in Minnesota, we are slightly behind the rest of the country as far as what is in season, and we should revel in it. The first of the sungold tomatoes are made into a vibrant yellow-orange beverage to start the evening. Served family style is a garden greens salad with a tangy herb-infused dressing and a pesto pasta made from the last of the arugula and the first of the garlic scapes. The meal is finished with the first watermelon of the season, dressed in just Maldon salt for a sweet and savory treat.
The salad dressing, and pesto can be made 2-3 days in advance, and the finishing (cooking of the pasta, tossing together of the salad, mixing of the drink) can all happen within the hour before guests arrive.
Thank you for joining me on the acre. I hope you enjoyed your time in the garden.
Rachel Hardacre
Rachel Hardacre is an Art Director living in White Bear Lake, MN growing a garden to gather in. She shares weekly newsletters on entertaining ideas, seasonal recipes, garden planning and natural dye tutorials through her Substack platform On the Acre. Most days you can find her in the garden with her two children, Arlo and Wren.
