On the evening of Friday, September 26, Food Tank will host “A Night Honoring Our Farmers: Food and Agriculture Storytelling” during Climate Week NYC, in partnership with Niman Ranch and the Broadway Green Alliance. The invitation-only event will feature 10 extraordinary farmers sharing experiences of land, legacy, hope, and resilience through theater-inspired storytelling and unscripted narratives.
“As a theater-maker, I’m sold on the power of storytelling, but to be hearing from voices we never hear from—farmers doing vital work to ensure we’ll be able to feed our grandchildren—well, that’s going to make for storytelling flavored with a special sauce of compelling importance and captivating entertainment,” says Anika Larsen, Tony Award Nominee and Broadway Green Alliance Board Member. “And at the Broadway Green Alliance, we know that when stories like these are lifted up, they don’t just entertain—they inspire action for a more sustainable future.”
Ron Mardesen, a third-generation hog farmer from Elliott, Iowa, who has raised pigs for specialty meat company Niman Ranch for over 20 years, emphasizes the weight of each farmer’s story—and why it’s important to listen.
“When a farmer shares a story, their story is wrapped in life. The listener feels the struggles of the farmer. The listener hears the emotion in the farmer’s voice. And ultimately, the listener sees the vision that has moved the farmer to where they are right now,” says Mardesen. “When a farmer shares a story, their story, they are exposing a part of themselves that most of us are uncomfortable to do. It’s hard to bear it all. We’ve all had successes, and we’ve all had failures. But the bottom line is we’ve all learned from our experiences.”
The audience will hear from a diverse group of farmers about why they farm, how they farm, and the impact their work has on their communities and the planet. But above all, Mardesen says, these stories are threaded with one powerful theme: hope. Hope for the land, future generations, and a food system rooted in care.
“We are making a difference. We can help solve the problem. We are leaving this land better than we found it,” says Mardesen.
The event will kick off at the Greene Space at WNYC-NPR Studios at 7pm with food, drink, and live musical performances. The program will run from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, with a reception until 10pm.
Academy Award Nominee Stephanie Hsu will serve as Celebrity Guest Emcee at the event. Known for her acclaimed performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hsu has also earned recognition for her Emmy-nominated role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and standout performances on Broadway in Be More Chill and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical.
Confirmed farmer voices include: Karen Washington, a farmer, activist, and co-founder of Black Urban Growers, working to uplift food justice and community farming in the Bronx and beyond; Patrick Holden, farmer and founding director of the Sustainable Food Trust; Bob Quinn, organic farmer and plant geneticist from Montana, who revived ancient grains and promotes sustainable agriculture; Ron Mardesen, a third-generation hog farmer from Elliott, Iowa, who has raised pigs for Niman Ranch for over 20 years using humane and sustainable practices; Sabrina Servais, a passionate young dairy farmer and Assistant Herd Manager at her family’s Organic Valley member farm in Wisconsin; Sea Matias, a regenerative farmer and community organizer growing culturally relevant crops and advancing food sovereignty through mutual aid; Brian Mattingly, Director of Star Hill Farm Operations for Maker’s Mark, who manages 1,100 acres of regenerative farmland in Kentucky, integrating crops and livestock for resilient agriculture; Olivia Fuller, a fourth-generation farmer at Fuller Acres in upstate New York, raising pastured livestock and maple products on protected land to build a resilient and diversified future; William Dennehy, a dairy farmer from County Kerry, Ireland, managing 85 acres of heavy pastureland and over 85 cows with a focus on improving soil health and efficient grazing; Azeem Zakir Kareem, who partners with his wife in running Samad Gardens Initiative, leading efforts in regenerative herbal and vegetable farming, education, and advocacy for farmers; Caroline Radice, co-owner of Black Dog Farm & Catering in Northern California and co-founder of the Good Farm Fund, supporting small farmers with microgrants and EBT access; and April Wilson, a third-generation hog and chicken farmer who continues her family’s ranching legacy at Seven W Farm, established by her grandfather in 1959.
“A Night Honoring Our Farmers” will feature a special musical performance by Joey Contreras, award-winning songwriter of the viral musical In Pieces. He will be joined by guitarist Nick Potocki (Dead Outlaw) and Hannah Verdi, who is featured on the In Pieces: Highlights Deluxe album released by Broadway Records.
This summit will be streamed live on FoodTank.com and Food Tank’s YouTube Channel, here. Join the Food Tank newsletter list for reminders, and click here for Food Tank’s full lineup of events at Climate Week NYC 2025.
