Cures for Strange Times: Farming and Feasting

In this workshop, farmer Tu Le of 328North Farm in Williamstown, Mass., and Aaron J. Oster of A-oK BBQ in North Adams, Mass., bring mindfulness to the table with a conversation highlighting bold flavors and local ingredients.

View of the garden at 328North Farm, July 2020. Image courtesy 328north.com

Register for this free virtual event here. No prior experience required.

Please contact us via email at [email protected] if you have any accessibility needs that we can support.

Tu Le

Tu Le is a Vietnamese-American farmer and co-owner of 328North Farm.  In his own words: “I was born in Vietnam and arrived in the US as a refugee along with my family. Growing up in San Diego, CA, my parents put an emphasis on retaining our culture through tradition of growing and cooking our own food. With an education in Fashion and Industrial Design, I spent almost two decades managing and consulting on various industrial construction projects. Craving for a better life after tragedy, my partner, Matt, and I stumbled upon Williamstown en route to Vermont. We started our homestead in 2014, our goal was to be self sufficient and sustainable for our own family’s need. When the Covid-19 pandemic shut things down, we worked quickly to expand what we grew and converted to a farm with a small CSA. With food and flowers, we connected with the community we call home. Unusual greens, fruit and vegetables were paired with recipes on how cooked and consumed those items. My goal is to continue to educate my fellow community members on my culture by sharing a part of myself through the food I grow.”

Aaron J. Oster

Aaron J. Oster has dedicated the last 20 years to the production of food and the environments in which people share time, food and memories. In the winter of 2017, spurred by local advice and support, he and his partner Alexandra built a restaurant, A-oK Berkshire BBQ on the MASS MoCA campus. In Aaron’s own words “We’ve just celebrated 2 years in our space and the conversation between our community and our staff hasn’t changed since the first meal served, putting better food on the tables of those without our community AND making a space that cares for the people in the business as much as those outside of it. We hope for a long and successful future in this city and want to share our ideals with our friends here in North Adams and beyond.”

About the series

Cures for Strange Times is a series of virtual workshops throughout January that brings wellness and creativity together in hands-on creative exchanges. Pairing wellness practitioners from the Northern Berkshire community with local artists and makers, these interactive experiences center reflection, play, making and embodiment as forms of learning and being.

Click here to get the vegan curry recipe.

Watch the program video:

January 28, 2021
5:30 PM

This event will take place virtually over Zoom. Registration is required for this free event.

View full calendar