Ever growing Farms with Chef Marisa Nakamura and Kato Sake Works

Run of Show

• 8am – Pick up outside of Kato Sake Work

• 10:30pm – Short 3 mile Hike in the Catskills

• 1:00–4:00pm – Rice education and tour 

• 4:00pm – Dinner with Marisa Nakamura 

• 6:30pm – Depart home

The Chef: Marisa Nakamura 
To cook or not to cook?- That has never been the question! For as long as she can remember Marisa has been transfixed by food. Privy since youth, to the delights of the kitchen, she likes to spend her precious time immersed in culinary pursuits. Whether it be mixing dough for pastries at her workplace or pensively slurping a steaming bowl of pho on her day off she is constantly extrapolating inspiration from the nourishments around her. For Miss Nakamura food is fascinating, fun, and tricky noon and night! (teehee!!)

The Farm: Ever Growing Farm
Gambia native Nfamara Badjie grows rice in the Hudson Valley using centuries-old, West African techniques of the Jola people. Cornell rice expert Erika Styger is working with Badjie to study which Jola rice techniques work best in the Northeast.

In 2023, eldest son Malick took over the business, cultivating paddies on leased land in Kerhonkson—his first successful year at the new site.

The project began when Nfamara, a master of the Jola drumming tradition from The Gambia, met Dawn in 2008 at a dance class in New Paltz. They married a year later and brought over Nfamara’s sons—Malick, Modou, and Abibou. In 2013, the family bought land in Ulster Park, where the wet, clay soil proved ideal for rice, a crop central to Nfamara’s Jola heritage.

Starting with seed from the USDA and Vermont farmer Erik Andrus, they grew out varieties of rice, running a CSA for three years while expanding their paddies. In the early days, all the work was done by hand, using traditional tools and methods from Africa. Profits were reinvested into equipment, much of it sourced and imported from Japan, since small-scale rice machinery is largely unavailable in the U.S.

The Tour:

The visit will include a guided tour of the rice fields, where guests will learn when the rice is planted, when it is harvested, and the steps that take place before harvest. Since there is no active fieldwork at this time, the tour itself will be relatively brief.

Guests will also see the machinery used in the process, including the rice planter, the combine harvester, and the rice milling machine located on the farm. While there is no rice currently ready for milling, the machine that processes white rice will be demonstrated so visitors can see how it works.

The Food
Snacks, a small lunch and treats will be served throughout the day, followed by a four-course dinner curated by Marisa Nakamura.

The Drinks: Kato Sake Works

Instead of wine we will have Kato Sake with us – A refined Japanese sake with a delicate balance of sweetness and umami. Smooth and crisp, it offers subtle notes of rice and a clean, lingering finish, making it perfect for sipping neat or pairing with light dishes. We are so excited to be teaming up with Kato for this rice heavy day!