A scenic outdoor wine tasting experience will bring together food, family fun, live music and a mission to fight hunger this Saturday, March 14, when Wine in the Woods takes over T’s Farm in Baker from 1-5 p.m.

• The inaugural fundraiser benefits Emerald Coast Food Rescue, a local nonprofit that connected 3.3 million pounds of food to 50 food programs across Northwest Florida in 2024 — a more than 20% increase over the previous year.

“Wine in the Woods is an exciting development for ECFR,” said Chris Leavenworth with Emerald Coast Food Rescue. “It’s a community event that we look forward to building on top of each year to bolster support for our mission to bridge the gap between food surplus and local hunger. The unsung beauty of Baker and the preserved rural community is an ideal setting for the work that we do.”

The event features curated wine tastings from around the world, courtesy of Vintage Distributors. Guests can also enjoy beer and mocktail options while the Dizzy Juke Band provides live music throughout the afternoon.

While Wine in the Woods centers on adult beverages, the event is designed for the whole family. Children can explore interactive experiences from the Emerald Coast Science Center and E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center, meet wildlife ambassadors from the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and cuddle with baby bunnies and chicks from Bunnychick Haven of Navarre.

• “Kid-cuterie” cups from Bon Appétit Charcuterie Cart will keep younger guests satisfied, while Rolling Embers Brick Oven Pizza and Kaainoa’s Hawaiian Food Truck offer meals for all ages.

The event takes place on 210 acres of land steeped in Northwest Florida history. T’s Farm sits in the historic Escambia Farms community on the northern end of Okaloosa County — a region shaped by federal efforts during the Great Depression. In the 1930s, the government established Escambia Farms as part of a planned rural community designed to help families achieve farm ownership and demonstrate how cut-over timber land could be transformed into productive farmland.

Homesteads were created across nearly 13,000 acres, each with small houses, barns, wells and gardens, forming a tight-knit farming community built around cooperation, education and shared resources.

• “We’re thrilled to partner with Emerald Coast Food Rescue and support the incredible work they’ve been doing in our community for nearly two decades,” said Sarah Taveprungsenukul, owner of T’s Farm.

Sarah’s father, Saras Taveprungsenukul — known as “Mr. T” — purchased the property in 2015 with plans to spend more time there after retirement. He passed away in 2022, and today Sarah carries forward his dream of making T’s Farm a place where friends, family and neighbors come together to enjoy and honor the land he loved.

Today, T’s Farm honors that legacy while evolving into what is becoming a premier agritourism destination for the region. The property’s ponds, open fields and woodland trails provide a beautiful setting where the community can gather to experience nature and celebrate local food and agriculture.

“What’s even more exciting is that this is just the beginning — we have big plans to collaborate on other ways to bring people together around food, land and community while working toward a future where we grow more food locally and create greater abundance for families across Northwest Florida,” Sarah said.

• Emerald Coast Food Rescue’s refrigerated food trucks serve pantries, shelters, soup kitchens and Meals on Wheels programs throughout the region. As food insecurity continues to grow across Northwest Florida, the work has never been more critical. 

Tickets for the event are $35.98. All proceeds support Emerald Coast Food Rescue in bridging the gap between food surplus and local hunger.

T’s Farm is located at 1956 LG Russell Road in Baker. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook.