ZEELAND — Ken Bing isn't a farmer. He doesn't even have a garden. But once upon a time, he lived on a farm.

"Our farm was just north of Zeeland, about 10 miles," he said. "It was more of a hobby, because my father worked in a factory. But we had cows, chickens, pigs, goats and about anything else you can imagine for farm life. We had crops — corn, pickles, and we sold our milk, as well."

Today, Bing is the president and owner of Zeeland-based electrical contractor Town and Country Group. Despite his long career as an electrician, agriculture is still near and dear to him.

"There's something to say about having homegrown," Bing said. "You have a higher level of confidence that the product you're eating is healthy. … In a small, rural community like ours, I think it means a lot to people to have homegrown food."

When he learned about "Farms are the Tapas," Ottawa County's annual fundraising dinner and silent auction that benefits its Farmland Preservation Program — Bing didn't hesitate to support it.

"It's a great event — that's why we participate," Bing said. "Multiple restaurants serve delicious food there, made with fresh and locally sourced fruits, vegetables and meat."

But for him, 'Tapas' isn't just about having a great meal — there's an educational aspect. "Attending 'Tapas' just made me more aware of how important it is to preserve property."

This year's event, set for 6-8 p.m. Thursday, September 29, is located somewhere new: a centennial farm called The Red Shed near Hudsonville.

"What better way to raise the profile of the Farmland Preservation Program than by bringing our signature fundraiser into the heart of Ottawa County farm country?" said Ottawa County Farmland Preservation Analyst Julie Lamer.

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"Farms are the Tapas" centers on a cooking competition with five area restaurants serving up locally sourced small-plate creations for the Harvest Knife Award. The event also includes a virtual silent auction, which opens Monday, Sep. 26 — a full three days ahead of the event.

Once the auction opens, registered participants will be able to bid on items via smartphone or other web-connected devices. The auction closes at 7:45 p.m. Sept. 29, near the end of the live event.

Tickets are $50, and all proceeds go toward farmland preservation efforts in Ottawa County. But you don't need to buy a ticket to participate in the fundraiser. Anyone can bid in the virtual silent auction simply by signing up online at event.gives/Tapas2022.

Once you create your account, you can buy tickets, view event updates, peruse auction packages and bid on silent auction items. To register for the auction or buy tickets, visit miottawa.org/tapas and click on "Register or Buy Tickets."

"Having farms locally even helps support our industry," said Bing, whose clients include local agriculture businesses. "We've done work for (agriculture) customers, like Janssen's Farm. ... We do work for Townline (Hatchery) and Zeeland Farm Services. Supporting our local (agriculture) businesses is good for all of us."

To learn more about the Farmland Preservation Program, visit miottawa.org/farmland.

— Rich Lakeberg is a former Holland Sentinel staffer.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Tickets on sale for 'Farms are the Tapas' preservation fundraiser next week