It's April, and that means Earth Day is coming up. One way to celebrate: Throw an Earth Dinner party (or just go to one)!

The idea started three years ago, when some folks at Organic Valley (the nation's largest organic farming co-op) wanted to provided people with another way to connect with the food they eat. The idea is to honor Earth, as well as the farmers who tend and till it, while sharing a meal filled with conversations about food ... to slow down and think about where the food came from, who produced it, its history and, yes, its wonderful taste. The main Earth Dinner ingredients, founders say, are "a local and organic menu, thoughtful conversation around the origins and history of food, and dinner guests' personal connections to the meal."

They've made it easy, too, with the Earth Dinner website that provides party-planning ideas galore: a get-started guide; menu and recipe ideas (kid-friendly ones, too); and Earth Dinner Creativity Cards, like those TableTopics cards my teenagers love, but with the focus on food.

And GET THIS: If you want to throw a bigger bash at your home, business or on campus, or even a fundraiser for a worthy cause, you can apply online for an Organic Valley grant, which range from $50 to $1,000; or for free food to help with the meal. Now that's some Earth-friendly love.