Even Mother Nature came to the party with sunshine and a beautiful sunset while 59 guests gathered at a 70-foot long linen draped table and shared a meal made of 100 percent Island products at the very first Harvest Meal on the Village Green benefiting the Farm to Cafeteria Program on Oct. 7. Naturally, an event of this kind is the result of the coming together of many people giving their time, products and enthusiasm for several weeks.
Foremost, this was a celebration of our Island bounty and it would not be the real deal without the incredible Orcas farms that provided food items: Maple Rock, Taproot, Black Dog, Morning Star, Doe Bay Garden, Lum Family Farm and Red Rabbit. Cindy at The Nest and Black Dog Farm also provided items for the table centerpiece.
And, our heartfelt thanks goes out to the chefs who prepared unbelievably beautiful and tasteful platters of meats, greens and tubers provided by our farms: Geddes Martin of Ship Bay, Seamus Platt of Doe Bay Cafe, Madden Surbaugh of Outlook Inn, John Steward of Maple Rock Farm, Charles Dalton of The Kitchen and Christina Orchid of Red Rabbit Farm. Geddes and John served fresh pizza appetizers from their “Hogstone Pizza” cob oven on wheels. Island Hoppin’ Brewery provided a tasty Eastsound brew made with Orcas Island hops and grains. Ray’s Pharmacy provided wines, Ciders and Meads to round out the fare.
Volunteers who gave their time that evening to help set up, decorate, serve and clean up: April Pollock, Carol Owens, Nile Reed, Audra and Gerry Lawlor, David and Geri Turnoy, Margie Doyle, Rollie Sauer, Mathew Casanoff, Keith Whitaker, Rick Markov and Edith Thompson. Additional thanks to Lance Evans who helped sell tickets and promote the event, and the Lions Club went out of their way to devise the perfect tent configuration for our incredibly long table.
Christina announced during the evening that this was the “first annual” Harvest Meal on the Village Green so those who missed it will have another chance next year. Hopefully Mother Nature will provide another perfect evening in 2013!
Madie Murray
Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program
