The two-day Living Local Harvest Festival (LLHV) takes place next Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3. The event brings together many exceptional people and entities who work together to promote sustainability on our Island. LLHV celebrates and educates on important Island issues, including sustainable agriculture, local food advocacy and education, marine life, renewable energy, resource and land conservation, and local living economies.
The event kicks off on Friday, Oct. 2, with a free screening of new episodes of Liz Witham and Ken Wentworth’s “Sustainable Vineyard” film series at 7:30 pm at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center. The festival continues on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the annual Harvest Festival from 10 am to 4 pm at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury. There you can get up close and personal with the Island’s many nonprofits, community organizations, farms, and chefs, who will be educating the public about their efforts. Enjoy live music programmed by Dana Edelman, with performances by Sara Piazza, Jellybone Rivers, the Jemima James Band, and the Pickpocket Bluegrass Band. Also be sure not to miss the first annual Fiddlers’ Contest.
All-age activities will be offered throughout the day, including pumpkin carving, farm and garden crafts by the FARM Institute, Sassafras Education campfire education, face painting, field games, reptiles from Felix Neck, mask making with the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, farm animal bingo and a “Celebration of Nature” puppet parade (and one-act play) by “Sustainable Vineyard” at noon.
Presentations and interactive demonstrations will also take place from 10 am to 4 pm, where visitors can gain valuable knowledge and inspiration on a variety of topics which include Composting 101: Talk worms, pallet systems and more; Nature Connection Mentoring with Saskia Vanderhoop; Sustainable Erosion Control with Plant Mimicry, a talk with Gordon Peabody hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission; Intermediate and Advanced Seed Saving: MV Habitat Kids Conservation with Kendra Buresch; Local Wild Food Challenge teaser with founder Billy Manson; Taking Charge of Your Energy Future with Cape Light Compact; and a talk about Tiny Houses here on Martha’s Vineyard.
Another feature, new this year, is the Seed Tent, a partnership with Martha’s Vineyard Seed Saving Library, the Hudson Valley Seed Library and Fruition Seeds. In addition to educating on the importance of seed saving and native seeds, the tent will also host the Tortilla Factory, a talk about Indigenous Foods of the Wampanoag Tribe and more.
Local, organic, farm-fresh foods will be available from Morning Glory Farm, Chilmark Coffee, the Kitchen Porch, Chef Deon’s Kitchen, Pie Chicks, and Loco Taco, and look out for free tastings offered by many Island purveyors.
The festivities continue into the evening with the LLHF Community Supper, from 5 to 9 pm on Saturday. Bring your own place setting(s), and pay $15 a person for food. The menu includes a pig roast by Scottish Bakehouse, “Food with Roots” from the Good Farm, and additional vegetables from local farms. Following dinner is contra dancing with the Flying Elbows.
Living Local Harvest Festival, Friday, Oct. 2, 7:30 pm at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center and Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 am to 4 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury. For additional information, visit livinglocalmv.org and facebook.com/LivingLocalHarvestFestMV.
