At this time of year, the Saturday Farmers Market at the Ag Hall is like a scene out of a movie. The yellows and purples and greens and browns of the leaves on the trees and on the ground make a mosaic with the vibrance of the produce on the tables. There are purple eggplants, soft green lettuces in firm, round profusion, an occasional basket of yellow Sungolds, piles of small round purple onions surrounded by carrots and turnips and more, flower stands covered with fat bouquets, and stacks of boxes of chocolates.
Every stand presents its abundance to the throngs of happy shoppers, each of them in their flannel shirts or colorful T shirts, blue jeans, and hats. The hats themselves give a hint about the changing season, because some of the hats are sun hats, some are baseball hats, and some are knitted stocking caps; we are all prepared in our own way. The food stands offer up a wide array of foods of the world. You can find jam made from local beach plums. You can find hummus and pickles and pulled pork sandwiches, chicken and doughnuts and more. Going there is a gift to your body and to your soul, and you get to support our local farmers and entrepreneurs at the same time.
After cooking up all that good stuff you got at the Farmers Market, if you’re not sure what to do with your vegetable scraps, on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 12:30 to 2 pm, there will be a backyard composting workshop at the Ag Hall. This is a chance for you to learn the basics of backyard composting from soils guru Roxanne Kapitan. The hands-on workshop will cover site selection, materials to use or avoid, construction, pest management, and more. It’s a chance to learn how to put compostable materials to work for your garden. Email Melissa at hackey@vineyardvision.org to register.
But wait, there are more food-related things to put onto your calendar. On Sunday, Oct. 20, from 10 am to 2 pm is the annual Harvest Festival at the Ag Hall. This is a chance to learn about all the various organizations that are doing food-related work, be it seed collection, shellfish management, farming, or more. It’s a fun time for the whole family, with music and games and, of course, some food. Also on Sunday, at 1:30 pm, is the M.V. Crop Walk. This annual event raises money for hunger relief efforts locally and internationally. Seventy-five percent of the money raised goes to the nondenominational Church World Service, and 25 percent goes to IGI to support Island food-access programs. The walk starts at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven, goes to the drawbridge near the hospital, and then returns to St. Augustine’s, but you can walk less if you want. Register at crophungerwalk.org/marthasvineyard. For help and advice, contact Woody Bowman at mvcropwalk@gmail.com.
I do love living on this Island. Another example of what makes us so special was the emergency memo sent out to all those on the Aquinnah town email list. It’s a classic of small-town patience and kindness. It read: “A kayak has gone missing from Red Beach. It is a blue and white, 2-person kayak. If you have taken it by mistake, please call the reception desk at the town office … or the town administrator … or simply return it to the beach. Thank you.”
I want to make a special birthday shout-out to Curtis Langer on Oct. 22. Curtis is the chiropractor who has helped the backs of every member of my family at one time or another with his magic hands and manipulations. Thanks, Curtis. We’re glad you were born.
If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Kathie Olson, aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com.
