Meet Your Local Farmers Drew A Crowd

HARWICH – You could tell by the crowd that people have been missing the Meet Your Local Farmers event over the past five years.

 The event that was initially started in 2009 by the Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) and the Cape and Islands Farm Bureau grew like zucchini over the years, but the annual spring gathering of local farmers was nipped in the bud in 2020 by the COVID pandemic.

This year the trust coupled with the Orleans Farmers Market to bring the event back to the Harwich Community Center. The gathering drew 1,717 people, according to clicker counts at the entrance.

“We had been hearing cries from folks about bringing the event back,” said HCT Executive Director Michael Lach. “It was much larger than we’ve ever had before, so we hope to bring it back next year as well.”

This year the trust joined with the Orleans Farmers Market, which operates on Saturdays year-round, and all of the Orleans farmers participated, Lach said. 

The event provided an opportunity to purchase fresh produce, seafood and meat from local farmers. There were also a number of farm-related educational booths and homemade crafts for sale. The Art Ensemble of Cape Cod provided jazz accompaniment .

“There was a variety of home-grown goodness from all over the Cape,” Lach said of the event