More Than 2,000 Turn Out To ‘Meet Your Local Farmers’

 HARWICH – More than 2,000 people turned out for Saturday’s “Meet Your Local Farmers” event put on by the Harwich Conservation Trust and Orleans Farmers Market, according to organizers.

The annual event provides people with the opportunity to meet with local farmers, farm organizations, distributors of agricultural products and local land trusts. The event, which began in 2009, was previously held at the Harwich Community Center and last year drew more than 1,700 visitors. To expand the space, organizers moved it this year to Cape Cod Technical High School, with its large parking facilities and larger gymnasium and corridor space.

 “It has become such a popular experience that we needed extra space,” HCT Executive Director Michael Lach said.

 “This is a great collaboration with the Tech, allowing people to learn about local farms,” he said. “It’s inspiring that so many people gather together in support of local farms and farmers to celebrate the start of the growing season.”

Harwich Conservation Trust President Tom Evans was pleased with the turnout. He praised the efforts of Gretel Norgeot, president of the Orleans Farmers Market, and her team for the assistance that drew such a crowd to the event. 

 “It’s such a great introduction to spring,” Evans said.

To illustrate the success of the event, Lach said In The Mix Cape Cod, one of the vendors, brought 350 apple cider donuts and sold out in 90 minutes.

The initial idea for the event was a focus on the synergy between local land conservation and farming to create a sustainable stewardship of land and water resources, and it certainly has moved in that direction, Lach said. 

 Attendees collected gardening information and learned about additional events, such as the Garden Expo organized by the Harwich Health Department and Conservation Commission, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at the Harwich Cultural Municipal Building at 204 Sisson Rd. The event will explore sustainable gardening techniques, focus on pollinator-friendly plants and soil health and provide the opportunity to engage with local food and conservation resources. Attendees can also participate in planting the People’s Garden beds located at the cultural center.

 Saturday’s event included a performance by Wayne Naus and The Art Ensemble of Cape Cod, which was joined by several members of the Monomoy Regional High School Jazz Band, which just won a gold medal at the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Educational All-State Final in March.