Submitted by Lopez Community Land Trust.

After a hiatus during the worst of the pandemic, Lopez Community Land Trust is once again hosting the Harvest Dinner, a community gathering to celebrate island-grown foods.

This year’s dinner features Dr. Kerry Reding, professor at the University of Washington, who will share “From Italy to Lopez: Sustainable Agriculture in Community.”

Reding is a faculty member at the University of Washington School of Nursing in Seattle where she conducts and leads student programs. This summer she led her third study abroad program across Italy, followed by the inaugural 3-week study away program on Lopez Island. These programs both aim to provide students with experiential learning opportunities centered on the interconnections between human health, community health, environmental health and planetary health, all through the lens of food. Reding invited Sage and Nathan of Barn Owl Bakery and Meike Meissner of Stonecrest Farm and Graziers to present in Italy this summer.

Thanks to the initial work by Reding, Nathan Hodges returned to Italy to present at the global biennial conference of the Slow Food Movement aptly named “Terra Madre” with the theme of “We are Nature.”

Harvest Dinner participants are asked to make a dish for 6-12 people, focusing on use of local foods. Some participants have managed to have all their ingredients from Lopez, including salt from the sea. Don’t worry about the number of local ingredients; it’s simply fun to see everyone’s creativity.

Join us at the Lopez Center on Saturday, Oct. 26. Doors open at 5 p.m. with dinner starting at 6:15. Seating is limited so participants are encouraged to come early. Zoë Gregozek and Dan Millard, the illustrious judges, will select their favorites with prizes for “Panache,” “The Localist” and “The Jim Mustache (not James Beard) Tastiest.”

This is a net-zero waste event so please bring your own tableware and cups.