Michael Ableman is the keynote speaker for the Lopez Community Land Trust’s 11th Annual Harvest Dinner which will be on Oct. 24, Saturday. A farmer, author, photographer, recognized practitioner of sustainable agriculture and proponent of regional food systems, Michael has written several books and numerous essays and articles, and lectures extensively on food, culture, and sustainability worldwide. Recently becoming an islander himself, Michael has prepared a presentation with photographs entitled “Thinking Like an Island.” His most popular books include On Good Land, From the Good Earth, and Fields of Plenty. Michael is currently farming at the Foxglove Farm on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, home of “http://www.foxglovefarmbc.ca/programs/about-the-centre” The Center for Arts, Ecology & Agriculture.

The Harvest Dinner is a potluck which focuses on local foods, giving prizes for the best presentation and best use of local foods. This particular Harvest Dinner celebrates 20 years of LCLT’s existence, using the theme “Unleashing the Power of Community.” Everyone is welcome to come. The event begins at 5:30 p.m at the Lopez Center for the Community and the Arts, with Michael’s presentation at 7 p.m. Stewardship is important to the LCLT, so people are encouraged to bring their own table servings as an earth-friendly effort.

“Ableman is a gracious rebel who knows that industrialized farming wrings the life out of both soil and communities. His joy in stewardship and in people celebrates a psychic sustainability that won’t appear on spreadsheets.” Sierra, Magazine of the Sierra Club.

“Michael Ableman’s compelling stories and exquisite photographs tell a story that we too often forget: that the richness and beauty of our food is inextricably connected to a community of innovative and passionate farmers and to the land that they nurture.” Alice Waters, Chez Panisse restaurant.