The Dartmouth Organic Farm was filled with people swarming around the numerous food stands during Harfest, an apt abbreviation of Harvest Festival, Spoon University’s celebration of local foods. Lively activities included rounds of corn hole, musical entertainment, pumpkin decorating, and, of course, eating and drinking.
Photo by Josh Renaud
Everything from the candy apples to the kale chips was locally grown or produced, adding to the general theme of local sustainability. While refreshments were free, the one requirement was to BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug) to fill up with sweet cider. There was hot, cold and hard cider available to really make it feel like a crisp #autumn day. I was so excited to go to Harfest and enjoy the plethora of local food and cider. Unfortunately, that was not my fate.
It started with the vans. There just wasn’t enough room to fit all the hungry people, resulting in a growing crowd by the bus stop, causing a long wait. Pro tip: be pushy and get on a van. My passiveness was the cause of my unfashionable lateness to the scene. By the time I got there, most of the food was gone.
Photo by Josh Renaud
My early bird friends were raving about the pumpkin bread and the cider donuts making me extremely jealous. My healthy veggie fanatic friend, was particularly excited about the beet, carrot and hummus station. Her description of the medley of veggies made my stomach pang with desire. Although I was sad to miss the majority of the food, I did manage to grab a few pieces of cheese before that ran out too.
Photo by Josh Renaud
As a a self-determined cheese connoisseur, I would say the locally produced cheese definitely passed the taste test. The fact that it was local definitely preserved its fresh creaminess, and when combined with the local crisp apples, it made a scrumptious snack.
Photo by Josh Renaud
The lack of food did not take away from the awesomeness of Dartmouth’s Organic Farm. The Farm provided a laid-back environment to explore with friends and bond over locally produced. You could walk through the farm and see where they keep bees, or even just walk down into the gardens and appreciate the beauty of the farm.
Photo by Josh Renaud
Dartmouth is incredibly lucky to have it’s own farm. It takes “local produce” to a whole new level being that it is our backyard. Students can work on the farm and engage with the natural world, learning about sustainability and farming. Everyone should check out the farm at least once in their Dartmouth career.