A Wonderful Celebration!
Sunday was a stupendous day in the weather department. After several days of rain, the skies were clear and sunny. It was the perfect day for our Sukkot Harvest Celebration and Fundraiser.
One of the day’s objectives was to thank our volunteers. It is a remarkable and significant blessing to note just how many people contribute their time, energy and muscle to helping In the Gardens grow. We honored 30 volunteers at our celebration! We also wanted to thank our contributors: our donors, and the businesses and individuals that offer us support and guidance as we develop. All of these individuals and groups are the backbone of In the Gardens. Without you we would not be able to do our work of bringing fresh food, gardens and mindfulness practice to the community.
Gathering in the sukkah – a temporary dwelling put up for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot – made the day even more special. Sukkot is a harvest festival, and sitting in the sukkah under the dappled sun of the its rooftop branches enhances the harvest feel. It offers an opportunity to be thankful for the fruits and vegetables on our table and reminds us of our dependence on the earth for our survival.
We highlighted the foods that we grow here at In the Gardens, and after a week of rain, the produce did not disappoint. About eight pounds of cherry tomatoes – red, gold and yellow – were sliced up with basil and tossed with dressing for an out-of-this-world (or out-of-the-garden) tomato basil salad. A couple of pounds of dinosaur kale were turned into a steamed dish with sesame oil, seeds and some seasoning. Cucumbers were sliced and served simply, lightly salted with freshly picked dill. Some local foods were featured as well: a pasta salad with CSA veggies, and a dairy free/gluten free quiche made with eggs raised by one of our board members’ hens. We even served local beer!
But of course, what made the day so spectacular was the people who came to share it with us. From preteens through octogenarians, our guests provided a nice spread of generations. The communities represented were broad, inviting people to visit with old friends and meet new ones. I was touched to welcome people I’d never met before who wanted to see our work. It was a pleasure to see our mission advancing in the community.
To all of you, whether you were able to attend or participated from afar, we thank you for your interest in, and support of, In the Gardens. Our fall fundraiser is still in process, and if you’d like to jump in and donate, we offer our thanks!
Upcoming Volunteer Days
As the season winds down, we invite you to get dirty with us and have some good laughs as we enter our final harvesting weeks and ready our gardens for the winter. Please sign up for our upcoming Volunteer Days:
Sunday, October 15 from 2:00-6:00pm
Sunday, October 22 from 1:30-6:00pm
Sunday, October 29 from 10:00am-4:00pm
Blessings to all,
Rabbi Robin Damsky