It's time for harvesting, and later this month Cranbrook will host a unique community feast to celebrate.
On Thursday, September 19 at 5:30 p.m., East Kootenay residents are invited to bring homegrown fruits and vegetables to the Cranbrook Public Produce Garden for the 100 Mile Cook-Out.
"We want to get people together, bringing their own locally grown food to celebrate. It's so abundant at this time of year and it's such a nice way to celebrate our local food," said coordinator Shannon Duncan.
The event is part of the East Kootenay Community Eats initiative, a collaboration in food security between Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook and the Cranbrook Food Action Committee.
The Cook-Out is a simple idea: bring fruit or veggies you have grown yourself or sourced from a local producer to the garden. There, folks will come together to cook up the produce in simple recipes that highlight the superior taste of locally grown goods. Then, you'll sit down and enjoy the spoils together, right there in the garden.
"The idea is that people can bring the raw fruits and vegetables that they have produced or sourced from a local producer – from the farmers' market or something – then we can bring them together," said Duncan.
Organizers will have grilled local sausage to complement the meal, available by donation.
"That's a fun part of the process, to put them together and find different ways we can make nice side dishes to complement the sausage."
Organizers will bring some recipe ideas, as well as condiments and local vinegars and oils.
"It will be really focused on the flavour of those foods, because we will be simply preparing them," said Duncan, adding that the Cook-Out will showcase "how much sweeter and crisper and more textured the flavour is" from locally grown produce.
The Public Produce Garden is the perfect setting for the harvest feast, as vegetables are being harvested from the garden at the same time.
"The public produce garden is being harvested really well," said Duncan. "People are coming daily and taking part, and also taking it upon themselves to clean up the mess from harvesting."
The Cranbrook Public Produce Garden is located in MacKinnon Park on 18th Avenue North, between 6th and 8th Streets.
For more information, contact Shannon Gordon at 250-427-7981 or email cranbrookfood@gmail.com.