"The Island Grown Initiative was a great connect-the-dots between farmers and chefs," said Kevin Crowell. "For example, instead of just zucchini, potatoes, and corn, the farmers are now growing pea tendrils and micro-greens."
A recent dinner menu included chicken from Katama Farm, and local baby bok choy, salad greens, and lemon verbena.
The next morning was foggy and drizzly but that didn't deter Berlow from continuing my tour.
"This could be the smallest farm on the island," said Berlow, as we turned in the driveway of Breezy Pines Farm in West Tisbury.
A multigenerational farm run by Heather and Travis Thurber, Breezy Pines doesn't grow enough for the twice-a-week farmer's market. Instead, the couple turned an old goat-milking shed into a self-serve farm stand that's open to the public July through October.
"We grow what we eat. What we don't eat we sell," said Heather.
In Chilmark, the Native Earth Teaching Farm provides an opportunity for kids to interact with farm animals while offering a self-serve farm stand. Run by Rebecca Gilbert and Randy Ben David, the 30-acre spread has a self-guided trail with pigs, goats, turkeys, geese, and rare breeds of ducks.
"We try and split our time between farming and education," said Gilbert, whose grandfather, a painter, bought the farm in the late 1920s.
If you don't have a car or a guide to get to the farms on the map (though some can be reached on public buses), the best way to buy locally is at the West Tisbury Farmers' Market in the parking lot at Grange Hall. Open Wednesday and Saturday mornings, rain or shine, the market brings farmers and purveyors from all corners of the island together in one festive environment.
"It's an event. It's quite a scene with the playground next door. People get coffee and pastries, there are kids, dogs, flowers . . .," said Berlow, her voice trailing off as she paused to buy some baby arugula from North Tabor Farm.
Even on a drizzly weekday morning the market was active and choices were many and varied, including granola, blueberry tarts, onion jam, egg rolls, herbal skin care products, organic strawberries, all manner of vegetables, pastel frosted cupcakes, herbed vinegars, and fresh-pressed wheatgrass juice. There was more than enough available to assemble a tasty meal.
Elizabeth Germain agreed. We bumped into the Vineyard chef and writer as she shopped. Germain, vice president of Slow Foods Martha's Vineyard, a nonprofit organization devoted to supporting local food traditions, explained that she hopes to inspire people to cook with local food by offering trips to farms as part of her summer and fall cooking classes.
"When you have great materials and are filled with joy, it's easy to cook great meals," Germain said.
With the Farm to Table map it's easy to find the materials. The joy is up to you.
Necee Regis, a freelance writer in Boston and Miami Beach, can be reached at neceeregis@yahoo.com.
