Martha’s Vineyard is as progressive and very eco-friendly as it is beach-filled and gorgeous. We’ve embraced the living local movement with gusto, many members of our community are actually leaders in the rally! All spring, summer and fall, the markets are filled with local produce, meats, art and music. The restaurants plan their menus around what island farms are harvesting. Even our grocery stores carry local goods.

And every fall, the Island Grown Initiative throws a massive festival to celebrate the Vineyard’s local community. The Living Local Harvest Fest runs this weekend, Oct. 2 & 3 and is “a rich program of free community events that aim to increase awareness and accelerate the uptake of sustainable living on Martha’s Vineyard.”

From food, live demos, panel discussions to a gorgeous market from local artisans, herbalists to energy specialists – this festival has it all. There are stories from the Wampanoags, kids activities, music and even community yoga. Everything can be found at the West Tisbury Ag Hall…I’ll meet you at the pie eating contest!

For the full schedule, please visit http://www.livinglocalharvestfest.org/

Planned just in time for spring to really blossom on the island, Jan Buhrman, Localvore Educator and Chef extraordinaire and John Bagnulo MPH, PHD, are offering an amazing Living Local experience called Cooking for Vitality. It’s a great opportunity to visit the island and enjoy as the crops and flowers are bursting through. The Vineyard has long been known for its vibrant health – the people, the food, the sun, the air, the water!

Their weekend workshop, COOKING for VITALITY, runs May 15, 16 and 17th, 2009. Here are the details:

• How to cook well & simply and what to eat!
• $175  •  All 3 days  •  5 lectures  •  4 cooking demos
• 1 or 2 day options available at $75 per day

Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. Learn what foods promote health and well-being.
You will learn how to prepare healthy, whole food meals, what superfoods are and their
importance in your diet, what food labels mean, easy cooking techniques on “how” cooking
foods is important, and shopping for better health and the planet. Learn what foods we should eat that are grown organically and which are okay to eat that are grown commercially.

You’ll also discover:

• Plant foods for optimal health
• Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains
• How to incorporate foods and how best to prepare, etc.
• Animal foods that best complement the picture of our diet
• Nutritional, agricultural, ecological considerations with specific menus and who needs them the most
• How best to incorporate and prepare meals in your daily life
• Case studies from our past experiences
• Pantry Lists, Recipes and Meal Planners to take home

Contact me if you’re thinking about coming and I’ll help you find the perfect rental house – how perfect to have your own kitchen on the Vineyard to try out everything you learn!!!

Just because summer’s over, doesn’t mean Martha’s Vineyard has shut down!
Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons on Martha’s Vineyard, the crowds have left, the rentals are cheaper and the sun is still out! But what is there to do? You may ask.

There’s a lot, including the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival.

The MVFWF is an annual non-profit event that promotes local farms and seafood as well as wineries from all over the world. Most of the profits benefit The Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Edgartown. The Festival is October 17-19, 2008.

A few of the events scheduled are:

• Small Plates from the Grill Grates featuring BBQ masters Andy Husbands and Dante de Magistris.
• Duckhorn Wine Dinner at Atria hosted by Michael Brehart from Duckhorn Wine Co.
• Grand Tasting hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum features a variety of island chefs and guests including Kevin Crowell, Howard Imber,  Antonio Saccoccia, Christian Thornton.
• Chocolate and Dessert Wines hosted by the Christina Gallery Featuring Lee Napoli’s handcrafted chocolates.

So if you love food, wine, chocolate and Martha’s Vineyard, be there! Tickets are on sale now.

For a complete listing of the events and times and to purchase tickets visit the website!

Every September as the island quiets down, school picks up and the summer folk head to the mainland, the Vineyard community has a fall festival at the Ag Hall and fairgrounds in West Tisbury. It’s a pretty special festival, full of locals. One annual vacation renter told me the following story:

“We switched our vacation rental two years ago from our usual two weeks in June to two weeks at the end of September because our son was due in early July. We loved being on the island at the start of autumn, and our favorite part was the fall festival. There was so much to do and we felt like we not only got a glimpse, but were actually part, of the island’s unique year round community.”

The 2008 festival was called Living Local and featured everything local including: food, farmers, herbs, tonics, teas, tinctures, wool, clothes, furniture, bees, honey and more. There was also tons of information from local and regional providers of alternative energy, alternative waste and sustainability. There were speaker panels, workshops…and loads of great local food!

And, like that renter said, autumn is a special time to be on Martha’s Vineyard. The life of the island is happening, you get to wear wool socks at night and go to the beach during the day! Notably, the rental costs decrease after the peak months of the summer…a great time to book your slice of paradise.