Fall color and October Farm Tours bring to mind LCLT’s Annual Harvest Dinner. LCLT intern Ezra Fradkin will be returning to give the results of the Lopez Island Foodshed Assessment answering the question “Can Lopez Feed Itself?” Ezra grew up in Amherst, MA, an epicenter of food and farming and the birthplace of the local food movement. Ezra believes in the power of sustainable agriculture to initiate positive transformations in rural communities.

Along with Ezra will be Claver Bundac, donor of Lopez’s own Food Safety Lab. Claver is the CEO and founder of BioMedix, a bio-technology company involved in food safety testing systems, software development, data management, equipment manufacturing and micro-enterprise development. BioMedix is a privately owned enterprise based at the campus of California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, CA, with operations in North American, Europe and Asia. Claver has donated the use of the Biomedix Food Safety Lab to the Lopez community through Lopez Community Land Trust. This lab enables local farmers to test their products for safety. Currently, four farmers have been trained to use the lab, as have staff in the School’s LIFE Garden program.

Each year LCLT sponsors a Harvest Dinner celebrating local food through a host of local potluck dishes. Prizes are given for best use and best presentation of local foods. There is a wine bar, and a silent auction, including a print from Bill Holm, honored at the Burke Museum of Natural History and culture through the Bill Holm Center. Concurrent with the dinner is the photography exhibit “Know Your Farmer” by the Bounty Project.

All are welcome at the Harvest Dinner, and ages range from the newest members of Lopez to octogenarians. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own place settings for zero waste efforts, and of course, a generous potluck dish. The Harvest Dinner is Saturday, Oct. 24, beginning at 5 p.m. Judging of dishes ends at 6:10 p.m