Celebrate Summer at Bartlett's Farm
by Sarah Teach
Come enjoy the first taste of summertime on Nantucket, along with some of Nantucket’s freshest homemade foods! There will be free activities for kids and grown-ups alike; everything is completely free and everyone is welcome to attend. There will be loads of free samples from vendors, so no worries about busting your budget. Along with free, live music, there will be a number of free gift card prizes given out throughout the day. Sound too good to be true? This is the June 21 Summer Celebration on Bartlett’s Farm, a time for the community to come together and celebrate the arrival of another splendid Nantucket summer! (Did I mention that it’s free?)
Perhaps most appealing of all are the several pie-eating contests. (This really is the ideal excuse to gorge yourself on homemade pie from Bartlett’s. When else would it be socially acceptable to shove an entire pie, or more if you’re able, into your mouth?) And just to make sure that you’re pie-ing on people your own size, there are three different age groups: ages 5-10, ages 11-15, and ages 16+. (I personally challenge you to take me on in the 16+ age group.) You don’t even need to sign up beforehand; just come wearing your game face and a pair of pants that can expand a bit.
Whether you have green thumbs or not, you’re invited to attend the free window box workshop. This is the perfect opportunity for you to learn expert gardening tricks from Bartlett’s best gardeners. There is no need to prepare for the workshop. Just meet Maya Chase in the Garden Center at 10:30 am, and get ready for an hour of enjoyable garden education!
Bartlett’s Marketing and Advertising Coordinator/Greenhouse Production Manager, Hilary Newell, talks about the Summer Celebration like it’s an old friend. And apparently for many people, it is. Newell says, “This is a time when people come out and run into friends they haven’t seen since last year.” Also, Newell can’t help but show how pleased she is with the warm farmer-customer relationships that the Celebration brings. “It’s a wonderful, fun time when we really get to spend quality time with our guests and show them all the new and exciting things brought on by the season!” Newell also mentioned a prospect that is especially exciting for foodies: “Every year, just about everyone seems to find a new food they didn’t know they liked!” As if we need any more reasons to love Bartlett’s.
Whether you’re an actual kid or simply a kid at heart, you’ll leave Summer Celebration with a full belly and a happy heart. Come party all day for free; it’s on the Farm! The Summer Celebration will be held from 10 am to 5 pm on Tuesday, June 21, on the Farm at 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Kids’ activities start at 10 am, along with live music. The window box workshop runs from 10:30-11:30 am, and competitive pie eating starts at 1:30 pm. Fortunately for you and me, the various food vendors will be present all day long to share their delicious treats!
The Summer Celebration is the gateway event to an entire season of farm fun! Bartlett’s boasts a bounty of farm fresh foods and festivities, including the return of the exclusive Behind the Scenes Tours. Every Tuesday and Thursday in June and July, you can smell the earthy air and learn about life on a farm! In this era of mass produced food products that travel thousands of miles before we buy them, it is important that we know where our food is coming from. Going “Behind The Scenes” on this tour gives you the assurance that your Bartlett’s groceries are locally grown and picked at the pinnacle of freshness. Meet in front of the market at 9 am for an informative, 1+ hour walking tour through the farm. $10 per adult; and children under 12 are free with an adult. Keep in mind that tours are weather dependent.
