Photos: Farm To Table Dinner

Beautiful decorations, great food, and happy diners were the recipe for a successful Farm To Table Dinner on Sept. 16.

The third annual Farm To Table Fabulous Feast was held on Sunday afternoon at Alber Orchard and Cider Mill in Freedom Township. Tickets sold out prior to the event, chefs from all of the Five Healthy Towns provided ample food to make the event live up to its name, and a plethora of volunteers helped everything run smoothly.

Below are just a selection of scenes from the day's event, which helps raise much-needed funds that support the Farmers Markets in each of the Five Healthy Towns: Manchester, Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, and Stockbridge.

"Some farmers markets are in competition with each other," explained Ruth VanBogelen, Chair of the day's event. "But these five Farmers Markets have found that by working together, they can all make a tremendous difference in each of their respective communities."

This cooperative venture is a great way to support the goals of Five Healthy Towns and the Manchester Wellness Coalition: eat better, move more, avoid unhealthy substances, and make healthy connections with others.

The smiling faces seen in each photo are evidence that all of the above were taking place this weekend!

Food Art provided a Bruschetta bar. Photo courtesy Deb Kastanis

Dinner is served!

Volunteers await their assignments as serving begins.

Dinner is served!

With a backdrop of beautifully laden apple trees, Event Chair Ruth VanBogelen welcomed everyone.

Amy Heydlauff, Executive Director of the Five Healthy Towns Foundation.

Comfortable and rustic seating areas provided a quiet place to chat.

Joe DeBoe, DJ from Ghostrider DJ services in Grass Lake, helped emcee the event.

Hayrides around the orchard provided an historical backdrop for the day's events.

Volunteer chefs prepared the food to perfection.

The traveling "welcome" door shows the locations of each year's Farm To Table Dinner.

A completely rebuilt and renovated barn on the Alber Orchard property was the site of a barn dance on Sunday night.

Iceni Tea provided teas for attendees, as well as displays of their product. Pictured are Terry Ensign and his wife, from Iceni Tea, and Mike and Doni McLennan from McLennan Landscape.

William and Katie Brinkman enjoying appetizers prior to the meal.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.