The Cape Farm Alliance Lobster Bake and Pig Roast is the organization’s biggest annual fundraiser.

It takes a devoted crew of dozens of volunteers to serve 250 people trays of lobster, steamers, roast pork, salad, potatoes, corn, a dinner roll and a strawberry tart, which is what happens every year at the Cape Farm Alliance Lobster Bake and Pig Roast at Shady Oak Farm in Cape Elizabeth – and did again on June 23.

It’s the biggest annual fundraiser for the Cape Farm Alliance, a group of farmers, fishermen, horse lovers, business owners and supporters of a vibrant and sustainable food future for Cape Elizabeth.

“If you think about Cape Elizabeth’s heritage, it’s about farming and fishing,” said Penny Jordan, one of the founders of the Cape Farm Alliance. “This event brings all that together. The Alliance is about ensuring the vitality of agriculture on Cape Elizabeth, creating visibility so people are aware there are working farms in town.”

The Lobster Bake was the night before the annual Strawberry Festival, an even bigger community-wide celebration of agriculture in Cape. The community boasts more than a dozen farms, producing everything from vegetables and berries to oysters and meat products.

“It’s the craziest time of the year for all of us, with the Strawberry Fest and the peak of the peak of farming season,” said Caitlin Jordan of Alewive’s Brook Farm. “But we’re pulling off this big event.”

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“This is our night as farmers to relax before our big day,” said Patti Kritzer of Great Pond Farm.

With the band Downeast Soul Coalition performing live on a farm tractor, the dinner had a down-home casual feel, with opportunities to wander about and visit with the animals. Many diners wore T-shirts connecting them with farms, lobster boats and food-focused industries.

“My husband is a lobsterman,” said volunteer Angela Volger of Cape Elizabeth. “I’m here supporting him, supporting the community and keeping it local.”

“This is a real local thing,” said Vicki Field of South Portland, who brought some lucky friends from North Carolina.

Amy Paradysz is a freelance writer and photographer from Scarborough. She can be reached at:

amyparadysz@gmail.com


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