Despite the threat of rain, this year’s Boston Local Food Festival was even better than last year’s. Extending the festival grounds to the other side of the bridge made more room for the vendors and less of a crush in the crowd. The wide variety amazed me yet again: restaurants, farmers, apiaries, even “green” investing. A lot of them are old favorites, a lot of them are interesting but not my thing, and some I was seeing for the first time. Here are a few:

What a spread!

Ellery Kimball was there with the Blue Heron Organic Farm stand. Jason and I picked up some leeks, butternut squash, and arugala—three things we’re missing in our CSA this year.

Net bags to bring home all the bounty.

I’d never heard of Local Pickins, but it sounds like a great idea. It’s a directory of local farmers markets, bakeries, cheese shops, food trucks, and more. It’s nice to have one place to go for all this stuff.

Neither Pete nor Gerry.

The guys from Pete and Gerry’s were selling custard with applesauce. These are our go-to eggs when we don’t have Stone Soup or Country Hen. I really want to visit their farm in New Hampshire.

Grapes? In Massachusetts?

Bug Hill Farm had the sweetest grapes I’ve ever tasted. Definitely nothing like my old landlord’s.

A cold frame extends the growing season.

Green City Growers installs and maintains gardens in your backyard. It’s perfect for the lazy gardener (me). Do you think they’d do a porch garden for us next year?

A zillion different varieties of flour.

Local flour! I can’t believe Four Star Farms actually grows it in Massachusetts.

This remains my favorite “green” festival (sorry Boston Vegetarian Society!).  The Sustainable Business Network has done a great job with it.