Beemerville's harvest home dinner tradition growing

beemerville — The Beemerville Presbyterian Church congregation will have its Harvest Home Dinner July 30 at the Beemerville Firehouse, located at 227 Route 519 in downtown Beemerville.

The event has been a tradition in the area since 1900 when the congregation first game together to give thanks for the harvest. The congregation will serve about 1,000 ears of sweet corn from Ideal Farms in Augusta, 50 pounds of juicy ripe tomatoes, 100 pounds of cabbage, — for the secret recipe coleslaw — and 50 pounds of cucumbers from Culvers Lake Farm Stand and Nursery in Branchville, 15 pounds of onions and 200 pounds of potatoes from Pine Island. The meal serves approximately 600 diners every year in two seatings at the firehouse.

Today the Beemerville congregation is rural and the Harvest Home Dinner ingredients are still purchased from local farmers and businesses.

Sixty-four dozen Holland American Bakery’s dinner rolls compliment the 25 hams from Sussex Meat Packing. The entire congregation chips in with miscellaneous food items to help cook and serve the family-style meal.

The artistic talents of the local congregation also shine on the ‘Fancy Table,' a tradition of home made and crafted items for sale, contributed by the artists for the church.

The dinner will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. Tickets will cost $12 for an adult, $6 for a child and can be purchased at the door. Parking is free.

For more information, call the Beemerville Church, 973-875-6067.