Here’s how local Master Gardeners capped their season with fellowship …
Welcoming members and guests, Hannah Hudson is ready with raffle tickets – along with Alexa Diaz, who displays the official 2026 Harvest Fest Bandanna she designed.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Under partly-sunny skies, a group of about two dozen Multnomah County Master Gardeners Association™ (MCMGA) volunteers gathered on August 29 for a Harvest Potluck Party in the MCMGA Demonstration Garden in the Brentwood–Darlington neighborhood.
They met right where they had labored all season — surrounded by flourishing planting beds that provided both the backdrop, and much of the menu.
At the festival, MCMGA member Richard Becker grills fresh vegetables – not sausages.
Wafting in the air was the scent of grilled vegetables – fresh from the garden, of course. On other grills, a variety of sausages sizzled. Members brought dishes ranging from salads to desserts, filling long tables with home–prepared favorites.
Under the pergola, volunteers browsed a “Garden Exchange Table” stacked with usable garden items and books. The late-afternoon gathering also featured a few simple activities for youngsters, and the evening wrapped up with a raffle for one of three prizes.
MCMGA Past President Cynthia Chase welcomes the group to the gathering.
‘We call it the Harvest Fest’
“We simply call this event our ‘Harvest Fest’ – it’s become an annual celebration,” said Cynthia Chase, past president of the Multnomah County Master Gardener Association, stepping in on behalf of current president Carol Hardy, who was not able to attend.
“It’s a celebration of the harvests we’re enjoying in our home plots and beds, as well as the harvests that we’re doing here at our Demo Garden,” Chase told East Portland News.
Although the evening featured plenty of conversation among gardeners, Chase emphasized that this gathering served a different purpose than the group’s typical offerings. “This is not an educational event!” Chase said with a smile.
A rare chance to gather in person
Chase pointed out that, because the association does not have a permanent indoor space, events like this become key opportunities for members to connect, face to face.
“We do not have regular meetings, because we don’t have a building here in Multnomah County, so this is our chance to get together and socialize with each other,” Chase explained.
Volunteers help themselves at the bountiful buffet.
Backed by a full season of outreach
Even though this particular evening focused on fellowship rather than instruction, it rested on a foundation of robust educational work throughout the year.
When asked to estimate how many educational events MCMGA had hosted so far this season, Chase responded, “I would say, counting the farmers markets, upward of 100, all over the county.” Those appearances put Master Gardeners in direct contact with residents looking for practical advice, from plant selection to pest control.
Learning just by being together
Even at a social event, Chase observed that the learning never entirely stops for active Master Gardeners.
When asked what she considers the best thing about being a member, Chase reflected, “The education that I get just by sitting and socializing and asking someone about something! I learned when I can harvest my tomatillos – because somebody always has an answer.”
Master Gardeners engage in what they like best – chatting about their garden projects.
Her comment captured the spirit of the Harvest Potluck Party: A relaxed, seasonal celebration for people who cultivate not only vegetables and flowers, but also a community of shared knowledge.
As the sun dipped lower over the Demonstration Garden, volunteers finished off dessert plates, checked the raffle results, and exchanged last–minute tips, before heading home – some with new tools or books in hand, and all with a fresh sense of connection to fellow Master Gardeners.
Learn more about the Multnomah County Master Gardeners Association™ by visiting their website: CLICK HERE.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
