Chatham Magazine Dec/Jan 2021

PEOPLE & PLACES

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PepperFest 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CC KALLAM

looked a little different this year. The 13th annual fundraiser attracted nearly 250 people – a fraction of the typical 2,500 attendees – for a limited picnic- and farmers marketstyled event at The Plant on Sunday, Sept. 20. Hosted by Abundance NC, the event, which celebrates sustainable produce, farmers and local chefs, featured take-home gift baskets with jars of pepper-themed dishes and other local homemade goodies. For folks picking up their baskets and visiting the market, there was live music by Certain Seas and Sankofa: West African Drumming.

Guests could also visit businesses located at The Plant, including Copeland Springs Farm & Kitchen, Chatham Axes, Carolina Hemp Tours, Hempsmith Clothing Co., Oak City Hemp, TickWarriors, Vortex Roasters and Smelt Art Gallery. Local chefs and purveyors featured at PepperFest included Harvest 18, Julz’s Creations, Copeland Springs Farm & Kitchen, Lilly Den Farm, Angelina’s Kitchen and Haw River Mushrooms. Additional market participants were Pine Knot Farms, Turtle Mist Farm, Off Grid in Color, Bouquets by Hope WT, Pore People, Mother’s Finest Urban Family Farms, Hawk’s Nest Healing Gardens, Kindred Seedlings Farm, Beehive Yourself and Hook & Larder. CM PepperFest

1 Picnicking at PepperFest.

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2 Abundance NC Event Coordinator and Art Director Marcela Slade crowns Abundance NC Executive Director Tami Schwerin as the 2020 PepperFest Queen.

3 Kaquana Neal and Brandon Christian of Pore People skin care company.

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CHATHAM MAGAZINE

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2021