This is it. The last hurrah. The last Homer Farmers Market of the season is this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be, of course, the usual festivities. The Farmers Market always hosts its Harvest Party and Potluck between noon and 3 p.m. as a thank you to the entire community who supports the Market all summer long. Besides being your last chance to see all the farmers and artisans, there will be music to listen to and your last chance to buy a Turkey Raffle ticket before the drawing.

This time of the year a lot of folks are looking back over the summer and taking stock. Marsha at Sweet Berries found herself bragging about her dependable sidekick who not only was spreading jelly on crackers at the Market, but had been picking berries with her all summer and even helping her butcher moose or whatever other activity came along in Marsha’s life.

Her understudy just nodded at the praise, knowing that she was benefiting from an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience in her mentor.

Beth Van Sandt stopped me to introduce her capable intern who has been helping her on the peony farm this summer. She was excited to tell me that she was planning on coming back next summer. Being able to look ahead with certainty in farming is rare, so when someone dependable returns to help out, everyone hopes to reward them with as many connections and forms of support as possible.

Connections are what we depend on in our small town. At the Farmers Market you get to see them all up close. You get to connect with the people who grow your food and create the crafts you treasure as well as the friends you bump into in the aisles or at the picnic tables.

So this Saturday, as you receive the praise and thank you from the Farmers Market vendors in the form of veggie and moose stew and bread from Two Sisters, bring your own dish to share with everyone. We’re all connected in this little local food system, buyers and sellers alike, so come celebrate with us.

Kyra Wagner is the coordinator of Sustainable Homer and the Homer Farmers Market’s biggest fan.