A feast for fall: SomerHarvest enjoys perfect conditions on Judicial Center Plaza

Christopher Harris, Commonwealth Journal, Somerset, Ky.
·3 min read

Sep. 15—Nothing brings in fall in Pulaski County quite like SomerHarvest.

Now in its fifth year (after taking off 2020 and 2021 for Covid-related reasons), SomerHarvest brought the community together on the Judicial Center Plaza once again Thursday night for a meal unlike any other in Pulaski County.

Embracing the farm-to-table concept of locally-sourced ingredients, chef Darlene Newell created a colorful plate starring shepherd's pie, along with cucumber salad, a squash and zucchini medley, and green beans, accompanied by butterflake rolls and for dessert, pumpkin bars, fried apple pies, and vanilla ice cream.

Local agricultural businesses like Burnett Farms, Summit Meats and others provided the food to be prepared, but the best ingredients were in the atmosphere, where moderate temperatures, a clear evening sky and the right natural lighting made for a memorable evening in downtown Somerset.

"The weather (was) perfect. We could not have ordered a better forecast," said Wynona Padgett of the Somerset Junior Woman's Club (SJWC), which held the event, sponsored by the Don Franklin Somerset Family of Dealerships.

The feedback was "all positive" after the event, noted Padgett.

Newell, of Diamondz and Divaz Catering, said she wanted to do something a little bit different with the meal this year.

"I feel like we always have tenderloin or chicken, or something not colorful," said Newell. "So I said, why don't we do a shepherd's pie this year? I think you eat with your eyes a lot of times. If it looks good, it usually tastes good most of the time."

Newell enjoyed participating in the event for the second straight year. "For what they're doing it for, it's a great cause," she said.

Proceeds raised go to support Somerset Community College scholarships, and to fund SJWC community projects — a significant one being Operation Angel Care, which helps local children in need have Christmas gifts to enjoy this holiday season.

About 100 people attended the dinner. It wasn't quite a sellout — short about six tickets of that — but still, the long tables on the Judicial Center plaza were reasonably filled. In the first few years of the event, one long table was placed down the middle of East Mt. Vernon Street with the streets blocked off, but the SJWC have found it simpler and just as effective to place several tables of considerable length on the plaza instead.

"I wish there'd been more people there," said Padgett. "They really missed a great meal and a great evening."

Everything went very smoothly — perhaps the most so for the event to date — and that was in considerable part thanks to the assistance of youth from Sunrise Children's Services.

"They worked really hard setting up the tables and the chairs and helping wherever they could," said Padgett. "That makes a big difference."

Five-piece ensemble Pleasant Company provided ideal music for the setting, light and traditional, and the tables were decorated with seasonal flowers by Frankia Colyer that Padgett said received a lot of compliments. Decorative pumpkin accents and special handmade wooden Christmas ornaments at every table placement to help those attending remember the occasion.

Martin Hranicky attended SomerHarvest for the first time this year — and came away impressed.

"The food was wonderful and the fellowship was great," he said. "I saw a lot of people here tonight that I know and met some people that I didn't know. ... I love it, and I feel like it's something I'd love to come to again."