Soups, pies and friends come together at Ramona Harvest Fair 

Cooler weather and shorter days typically signal autumn. But for members of the First Congregational Church in Ramona, the Harvest Fair is “the epitome of fall.”

One of the highlights of the fundraiser by the church’s Women’s Fellowship group is a celebration of soups and pies homemade by members. 

The event, held Oct. 11 at what is known locally as the “little brown church” at 404 8th St., also featured a number of vendors offering homemade crafts and wares, a variety of cookies and other baked goods.

More than a dozen soups listed on a menu board in front of the large church kitchen included “Marry Me Chicken,” corn chowder, beef and pork chili and vegan lemon lentil. 

Pie options were similar in number, ranging from lemon bar to pumpkin, boysenberry, Oreo chocolate and several cheesecakes.

Tables were set up in front of the kitchen area, while vendor booths took up the remainder of the room. 

The workers at the kitchen counter kept the orders moving, and those in the kitchen were busy bringing more food, preparing it for serving and meeting any last-minute requests.

One of those volunteers was Perla Martinez, a church member for the past 33 years. 

Martinez, who grew up attending the church fair, said she dreamed of being the “lady in the church kitchen wearing an apron and sampling the soups.”

From her domain of crockpots and stove tops, she took care of last-minute details and lived her dream this year — tasting each savory combination.

“I have the apron and I get to be back here in the kitchen sampling all the soups,” she said, smiling.

While Martinez didn’t name her favorite — “they’re all so good!” she said — Carole Bryant, also a 33-year church member, chose the butternut squash soup as her pick of the day.

Bryant has been volunteering at the Harvest Fair for the past 30 years.

“I’m in the kitchen all day, organizing the soups and pies, helping at the counter and with cleanup,” she said. “It’s a great social event and for such a good cause, since all the money raised goes to help others.” 

Glenda Snell, a church member since 1995, began volunteering at the Fair in 2008. As a coordinator for the event, Snell usually spends the week before the fair without much sleep as she prepares for the event, other church members said.

“My favorite thing is everyone coming together and showing up, from church members to community members,” she said.

Snell chose the pecan pie as her favorite of the day, while Delores Mortier, a soon-to-be 40-year church member, chose the creme pie. 

“I used to own a Christian bookstore and always had a vendor booth,” Mortier said. “Now I help with the opportunity drawing baskets.”

Mortier said a couple of things make the Fair special to her. 

“We are carrying on a tradition from the church’s history,” she said. “And we see people from every walk of life here.”

Phyllis Neilson, a 35-year church member, was also working with the opportunity baskets. She said she has volunteered at the Fair for the past 25 years.

She spoke as she sold a steady stream of tickets for the themed baskets, stretching across on multiple tables. 

“Church members make the baskets ourselves,” Neilson said. “We start a couple of months ahead, making it fun and trading ideas.”

With items ranging from coffee to Scottish teas, chocolates, wine, luxury bath items and gardening, the baskets were in high demand. 

Linda Conley and Jo Smower said they loved looking at all the items for sale. But friends and food were the main reasons they attended, they said.

“I love seeing so many of my friends,” said Conley, a church member since 1978. “I was a teacher, so I get to see former students and their kids and grandkids.”

Her picks of the day were the potato soup and the peanut butter pie. 

Smower also chose the potato soup, while the peach pie was her favorite.

Although praise for each of the soups, pies and other baked goods was high, fair visitors can’t replicate them at home. The recipes are held as privileged information. 

Martinez said she still doesn’t know any of the soup or pie recipes.

“Those are top secret recipes and they aren’t telling,” she jokes. “But as long as I keep getting to taste, it doesn’t matter, they are all so good.”