A Letter from the Editor of Bluedot Living Martha’s Vineyard, Late Summer 2024

Hello Readers!

First of all, thank you for picking up this magazine. We hope it was the silvery-blue river herring on the cover that helped draw you in. That photo was taken by Island photographer Lisa Vanderhoop, wife of Captain Buddy Vanderhoop, a Tribal member who ran a thriving business on the Island selling river herring caught from the Herring Creek in Aquinnah, a once-prolific run that has consistently dwindled since 2020, much to the concern of members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), who’ve relied on it to feed themselves and their families for the last 10,000 years.

This late-summer issue is all about food, and our Bluedot team wants to acknowledge the foodways of people who were here first. River herring, as you’ll read about on Page 40, were an original source of sustenance for the Aquinnah Tribe, long before they were sold commercially. Alongside state and federal environmentalists, the Tribe is figuring out how to restore the historic run. Cranberries have also always been an important food source on the Island, and every second Tuesday of October, the Tribe celebrates Cranberry Day — their last major gathering of the year, marking the beginning of the harvest season. The Island’s wild cranberry bogs continue to feed and nourish us today, if you know where to look. Our story on page 22 will likely give you some hints. 

When it comes to the Island’s original foodways, “you grew it or you got it out of the ocean, really,” Tribal member Bettina Washington tells us. We see more and more Islanders returning to these ways, and the stories you’ll find in this magazine highlight many of those efforts.

Speaking of Island bounties — the annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby begins on September 15 and runs for six weeks. Morning Glory Farm hosts its annual Pumpkin Festival on October 19. The Ag Society’s annual Harvest Festival is on October 20. 

Another thing to keep an eye out in the months ahead is Bluedot’s off-season issue, which is all about green projects. Do you or any friends have a sustainable winter project you’re excited to start? Write us below. We’d love to learn more. 

Thanks again for reading, and happy harvesting! 

– Britt Bowker