Date Night On A Farm: Dover's Powisset Farm Adapts To Pandemic

DOVER, MA — The summer and fall are usually big seasons for local farms — not only are their community supported agriculture programs thriving but the warm and fresh weather serve as the perfect backdrop for festivals and events. The coronavirus pandemic restrictions have forced farms like Powisset in Dover to get creative with the events it offers.

What were once communal farm dinners and a massive fall festival has turned into private date nights and socially distanced weekend events. Powisset Farm is a not for profit, so they rely heavily on events to bring in the revenue that keeps the farm running.

D.A Hayden, Powisset's property director, said the farm had no choice but to get creative, and it seems to be paying off.

Date Night On A Farm is Powisset's newest program and all you need to know is in the name. Couples enjoy a moonlit dinner on the farm, complete with farm-fresh food, live piano music and views of the farm at night. With 109 acres on the farm, there is plenty of room for tables to be spaced more than six-feet apart, Hayden said.

The first date night was two weeks ago and it was sold out with 32 people.

"We were testing the waters the first time, but we're going to try for a maximum of 50 people at the next one," Hayden said. The tickets went live this week and Hayden said she's already gotten calls and requests from people who attended the first date night.

The cost of a ticket is $80 for members and $100 for nonmembers and includes a four-course meal and live music.

"It's really something special and people loved it," Hayden said.

The idea for a date night dinner came from the farm's former communal dinner event. Members would gather together at a long, communal table and enjoy a fresh meal together.

"Obviously, that's just not something we can do right now," Hayden said, so they found a work-around.

One of Powisset's biggest events of the year was the Powisset Harvest Festival, but this fall, a large gathering just isn't going to work. Instead, the farm is hosting a series of weekend events with limited capacity, throughout the fall.

The Fall Fun at the Farm events start on Saturday and run every weekend until Nov. 8. The events feature brick-oven pizza made from farm and locally sourced ingredients, craft beer from a nearby brewery, hayrides and live music.