With the July sun setting over the Katama Plains and a sliver crescent moon rising as cows grazed in the vast fields, the pastoral scene was set naturally for the Farm Institute’s annual Meals in the Meadow fundraiser Saturday night.

And like the institute itself, the event spanned the generations. Grandparents, parents, young campers and their counselors came together beneath the tent wearing summer pastels, suspenders, flipflops and cowboy boots to celebrate the Farm Institute’s many educational programs. Later in the night Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish took the stage with farm educator and Island favorite Katie Mayhew, their sultry blues drowning out the sound of cows mooing in the distance.

But before the dancing, guests were offered a lesson in composting. Twin brothers Braden and Tanner Lingis, age 10, stood in front of the composting table, eager to teach others about their display. The layers of compost, corn, hay, food scraps and dirt exhibited the different layers of nutrients, they explained.

“The hay keeps the compost dry to keep the bugs out,” Tanner said.

“We put compost in the garden because it’s full of nutrients and it helps the plants grow,” added Braden.

Nearby, their mother Becky Lingis watched with obvious pride.

“They’ve been coming here since they were five years old . . . and they’ve learned more about gardening and animals, they’re so well versed,” she said. “They’ll spend two hours straight weeding in the Friendship Garden and never complain. They love it.”

Before dinner guests perused other educational displays, including one on the Farm Project, a summer program for high school students, and others with information about animal breeds at the farm, grass and grains.

After the bidding was finished on dozens of silent auction items, farm manger Julie Olson walked around with a dinner bell, herding guests into the tent for a meal of barbecued chicken, ham, salads and macaroni and cheese prepared by Buckley Gourmet. Much of the food was raised on the farm.

This year the annual event did not include a live auction. Instead, founder Sam Feldman warmed the crowd up with an exercise of waving hands in the air. He then asked guests to do it again, only this time by pledging to sponsor specific farm programs. And Mr. Feldman almost made his stated goal of raising $60,000 in 20 minutes, raising $50,000. Total donations raised from the event were still being tallied late Monday afternoon. There was one anonymous donation of $25,000.

Farm Institute executive director Jon Previant spoke of what he called an “amazing” change in agriculture on the Island.

“In 1855 there were 4,401 people living here, they produced a total of $762,000 of agricultural goods . . . which is worth $15 million in annual production [today]. That’s an astounding amount of production that used to be here,” he said, adding:

“All those numbers are gone but our food scene is growing and vibrant. For us to feed the 16,000 base population of this Island — for us to do that would take 11,000 tillable acres on this Island. There’s only 935 tillable right now. Of that, the Katama Farm is blessed to have 160 of those acres under our care. That is an awesome responsibility and we take that very seriously.”

Mr. Previant named other Island farms, including Whippoorwill, Slip Away, Beetlebung, Morning Glory Farm, the Grey Barn and Mermaid Farm, saying: “the burden is on us to be stewards of this truly unique resource.

“We understand we are the transformers at the gate of agriculture, and for many kids and adults, this may be their only experience of agriculture in their entire lives. For us, this integration of farming and teaching is what matters. When you can get a kid to understand the chicken and the egg or have a kid make kale chips, you have accomplished something.”