The ingredients for How on Earth’s upcoming Harvest Beer Dinner have been handpicked, literally.

The health food shop and restaurant will host its first four-course dinner on Thursday, Nov. 14, offering guests the chance to chat with the people who produced their meal.

“The attendees to the dinner are going to be sitting right next to the farmers who are going to bring this food,” said Resident Chef Chris Chaput.

He said the idea for the farm to table dinner was brought up in his initial interview with Manager Tim Cole.

Chaput said he was excited about the idea from the start.

“It’s fun to go to the farm and pick out the animal you want, pick out the vegetables you want, and make something beautiful out of it," said Chaput. "That’s the best part for me.”

All the food on Chaput’s menu has been sourced from Massachusetts-based farms and fisheries, beginning with the smoked Copicut chicken croquette and ending with a sweet potato semi freddo. Buzzards Bay Brewing will also supply its ales.

Steve Murray of Kettle Pond Farm in Berkley is harvesting some of his organic vegetables for the meal, and said he has hopes that such events will get the word out about the importance of buying local.

“Western Mass has a much more robust idea of it,” said Murray. “They have [Community Sponsored Agriculture] that has waiting lists. I think we’re ten years behind.”

Murray wants to dispel the myth that New England’s vegetable harvest finished two months ago, and that local farms offer more than tomatoes, apples, and corn.

“I think we still have some way to go. It’s going to come around,” he said.

Through monthly events, Cole would like to provide more opportunities for the public to interact with farmers.

"This puts a human face on the South Coast food supply chain," said Cole. "[We want] to create a forum for the greater south Coast area to function as a community."

A Viking inspired mead dinner is in the works. For more information on the dinners, call How on Earth at 508-758-1341. How on Earth is located at 62 Marion Road (Route 6), Mattapoisett.