The third time was a charm for the Blackbelt Benefit Group’s Fall Farm to Feast banquet.

The annual fundraiser for Grow Selma returned to Spencer Farm in Marion Junction for the third consecutive year.

Organizer Clay Carmichael said this year’s event might have been the best yet and raised a couple thousand dollars for Grow Selma.

“The main thing is, most enjoyed it immensely. Altogether, it may have been the best ever we’ve done,” Carmichael said.

The banquet focuses on local and sustainable food production. In past years, the Blackbelt Benefit Group has used a caterer, but this year had volunteers help prepare side dishes.

The main course was pork that Missouri farmer Carl Blake roasted onsite.

Blake used genetics to breed a pig as close to Swabian Hall swine as possible. The breed — considered not too fat or lean — was renowned as some of the best pork in Europe and won World Fairs in the 1800s.

Blake roasted the pig in the American Hot Box, which he invented. The box is made of stainless steel and includes heat at the top and bottom, cutting roasting times drastically. The hot box can also be used as a grill, smoker or rotisserie.

“You can actually make money at it now as opposed to losing money every time you roast a pig,” Blake said. “And anybody can do it.”

The rest of the menu included baked goat cheese grits, snap bean nicoise, slaw and okra pancakes. Dessert was an apple tart with muscadine pudding.

Some of the local farms that helped with the menu include Cog Hill farms, Fiddlehead Farm, EAT South, Petals from the Past, Petal Pushers Farm, Rural Studio and Spencer Farm.

Chip Spencer said his family loves having their farm host the annual event.

“We are very happy that it’s sold out for the third time. The event’s popularity is not waning,” Spencer said. “I believe they key thing we are doing here as well as with Grow Selma is education. We are creating a world-class product here at the farm, but the bigger splash is to educate and inspire the next generation.”