A fresh approach is our potluck tradition

Potluck suppers come naturally to a gardener, because a gardener leads a potluck life. The crops you harvest are shaped by the season, and even with good soil and perfect planning, the oddities of weather determine what you can actually pick and eat on any given day. Dinner is the luck of the pot.

In my neighborhood most of us have kitchen gardens (and in some cases small homemade greenhouses as well), and we get together weekly to share a feast. We take turns hosting, providing only the table, and each person brings his or her own plate, cup, fork and a homemade dish to share. These aren't the complicated fetes like Thanksgiving, where a traditional menu is observed. None of this "How big a turkey?" or "Who's bringing pie?" Occasionally there's a theme, such as Indian food, or a fish taco fest for which everyone brings a condiment dish from the garden. But normally the fun is in seeing what turns up. If it's all appetizers, all salads or all desserts, nobody cares.

Although a good hearty meat dish such as shepherd's pie or chicken curry is always welcome, the table is dominated by food from the garden, things that normally might be called side dishes.

The season kicks off with asparagus and foraged greens such as fiddleheads and nettles, followed by a summerlong garden overflow of beans, broccoli, summer squash and other crops that must be picked often to keep them producing. Fall brings kale salad and Asian cabbage slaws. Winter favors roasted vegetable medleys, scalloped potatoes and apple pie. If it's early June and succotash appears, it means that Chip is clearing last year's corn and beans out of her freezer.

We've come to recognize people's individual style, so that we often know they've arrived before we see them or their car. One couple often brings a beautiful Greek-inspired plate with strong-flavored olives, vegetables and hummus drizzled with olive oil. One regular is known for her homemade pickles, another his kasha with peppers and eggplant. One brings homemade wine. Another makes Japanese spring rolls stuffed with tender greens from her winter greenhouse.

There are times when everyone, hilariously, seems to walk in with the same thing. Over the years we have had strawberry nights, spinach nights, winter squash nights. And yet, everybody's dish is different, so we all learn new ways to use a surplus.

As busy folks, we have also mastered the art of the last-minute solution. A bowl of fresh-picked, shell-your-own peas delights everyone, as does a big plate of sliced tomatoes with basil and balsamic dressing. Some of my favorite quickies are cucumbers with dill and sour cream, raw veggies with feta cheese dip, and ripe melons cut and served on a platter.

We have no cooking rules. Room temperature is fine for almost any kind of food. Participants do not have to dress up. For the host, tidying the house is optional. If someone comes straight from work and all they can do is stop on the way to buy crackers and good cheese or a few pints of ice cream, that is OK. More than OK, actually.