The sun finally came out in the Marina (you remember, that big yellow orb in the sky?) and with it a number of events off-Chestnut that truly lived up to the moniker Marina “Green.”

On June 18, National Picnic Day, the Marina Green became the site of a new Guinness World Record: the world’s longest picnic table. Conceived as a way to publicize the launch of Safeway’s new line of 100 percent natural products called Open Nature, the 305-foot-long picnic table crushed the former record by nearly 57 feet.

Food Network chef Tyler Florence prepared a barbecue picnic lunch featuring the all-natural products, and the happy smiles on the hundreds of guests’ faces said it all: 100 percent delicious! Beyond the all-natural products, compostable plates, knives, forks, and on-site recycling contributed to this being a green event. Even the record-setting table length was made from Forestry Stewardship Council Douglas fir, sustainably grown and harvested, with 10 new trees being planted for every tree harvested. After the event, the contiguous table was dismantled and divided up into multiple eight-foot tables to be donated to local parks.

It took four people almost 10 days to build the table on-site. When asked about the reason for the world record attempt, Nancy Cota, vice president of innovation and new product development for Safeway, said they were trying to figure out how to accommodate all of the guests they wanted to invite to the product launch when they realized the size of a table they would need to seat everyone … and the idea was born.

Mike Minasi, president of marketing for Safeway, said of the event, “Having lunch at the world’s longest picnic table on National Picnic Day is the perfect vehicle for celebrating our Open Nature promise that ingredients should come from nature and food should have as little processing as possible.” You can check out the new product line at Safeway.

The very next day, June 19, the Fort Mason Center Farmers’ Market celebrated its one-year anniversary with organic carrot cake passed out to the thousands of happy shoppers. Hourly cooking demonstrations featured local chefs preparing easy-to-make summer recipes from the seasonal fruits and vegetables found at the market. Produced by California Farmers’ Market Association (CFMA), the market also saw the return of Barbara Ambler-Thomas to the Marina as on-site market director and new executive director for CFMA. Many avid shoppers will remember Barbara from the Steiner and Fillmore Street markets. The anniversary also coincided with the arrival of the summer harvest at the farmers’ market with local, small family farmers and gourmet food purveyors bringing cherries, tree-ripened peaches and nectarines, heirloom apricots, strawberries from Watsonville, Asian vegetables, tender green beans, organic vegetables, artichokes, eggs, fresh-baked breads, fresh-caught fish, organic pork, and more. The Fort Mason Center Certified Farmers’ Market is a location approved by the San Francisco County Agricultural Commissioner where farmers offer for sale only those fruits and vegetables they grow themselves. The market is open every Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., year-round. For more information call the market hotline at 800-806-3276 or visit the website at www.cafarmersmkts.com.