Nutrient-dense but encumbered by a bad rap for the cholesterol in their yolks, eggs amount to near perfection for ecology-minded farmers. Every part of an egg is useful right down to crushing the shells for a fine abrasive suitable for scrubbing pots and pans when mixed in a little dish soap. You could mix the crushed shells with a little egg white and make yourself a nice facial mask.

When Labor Day weekend ends and the vast sea of tourists and summer residents begin to trickle home, Island businesses and restaurants feel the pinch. With so much of the Island’s consumer population disappearing, it isn’t always easy to keep turning a profit. For some, the Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival might be the solution. Established six years ago, the Food and Wine Festival gives restaurants and businesses the chance to continue their commercial success into the shoulder season.

Vineyard Gardens continues its tradition of merging the beauty of nature with artistic merit. Each Friday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. the nursery hosts a Gallery in the Gardens event, featuring a new artist each week.

Tonight, August 2, Valentine Estabrook shares the spotlight with the foliage. There will be champagne, too.

The All Island Art Show is Monday and Tuesday, August 5 and 6. This annual event at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs is what you would call all-artist inclusive. The adult show is on Monday, from 9 to 4 p.m., and the junior art show is on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon.

A group of artists are coming together at the Gay Head Gallery for a group show, Changing Coastlines: Changing Ponds to benefit the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group and the Martha’s Vineyard Water Alliance. The work captures the beauty of the coastline and reflects the impact that wind, storms, currents and a changing climate has on local resources.

The new Vineyard Seadogs calendar has arrived just in time for the dog days of August. Take a journey around the Island with these dogs who delight in all things Vineyard — the beaches, harbors, porches and even reading rooms. Maybe they can read after all.