PEABODY – This year’s harvest has passed, the buds for next year’s fruit have yet to open, but more than 75 people traversed Brooksby Farm Sunday for what has become the orchard’s biggest annual event (recreationally speaking, of course): the Snowshoe Classic.”It’s all for a good cause, it’s a great way to spend a Sunday, and the food afterwards is fantastic… it’s all homemade,” said event volunteer Katie Torrence, of Malden.This was the third year of the race (although the first year there was no snow, so the race was a trail run), organized by the Peabody Department of Recreation, Parks and Forestry, which manages the city-owned, 220+-acre working farm. Money from entrance fees goes to “camperships” for recreation department summer programs and, for the first time this year, a foundation in memory of fallen Peabody firefighter James Rice. Event sponsors included Peabody police and fire departments and local stores and restaurants.The 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course looped over the orchards and through the woods, alongside ponds and across frozen streams, and up and down hills that made one wish for the hayride tractors in the fall.”At one point, I thought that I wasn’t going to finish,” said Alexa Marotta, 16. Marotta joined five of her teammates on the Peabody High School cross-country (running) team Sunday to run their usual race course on snowshoe rather than on foot. The team found snowshoeing a little different than running, however.By keeping you on top of the snow, snowshoes reduces the resistance from the ground so it’s harder to push off and propel yourself forward, like you would when running on a harder surface. It’s kind of like being on an elliptical machine, except you’re outside in the winter and moving up and down hills.”I didn’t think it would be that bad, I didn’t think it would be that hard,” Marotta continued. Team members admitted they walked a bit.As did many, if not most, participants.But that didn’t seem to be much of a problem.”The course is just beautiful,” said Laura Kidman, of Milford. She recovered from the race by burying her legs in snow. “It was very social too, people were blabbing all the way.”For many people, it was an opportunity to just get outside and do something new. Rentals were available for those without their own pair of snowshoes, and several people interviewed – including the majority of the cross-country team – said Sunday was their first time trying the sport.And for many, it was a success.Peabody Firefighter Dan Pimenta, who won the inaugural Battle of the Badges award as the first public-safety employee to finish, for instance said he had never been snowshoes before Sunday.But first-time snowshoers may become increasingly rare at future races.”The last few years, snowshoeing has become increasingly popular,” said Peabody Recreation Supervisor Randy Weld.He said the rental shop this year usually runs out of snowshoes before cross-country skis on a busy day.The overall winner of the race, however, admitted to prior experience on snowshoes. David Long won the race with a time of 25 minutes and 47 seconds. He came in second last year. Plus, Long said he had practiced before the race ? yesterday.But for those participants who only saw Long and the other top finishers at the start and after the finish line, there were other rewards than the prizes for winners. Almost everybody hung around in the barn with hot cider, homemade soups prepared by volunteers and food from sponsors.”Just coming up here to Brooksby Farm is so cool, it’s just such a cool atmosphere,” said the farm’s assistant manager Joanne Roden. “I think that helps with the success of the race.”