To my friends and family, it is no secret that I am a big fan of locally grown produce and a strong supporter of family farms. We are so incredibly fortunate to be able to buy veggies, fruits, milk, eggs, organic meat, honey, flowers, plants, and all kinds of products from jams to handspun yarns, right here on the Peninsula!
Locally grown food is “thousands of miles fresher.” That translates into better taste and more nutrition. By buying local, we are supporting not only our local farmers, but also our local economy and the preservation of farmland. It is a tragic fact that nearly 75% of the farmland in Clallam County has been lost to urban sprawl. I cannot emphasize enough: Community support is the long-term sustainable solution to the loss of farms in our region.
The following are a few more good sites to visit if you are looking for local produce or for information on what you can do to protect farmland (this list is a work in progress!)
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS & MARKETS:
Friends of the Fields: These folks have worked tirelessly to save farms in Clallam County. So far, they have successfully helped to preserve 146 acres through conservation easements. This year, they are trying to raise $900,000 to save the historic 50-acre Finn Hall Farm. They need our help! Whether money, time, or other support, please donate today!
Red Rooster Grocery: Relatively new to downtown Sequim, but definitely not new to the locally grown scene! Mark & Lisa provide an outlet for dozens of growers, artists, and producers of locally made products in their little store just off Main Street (aka, Washington Avenue). They keep a pot of homemade soup cooking, a freezer full of locally grown meats & freshly caught fish, and coolers full of whatever produce is in season. The back corner is dedicated to local artisans – and you just never know what you’ll find. Stop in. It’s a colorful place!
Sequim Open Aire Market: Local produce plus lots of local arts & crafts and music. A destination for fun on Saturdays May through October.
Port Angeles Farmers’ Market: Wednesdays and Saturdays 1-stop shopping for a wide variety of fresh, local produce. A year-round event!
Port Townsend Farmers’ Market: A community celebration of local farmers, food producers, and artisans. Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Clallam Grown: A resource of where to find local produce and products. Also includes the latest information pertaining to personal health, the economy, and our environment. This group has literally done ground-breaking work on getting local foods into schools with their Farm-to-Cafeteria program!
Jefferson Grown: Similar to Clallam Grown, a guide to what’s in season and where in Jefferson County and other relevant information.
Organic Seed Alliance: This Port Townsend organization is “founded on the belief that seed is both our common cultural heritage and a living natural resource fundamental to the future sustainability of food production.” You might want to read that twice and let it sink in. It is up to us to preserve the diversity and genetic health of the seeds that nurture us. To make a difference, contact the Organic Seed Alliance.
Cascade Harvest Coalition: This organization helps farmers be more sustainable by providing resources and connections for their products; they help consumers by providing info on where to find locally grown fresh produce. They are all about supporting farmer’s, educating consumers, and building healthy communities. Check out their website. You won’t believe how many family farms and farmer’s markets there are in Western Washington!
FAMILY FARMS (just a partial listing, because many do not have websites):
Dungeness Valley Creamery: Certified raw milk from pastured Jerseys treated like pets. What a surprise to find out how good “real” milk tastes!
Graysmarsh Farm: U-pick strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, blueberries, and lavender; also jams, jellies, and gift packs.
Hoh Humm Ranch: Lots of animals! Goats, llamas, and organic grass-fed beef, lamb, pigs, and chickens
Maple View Farm: A fourth-generation family farm selling “Sequim Gold” compost, hay, and straw.
Nash’s Organic Produce: Nash is famous for his carrots, but he and his crew provide a wide assortment of organic fruits & veggies all year. Get Nash Bucks or join the farm share program and save!
**Special Note: Nash Huber was recently awarded American Farmland Trust’s 2008 Steward of the Land award. This is the first time this prestigious award has been given to someone in Washington State, and the first time to an organic farmer! It is a national recognition of a commitment to sustainable farming and environmental preservation. Congratulations, Nash, and to all of your crew!**
Salt Creek Farm: Community Supported Agriculture
LAVENDER, OTHER HERBS, & LOCAL WINES:
Angel Farm: “All things lavender”
Cedarbrook Lavender & Herb Farm: Family-owned working farm & gardens surrounding a 100-yr old home. Nice place to wander! Their new restaurant, Nourish Sequim, features organic, locally grown foods!
Harbinger Winery: Uses both local grapes and berries and Eastern Washington grapes. “Sheet-metal chic” tasting room is a lot of fun.
Lost Mountain Lavender: U-pick bundles, bath & body products, cullinary lavender & honey; huge variety!
Lost Mountain Winery: Handcrafted wines in a natural unfiltered style without sulfites. A family winery in the scenic foothills of the Olympic Mountains.
Olympic Cellars Winery: Home of “The Working Girl” and “La Dolce Vida” wines. Now making wines from their own grapes and local lavender!
Purple Haze Lavender: U-pick, tours, classes, gifts, culinary, and aromatherapy products. Stores both on the farm and in downtown locations.
Sequim Lavender Growers’ Association: A great resource for a listing of local lavender farms and activities.
LOCAL FOODS IN RESTAURANTS AND B&Bs:
Alder Wood Bistro: Local foods, wood-fired cuisine, the hearth of Sequim!
Bella Italia: Fresh seafood, local organic produce, and Italian cuisine.
Groveland Cottage Bed & Breakfast: Built in 1886, this historic home is a great place to meet, celebrate a special occasion, or spend a few days.
STATE & NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
American Farmland Trust: Saving the land that sustains us: no farms, no food. That simple.
Farm Aid: Join Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, and friends in raising money to save family farms and raising public awareness on the importance of family farming to our communities and American culture.
Food Routes.org: Where does your food come from? Take the Buy Local challenge!
Certified Naturally Grown: A nonprofit organization that provides an alternative certification program tailored for small-scale direct-market farmers.
Rodale Institute: The Rodale Institute has become a national institution. Find the latest news on sustainable farming methods, global warming, and organic agricultural issues.
Slow Food: A nonprofit organization dedicated to counteracting fast food and promoting local food traditions and an appreciation for where it comes from, how it tastes, and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.
Tilth Producers: A chapter of Washington Tilth, the premier organic farmer and sustainable agriculture organization comprising over 400 members.
WSU Clallam County Extension: Lots of gardening tips and an educational resource for farming methods from pruning fruit trees to growing grapes to … their website is currently being revised, so check back!
[Contact me to be added to this list!]
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REMEMBER TO BUY LOCAL
THANKS AGAIN FOR VISITING OUR SITE!
Come back!
And come back often!
Blythe