2009 Farm Tour Guide

2 • 2009 Farm Tour Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

By Katherine BarilWSU Je� erson County Extension Director

The 2009 harvest —the re-sults of our shared efforts to grow a local food economy – has paid big dividends this year. We had a record strawber-ry season and historic blueberry production. As you will see in this publication, this communi-ty has extraordinary resources, amazing farmers, chefs, grow-ers, and organizations. Sharing food reminds us that we can choose to live in a community and economy of abundance and generosity rather than one of fear and scarcity. There are many successes and great peo-ple. For example, Pane d’Amore bakery won a national award for excellence. Local farmers like Roger Short and Julie Boggs now sell their meat at farmers’ markets and The Food Co-op. And a new innovative partner-ship between WSU Extension and Organic Seed Alliance has brought a nationally recognized vegetable seed researcher, Dr. John Navazio, to work with local farmers to grow organic seeds, a new industry with lucrative national markets.

Six years ago only half of 1% of our food was sold directly from farmer to consumer. Today

it’s 4%. That may not sound like much but it is twice the national average. Not long ago there were 20 farms trying to eke out a living and now over 60 producers provide food for our community. Today there are fi ve local cheese makers. Over 22 new community gardens got started, and WSU Master Gardeners awarded local grants to provide for gardens, school projects, and scholarships.

Yes, we face very real chal-lenges. Imagine Jefferson County without farmers: local produce, no food security, no green rural landscape, less habitat for salmon and wildlife. Imagine no 4-H: no youth work-ing with animals and projects learning responsibility and job skills. Imagine no Master Gar-dener plant clinics or no WSU Extension.

We are a smart commu-nity. We know to preserve that which we most value and which sustains us, how to “save our seed corn.”We know that in hard times it’s critical to save programs that ensure future growth- in the direction we want to grow. First, consum-ers can buy more local food. For every 10% increase in our local purchases there is about $2.5 million that stays in our

community. Second, support water for

farms. In the last four years lo-cal citizens and agencies have been meeting and negotiating local water issues. While we have good water quantity on the Peninsula sometimes we don’t have it when, where, or for specifi c purposes that we need. On the Peninsula we get less summer rain than Phoenix, and water can be scarce during Au-gust, September and October when it is critical for returning salmon to spawn and for water-ing local crops. Proposed water rules limit water for new farms and housing and provide for increased water conservation, use of rainwater and storage ponds. As a community we need to work together to sup-port the local food economy and to prioritize local food pro-duction over housing on prime agricultural soils.

Finally, WSU needs your sup-port. For over 95 years WSU has worked in the fi eld, provided 4-H, taught gardening and helped pro-tect our natural resources. Even in hard economic times WSU is here investing in our shared future, working to solve real problems and changing lives every day. Save our community seed corn. Support WSU Extension.

eeeee eeeeeeeddddddddssdsdeeSSaving the Seeds that Sustain a Community

WSU Jefferson County Extension Director Katherine Baril helps harvest wheat on an August day in Port Townsend at the Dryland Wheat Project.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19:Tomato Madness at The Food Co-op! Tomato tasting, salsa-making demonstrations and an ugly tomato contest! 8 am to 5 pm in the store. foodcoop.coop

Port Townsend Farmers MarketThe weekly extravaganza of local food, farmers, crafts, music and community!9:30 am - 1:30 pm Uptown at Lawrence and Tyler streets • ptfarmersmarket.org

The Grow Your Own! TourVisit 7 gardens throughout the county that are thriving under the care of groups of dedicated gardeners. Community gardens, school gardens and the Food Bank garden are all included in this new “loop” on the Farm Tour.1-5pm at various locations. See page 9.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20:7th Annual WSU FARM TOUR!! Free! Grab your map (see centerfold) and head out to visit 13 local farms!10am to 4pm • jeff erson.wsu.edu

Tour des FermesVisit farms on the tour by bike! Get some exercise, meet fellow cyclists, and do your part to reduce emissions and congestion in our lovely rural areas. See page 10.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20 continuedFiber Farm LoopNot all Jeff erson County farms produce edibles! Check out these four local farms that produce wool, as well as the myriad products that can be made from wool. See page 8.

Chimacum Grange Farmers MarketStop by on your way to Center Valley for the fi nest and freshest Jeff erson County has to off er! Food and restrooms available.10am to 3 pm • 9572 Rhody Drive Chimacum. Park at Chimacum High School.

Kick O� “Eat Local Week” at Local Restaurants! Sept. 20-2715 area restaurants will be serving up a special dish each evening prepared with nearly all Jeff erson-grown products. Support your favorite chef and favorite farmer by eating out all week and ordering up some local goods! See page 11.

Save this Date! Oct. 11 • Noon to 4 pm Apple Festival at The Food Co-opThe third annual apple fest will bring with it all things apple: cider pressing, crafts, games, tastings and more. For information: foodcoop.coop

Farm Tour Week Schedule of EventsFor links to updates and interactive maps visit: jeff erson.wsu.edu

Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader 2009 Farm Tour • 3

We Live in a Beautiful WorldBy Brwyn Griffi n

Outreach/Education Manager, The Food Co-op

Most of us reading this paper live in the region once densely settled by a host of cultures that both revered and regulated the catch of the salmon they depended upon for food. Each year, indigenous cultures held “fi rst salmon” ceremonies designed to express their gratitude for the abundance supplied where individuals prayed for the spir-it’s continued generosity. This is on my mind as we once again celebrate local foods with our 2009 WSU Farm Tour, co-sponsored by The Food Co-op and Port Townsend Farmers Market.

The other day, someone suggested to me a title for an educational program presented by The Food Co-op: “Healthy Living in an Unhealthy World.” I immediately felt resistance. I don’t like to think of the world as unhealthy. “We

live in a beautiful world,” are the lyrics in Coldplay’s song, “Don’t Panic,” and I abide by that belief. Connecting the message of the song with the message of the indigenous cultures that held gratitude for the abundance of local food seems to me an appropriate theme for the celebratory nature of the Farm Tour.

In the spirit of local abundance and gratitude, The Food Co-op has a long history of promoting and supporting local production, from our involvement more than 10 years ago, helping a fl edgling Port Townsend Farmers Market fi nd its legs, to our current educational programs showcasing local farmers and producers. From the Growers and Producers Bio Book in the center of the store, to the large format photos

peppering the walls of the produce and dairy cases, The Food Co-op is committed, not only to purchasing as much locally produced product as we can manage, but to engendering the spirit of gratitude for those supporting our local “foodshed.” Not only the growers of beans and kale, but also to those working at organizations such as Jefferson Land Trust, LandWorks and Team Jeff erson, as well as consumers who support, through their spending, the purchase of truly local foods. In the age of “localwashing,” those who care about supporting local are applauded and to all of you we extend a hearty “thank-you.”

Visiting the farms during the WSU Farm Tour is one way to support our hard-working farmers. Consciously

purchasing foods from these producers also helps eliminate many of the human- generated ills lending to the belief that we live in an unhealthy world. Purchasing local products from local sellers keeps that money circulating in our communit y, reduces the consumption of petroleum, boosts the value of our beautiful farmlands and provides us with a modicum of security in an age when more and more humans are living a greater distance from the source of their food. It’s also a nice luxury to know the origins of our food.

If you can’t make it out to partake of a day of fun in the fresh air visiting our local farmers, you are welcome to come read about them at The Food Co-op, view their photos, and fi nd the results of their hard work in every section of the store–from the cheese case to the freezer section. We live in a beautiful world, and there are many (I count myself as one) who feel truly grateful!

The Food Co-op’s “Cooper” stands next to the weekly ad focusing on local farmers. Photos by Brwyn Griffi n

Join us in supporting our local economy. Our menu features:

Cape Cleare Salmon, Albacore & CodLocal Produce from red dog & Nash’s Farms

Cheese from mt. towNseNd Creameryport towNseNd Brewery Beer & Local Wines fromsoreNsoN Cellars, ChristiNa James & FairwiNds.

A LOCAL FAVORITE FOR 30 YEARS AND COUNTING!

Come join us for great happy Hour Specials! Monday-Friday • 5-7 p.m.Open Tues.-Sun. at 5pm • Lower Hadlock on the Waterfront • 360-385-3450 www.ajaxcafe.com

Justgreat food!

Producers’ Bio Book is held by “Organica” in The Food Co-op. See local produce at The Co-op.

� • 2009 Farm Tour Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

By Will O’Donnell, Director, PTFM& Karyn Williams, Board member PTFM,

owner/operator of Red Dog Farm

Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, has a saying: “Shake the hand that feeds you”. By that he implies that we could greatly improve our food system by having more contact with the farm-ers that supply it. Whether i t be an outgoing farmer or a crumudgeon (farmers

come in all stripes), any direct contact between consumer and producer personalizes the transaction and makes it harder for both parties to operate in a vacuum.

It is the vacuum that has so degraded our food system. The willful disinterest of the public in their own nourish-ment has aided and abetted the more corrupt practices of factory farmers and green revolution advocates that have poisoned our environ-ment and lowered our stan-dards of health. The lack of connection has led to a lack of caring. And as so many of you know, the lack of care given to our food system has been disastrous.

Jefferson County does not, in general, lack for care about food. Our Por t Townsend Farmers Market is one of the largest, best attended mar-kets in the nation for a town its size because of the caring and engagement of our citi-zens and community. Every Saturday, 1,500 people pass

through Tyler Street Uptown, hoping to shake the hand that feeds them. For farmer and PTFM board member Karyn Williams of Red Dog Farm, that care is essential:

“As a farmer, I get to bring my lovingly grown produce to the Farmers Market and display it for customers. The key for me is not only the sale, but also the interactions I have. I get to meet the folks eating my produce, and the eater in turn, gets to meet me. It is not only the transaction but the connection between farmer and eaters that brings me back to the market week after week.”

But shaking hands is not enough if we want to remake our food system. We need to start walking the land, and seeing the shape that is be-ing given to the earth that provides for us. That is why Karyn and I urge you to attend this year’s Farm Tour.

As Karyn explains, “The Jef-ferson County Farm Tour takes the Farmers Market connec-

tion one step further. Stand-ing in the fields, or in the barn, you can put yourself into the boots of farmers and imagine what the world might look like from their point of view: see the lay of the land, the way the row crops are laid out, or the paddocks arranged. Notice how amidst the beauty there is an awesome burden of a job that is never finished. Reflect on the cycles of sea-sons and workloads, weather

and productivity. I encourage everyone to take

a moment to thrust their hands deep into the dark soil of Center Valley or to give an affectionate dairy goat a good old scratch on the top of the head.”

By shaking hands, scratch-ing heads and walking the land on this year’s Farm Tour we can reestablish our con-nection to our food, our land and to each other. Come on out to our farms!

We supportour Farmers

Pane d’AmoreArtisan Bakery

617 Tyler Street, Port Townsend5th & Washington, Sequim

Coming soon to Bainbridge Islandwww.panedamore.com

We sell and supportour local farm fresh products.

Shaking Hands on Working Lands:

From the Farmers Market Back to the Farm

Farmers Market director Will O’Donnell at work.

Shoppers of all ages enjoy the fruits of local farmers’ labor. Photo by Harv Singh

Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader 2009 Farm Tour • �

By John Navazio, Ph.D.WSU Organic Seed Research and

Extension Specialist, Senior Plant Breeder, Organic Seed Alliance

In generations past, al l human societies had to rely on the food that they could produce during the grow-ing season to sustain them-selves for the entire year. In most temperate climates this meant that farmers grew a lot of crops that were easily stored, such as root crops, storage fruits (i.e. apples and pears) and tons of cabbage! They also did a lot of preserv-ing from salting and pickling, to fermenting and drying, and eventually canning.

Sometimes we look to the past in order to help see the future. This year WSU Jef-ferson County Ex tension, Organic Seed Alliance and a group of local farmers are evaluating a series of cold- hardy vegetables to iden-tify the best crops for winter

production on the Quimper Peninsula. The trials are sup-ported by the Port Townsend Food Co-op in an effort to extend support for local farm-ers and expand their offerings of local produce through the “off” season.

In some milder temperate climates like the maritime Northwest, where the winter lows don’t dip much below 20 F, it has always been pos-sible to grow some vegetable crops right through the winter months, thus supplying fresh food during the lean time

of the year before shipping fresh food was commonplace and local food was scarce. Growing these crops was not always easy as cold snaps could damage all or part of any crop. As long-distance shipping of fresh fruits and veggies became the norm by the mid-20th century, the incentive to produce these crops was lost and along with it the knowledge of how to grow them in many agricul-tural societies.

The current boom in inter-est in eating locally grown

food as well as a growing interest in nutrition and qual-ity in vegetables has re-en-ergized the topic of winter vegetables. While local farm-ers have recognized for some time that crops such as kale and leeks are quite cold hardy into our winter months, there are a number of other crops from other mild temperate cli-mates that might perform just as well in our region. The time to plant these crops is dur-ing the summer and we have been busy planting some very interesting overwinter-

ing greens, including lots of endive, escarole, radicchio, spinach and Swiss chard. We aren’t forgetting kale or its relatives, collard greens and old-fashioned sprouting broc-coli. Then there are the spicy treats arugula and cilantro which will grow easily until Thanksgiving.

The first question we want to answer is which of these vegetable crops are best suit-ed to our damp, not-too-cold climate, and will still give local farmers harvestable produce once winter comes. For each of these crops we’re growing at least a dozen different vari-eties to look at a real genetic spectrum for each vegetable type and identify the best variety in each one. We’l l hold a couple of field days for farmers and make recommen-dations for the best varieties in each crop. We’ll also start to make genetic selection among the most cold-hardy individual plants in our favor-ite varieties. By teaming up with farmers interested in do-ing some basic plant breeding and seed saving, we will start selecting a new generation of winter hardy vegetables adapted to our little piece of the planet. Our goal is to produce even better winter hardy vegetable varieties to build our local agricultural economy and supply us all with nutritious and delicious food year round!

A New Generation of Winter Vegetables

In support of the Farm Tour,bring this ad in for a free tastingat the winery.

The incredible bounty of local farms available year round! Photo by Harv Singh

John Navazio

Old Tarboo FarmDANA NIXON781 Old Tarboo Road, Quilcene(360)732-0965 • email: [email protected]

Directions: Follow Center Road south towards Quilcene. Half a mile after crossing under Hwy. 104 turn left on Dabob Road. Follow for 2 miles to Old Tarboo Road and turn right. After crossing bridge look for parking signs on your right. Old Tarboo Farm, near Quilcene, is owned by Jim Smith and Teri Hein and managed by Dana Nixon. This certi� ed organic farm produces vegetables and fruits for customers at the Port Townsend and Chimacum farmers markets, local restaurants, and grocery stores. Come to the 100-year-old barn to get farm fresh veggies; take a self guided tour around the � elds, pond, chicken/duck pen, and greenhouses. Tours will be given by farmers at the top of each hour, except for 2 pm when we will run a Zucchini Race! Stick some wheels on a zucchini and decorate it with a theme or whatever inspires you. Be there for the race or sponsor a zucchini to have it raced. Visitors vote on entries. The “People’s Choice Award” wins $20 to spend at the farm or market stand.

Wildfi re FarmSTEVE ”BEAR” & NANCY BISHOP220 Pocket Lane, Port Townsend WA 98368 (360) 379 8915 • email: [email protected]

Directions: Heading south on Cape George Road, turn right on Pocket Lane immediately before the Beckett Point turno� and stop sign. Farm is the � rst driveway on the right.At Wild� re you will � nd more than 800 trellised trees drooping with French, English and early American cider apples. Please come and wander through Washington state’s � rst Ceri� ed Organic hard cider orchard, planted in 2004. You will also have the opportunity to visit the cider house and observe the pro-duction line used to process the apples & ferment the juice. You’ll see how the

cider is then transferred from stainless fermentation tanks to oak barrels and after bottling to stillage cages for a slow and natural in- bottle fermentation. At the tasting bar you will � nd not only samples of our “scrumpy style” semi- sweet and extra -dry cider but also of the various apple varieties that give traditional cider its unique � avor. We will also have samples of our organic barrel aged apple cider vinegar. We look forward to seeing you!

Finnriver FarmKEITH & CRYSTIE KISLER, JANET AUBIN & JEFF HORWATH62 Barn Swallow Road, Chimacum WA 98325(2.7 miles south of the 4-way stop on Center Road)

Please no smoking or dogs on the farm.email: info@� nnriverfarm.com • website: � nnriverfarm.com

Directions: From Chimacum intersection, follow Center Road south 2.7 miles to Country Meadow Road. Turn right (west) onto Country Meadow Road. Follow until road splits and follow to the right, past houses, and park at barn.Finnriver Farm is a 33-acre organic family farm, orchard and cidery commit-ted to creating deep-rooted & fruitful connections to the land we farm, to our wild and human neighbors, and to our community. We grow berries, mixed vegetables, seed crops and grains, as well as operating our “sustainable staples” CSA. We also produce hand-crafted hard ciders. We will celebrate the Farm Tour this year with apple-pressing, guided farm and cidery walks, a farm stand full of early Autumn fruit and produce, live music, and—for the whole family— mural painting and arts activities sponsored by Belltower Arts. Finnriver also hosts “Wording the Land” a creative agri-culture project encouraging folks of all ages & abilities to write a poem on the farm. Copper Canyon Press will be present and we’ll have a land-inspired poetry reading by local poets at 1:30 pm. We hope to see you here!

Wild Harvest CreamerySUZANNE & MIKE TYLER734 Windridge Road, Chimacum, WA 98325(360) 732-0771 • Website: wildharvestcreamery.comemail: [email protected]

Directions: Wild Harvest is located just o� of West Valley Road. From the north on SR19, turn right (southwest) onto West Valley Road. Follow south 2.8 miles. Turn right (west) on to Windridge Road. Follow steep gravel road up the hill to the top and follow instructions to park.

Wild Harvest is a diversi� ed, sustainable, family farm supplying our lo-cal community. We employ rotational grazing systems that harness the complementary nature of our livestock. We raise both dairy goats and dairy sheep, and make cheese during our 10-month milking season. We also of-fer whey-fed pork, heritage turkeys, free range duck & chicken eggs. During the fall & winter, when we are not milking, we host day-long workshops in cheesemaking, lambing & kidding, animal husbandry, and other topics. Please come by for a visit during the farm tour! There will be cheesemaking demos, live wildlife viewing & discussions, composting information, live-stock for viewing and petting (goats, sheep, pigs, turkeys, ducks, chickens and miniature horses!). Our farm family will all be here to give tours and answer questions. We will also have sign up for pork, Thanksgiving heritage turkeys, and plenty of cheese for sampling and sale!

Gunning Family FarmJOHN GUNNING AND JESSE HOPKINS5270 West Valley Road, Chimacum, WA 98325(360)477-6690 • email: [email protected]

Directions: Head south on West Valley Road. Just after mile post 5 look for a barn and irrigated � eld on your right (west). Turn right here and park near the barn. Ever wondered what 30,000 pounds of potatoes looks like? Come see 15 varieties of potatoes grown here at Gunning Family Farm. A very important aspect of potato growing is cover cropping. John will be showing o� his � ve varieties of cover crops and discussing how he uses them in his organic systems. John will be giving tours of his extensive composting operation.

Colinwood FarmJOHN GUNNING & JESSE HOPKINS1210 F St., Port Townsend, WA 98368(360) 477-6690 • email: [email protected]

Directions: Farm lies half a block east of the intersection of San Juan Avenue and F Street. Park near farmstand.Certi� ed organic fruits and vegetables since 1989 with a 24-hour self-serve fruit and vegetable stand year-round! Come see 40,000 square feet of greenhouses (soon to be 70,000!) which will help farmers John and Jesse move into year-round local food production. There will also be a demonstration of mechanized potato and carrot washing with special equipment throughout the day. Java Gypsy will have their van set up, so stop by for co� ee!

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jefferson.wsu .edu

Froghill FarmSEBASTIAN AGUILAR & KELLY GELINO3029 35th St., Port Townsend, WA 98368(360) 385-9452 • email: [email protected]

Directions: Heading west on Hastings, turn right on Howard Street. Follow to end and turn left on gravel road. Pass through gate and park at the top of the hill.Froghill Farm is a Certi� ed Organic farm currently operated by Sebastian Aguilar and Kelly Gelino. They grow a variety of vegetables, fruit and � owers which are available through the Port Townsend Food Co-op, the PT Farmers Markets and their farm CSA. Their focus on soil tilth and fertility creates top-quality crops for those seeking food with � avor, tenderness and nutrition. Goats, ducks, bees and chickens enliven the farm while biodynamic techniques help bring vitality to the soil and plants. With work-trade and apprenticeship programs, Froghill hosts and trains many people in organic food production, helping to build a resilient and educated food community. On Farm Tour day, Sebastian will be giving tours of the farm and sharing his experience of 13 years farming. Dr. John Navazio, plant breeder for Organic Seed Alliance, will also present the trials he is conducting there with vegetable crops to evaluate their potential for season extension.

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Whiskey Hill Goat Dairy LLCDIANA DYER & FAMILY 2333 Cape George Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368(360) 385-3407 leave messageemail: [email protected] • website: whiskeyhillfarm.com

Directions: Whiskey Hill is located on Cape George Road 1/4 mile north of Hastings Avenue. Look for gravel driveway on the west side.On tour day we will have our farmstead cheeses available to purchase as well as goat milk soaps and lotions. Come tour the micro-dairy’s milk room and cheesemaking facility. Mingle with the goats that produce the milk. They love company! We raise chickens, pigs, horses, both large and miniature, as well as a miniature donkey. All animals on the farm are people-friendly.

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Sunfi eld Farm10903 Rhody Drive, Port Hadlock, WA 98339(360) 385-3658 • website: sun� eldfarm.org

Directions: Farm is located on Rhody Drive (SR 19). Look for driveway located between Circle and Square Auto Repair and Fiesta Jalisco Restaurant.

Sun� eld Farm comprises 81 acres, primarily � elds that are bisected by wet-lands and � anked by a forested hillside. Seven acres have been planted with vegetables, fruit, and cover crops. The remaining � elds are hayed and grazed rotationally by our cows, sheep, goats, and chickens. Our farmer uses biody-namic farming techniques to tend the land and animals. Being home to a Waldorf school as well, Sun� eld is a great place for families to visit on the Farm Tour. Crafts, music, food, hay rides and animals will all be ready for you to enjoy in a lovely, central location.

Mystery Bay FarmRACHAEL VAN LAANEN & SCOTT BRINTONPO Box 285 • 72 Beveridge Lane, Nordland WA 98358(360) 385-3309 • website: [email protected] email: mysterybayfarm.com

Directions: From SR 19, head east into Port Hadlock. At 4-way stop, go east on Oak Bay Road. Go 1/2 mile and turn left onto Flagler Road, following signs to Marrowstone Island. Stay on Flagler Road, crossing Indian Island, and follow to the Nordland Store halfway up Marrowstone. Follow signs and instruction to parking.

Mystery Bay Farm is a family run, micro-goat dairy on Marrowstone Island. We are equally committed to the long-term health of our soils and to the excep-tional quality of our products. Our ecological farming practices turn a diversity of plants into cheese. Since our goats “are what they eat”, we judiciously moni-

tor their food. In turn, they provide high quality milk with undertones of our maritime climate. We only substitute their varied pasture with local hay (which we cut during the peak of seasonal protein levels), seaweed and organic grain. Guests can see examples of rotational mixed forage grazing, tour our cheese making facility and see our milking process. Cultivated Palette’s Brassica Resturant will also be using our cheese and serving up a deliciously seasonal, farm lunch.

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Red Dog FarmKARYN WILLIAMS406 Center Road, Chimacum, WA 98325(360)732-0223 • email:

[email protected]

Website: reddogfarm.netDirections: From the Chimacum intersection, turn south onto Center Road. Go 1/2 mile to # 406. Make a right into the driveway and head for the red barn.Red Dog Farm is a 23-acre Certi� ed Organic farm nestled in Center Valley of Chimacum. The farm borders salmon-bearing Chimacum Creek and boasts breathtaking views of Center Valley. Farmer Karyn Williams, along with assistant Emily Truitt and a fabulous crew of workers, grow nine acres of diverse vegetables, � owers and berries and 10 acres of hay.

Come visit Red Dog Farm for a tour of our productive � elds and a farm stand with fresh produce for sale. Cape Cleare salmon cart will be selling its famously delicious salmon sandwiches, and for a special sweet treat, the Elevated Ice Cream cart will be on hand with � avors inspired by the farm, as well as by authentic Victorian-era recipes. Local acoustic music by some of the county’s favorites will add festivity to the day. Bring the whole family for a day of fun, feasting, and beauty. Please, leave your dogs at home!

Short’s Family FarmROGER & SANDY SHORT1594 Center Road, Chimacum, WA 98325(360)301-3521 • email: [email protected]: Farm is located 1.5 miles south of the intersection of

SR19 and Center Road. From 4-way stop, turn south on Center Road. Follow to #1594. Turn right (west) in driveway and follow signs to parking.

The Short family has been farming this 450 acres for � ve generations. Come see about their most recent endeavors: raising grass-fed beef and producing compost. You will have the opportunity to see the compost facility and equipment, learn about the process and even order some “Magical Dirt.” Roger and family will also be showing o� their new retail facility for beef, featuring

a walk-in freezer well stocked if you want to take some home. Most importantly, Roger will explain the necessity of good pasture maintenance for raising healthy beef. His grass-based system maximizes the great forage growing soil of the Chimacum Valley to put lean, delicious and local meat on our tables.

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For more information and interactive mapsvisit our website:

Dosewallips State Park

Shine Tidelands State Park

Gardiner

Protection Island

Marrowstone Island

Naval Magazine

Indian Island

Nordland

Chimacum

Port Hadlock

Irondale

Port Ludlow

Coyle

Quilcene

Shine

Four Corners

Brinnon

South Point

Lofall

Port Townsend

Eaglemount Rd.

Cent

er R

d.

Dabob Rd.

Coyle Rd.

Paradise Bay Rd.

Oak Bay Rd.

Beaver Valley Rd.

Center Rd.

West Valley R

d.

Old Tarboo Rd.

Egg & I Rd.

Discovery Rd.

Hastings

Cape George

Rhody Drive

Cape George

Hast

ings

Flagler Rd.Irondale Rd.

Windridge Rd.

F St.

Old Tarboo Rd.Old Tarboo Rd.

Port Ludlow

PaPaP rarar disesesBay

Please leave pets at home

and drive slowly on farm roads.

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Fairwinds Farm & Winery1984 Hastings Ave., Port Townsend, WA 98368(360) 385-6899 • email: [email protected] website: fairwindswinery.com

Directions: Located on the north side of Hastings Avenue between Cook Ave. Extension and Jacob Miller Road.FairWinds Winery was established in 1993 by two retired Coast Guard couples. Our Tasting Room opened its doors in 1996. The winery is now owned by one of the original couples, Micheal and Judy Cavett. Its aim is to produce some of the lesser known Washington State variet-ies along with the more mainstream Cabernet Sauvignon and Mer-lot. Stop by Fairwinds on Farm Tour day to taste the vintages, tour the winemaking facilities, and see the young vineyard and vegetable crops.

WSU FARM TOURSUNDAY, SEPT. 20, 2009

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A SPRING HILL FARMGARY & MARGARET WALTERS3723 Beaver Valley Rd., Port Ludlow, WA 98365360-732-4856gwalters@olypen.comspringhillromneys.comDirections: South on Beaver Valley Road to driveway on right

Spring Hill Farm has been raising purebred Romneys for fi ber and for meat for over 25 years. They started their farming experience in Poulsbo and moved to their 15 acres in Port Ludlow 20 years ago. Margaret and Gary have won many ribbons and awards for the quality of their sheep and wool. Margaret has also developed an extensive line of products made from sheep’s wool: Raw fl eece, roving, yarn, comforters, felt, socks and more.

B ANANDA HILLS FARM553 Embody Rd., Port Ludlow, WA [email protected]: South on Beaver Valley Road to right on Embody. At 90 degree turn follow roadto right.

Ananda Hills Farm is a multi-faceted 5 acre organic farm tucked away in the hills above Beaver Valley. Jenny Watkins and her crew raise Shetland Sheep, a diminutive breed bred primarily for it’s long, luxurious fl eece. She also has two Maremma stock dogs whose primary func-tion is to protect her sheep from predators. Even more important to her bottom-line are the organic eggs produced by a bevy of chickens and the organic garden produce she sells at the Port Ludlow Farmer’s Market and from her farm. During the farm tour she will have lunch available for a small fee and farm products for sale.

C TAYLORED FIBERS FARMBARRY & LINDA TAYLOR1671 Dabob Rd., Quilcene, WA 98376360-732-4109tayloredfi [email protected]: Central Valley Road past Rte 104.Take fi rst Dabob Road to left. Follow to address on left.

Barry and Linda Taylor raise an assortment of sheep bred for wool and for meat on 10 acres of property that is shared with two horses and a llama. Barry has had extensive experience processing wool in Australia and on the East Coast of the United States. He has used that experience to develop his own wool carding business. Visitors to his farm will have the opportunity to view his equipment and learn more about how raw fl eece is turned into beautiful dyed roving.

D JACOB’S FLEECEJAN GILLANDERS693 Big Leaf Lane, Quilcene, WA [email protected] ber.comDirections: Follow Center Valley Road to Quilcene. Take right on East Columbia, go right on Rte 101 to left on Wildwood Road. Right on Big Leaf Lane and follow to property on left.Jacob’s Fleece farm is 40 acres located in the hills above Quilcene. Jan’s fl ock is primarily made up of Jacob Sheep, a unique breed known for its black and white spots and for its multiple horns. For the tour she has invited other fi ber artists to be at her farm to demon-strate the process of turning raw fl eece into a fi nished product. Karen Rose from Llama Rose Farm in Port Townsend will also be there with her beautiful yarn and fl eeces.

Dosewallips State Park

Shine Tidelands State Park

Gardiner

Protection Island

Marrowstone Island

Naval Magazine

Indian Island

Nordland

Chimacum

Port Hadlock

Irondale

Port Ludlow

Coyle

Quilcene

Shine

Four Corners

Brinnon

South Point

Lofall

Port Townsend

Eaglemount Rd.

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Dabob Rd.

Coyle Rd.

Paradise Bay Rd.

Oak Bay Rd.

Beaver Valley Rd.

Center Rd.

West Valley R

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Old Tarboo Rd.

Egg & I Rd.

Discovery Rd.

Hastings

Cape George

Rhody Drive

Cape George

Hast

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Flagler Rd.Irondale Rd.

Windridge Rd.

F St.

Old Tarboo Rd.

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➎MAP FOR FIBER FARM TOUR AND GROW YOUR OWN LOOP (see following page)

For more info: olypenfiberfarmtour.com

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By Marcia Adams

When we consider agriculture in Jeff erson County, images of cows and beautiful vegetable farms come to mind. We don’t realize that raising sheep in our county is also serious business. Beaver Valley is host to at least three large sheep farms and there are several more tucked away on our more rural roads.

We have shepherds that raise sheep for meat, for milk and for wool.A sheep is far more than just a pretty

face; in a ewe’s lifetime she can shear 100 pounds of wool and wean 840 pounds of lamb or produce 960 gallons of milk. That is a lot of value from one 160-pound animal. All on mostly grass–the crop that this county produces best of all! This year, four farms that raise sheep for their quality wool are opening their gates to be their own special loop on the WSU Farm Tour: Spring Hill Farm and Ananda Hills Farm in Port Ludlow and Taylored Fibers and Jacobs Fleece in Quilcene.

These four farms not only shepherd their fl ocks, but also add value to the fiber of the animals. Margaret and Gary Walters at Spring Hill Farm process their Romney wool into a variety of products of use to spinners, knitters, weavers and general consumers. Jenny Watkins of Ananda Hills Farm uses natural dyes to create beautiful Shetland Sheep fi ber for hand-spinners. Barry and Linda Taylor of Taylored Fibers not only raise sheep but have also developed a custom-processing

mill to handle wool for other sheep farmers. Jan Gillanders of Jacob’s Fleece has many useful hand-knitted and felted products made from her own wool that are of use to everyone. These shepherds all welcome you to visit their sheep and to see what they are doing to improve the profi tability of their operations.

Stop by one or all of the sheep farms on the Fiber Farm Loop this year to get a glimpse at another kind of agriculture alive and well in Jeff erson County!

Farming: It’s Not Only About the Food

Fiber Farm Tour Sunday, Sept. 20, 10-4


Perhaps the only thing more satisfying than growing food for yourself and your family in your own backyard is doing it with friends and neighbors, sharing in the work and the harvest. Hence the recent resurgence of Com-munity Gardens! Local 20/20, the group that has given rise to the movement locally, counts 23 community gardens in Jeff erson County, mostly in Port Townsend, and nearly all new start-ups in 2009. Saturday, September 19th from 1-5 p.m. is your opportunity to visit a few of these gardens and learn more about their workings and styles.

These gardens go beyond plots of corn and tomatoes. There is a garden growing food specifi cally for the Olycap Food Bank Community Gar-den. There is a dryland wheat

project, complete with WSU researchers to quantify their success reintroducing western Washington wheat varieties to

the Olympic Peninsula. There are greenhouses, creative fenc-ing, sophisticated irrigation systems and even more compli-cated work share schedules.

Not to be left out are the school gardens, lovingly grown and tended by Candice Cosler and her students at Quilcene School. Candice will be on site at the Quilcene School garden on Saturday to give tours, an-swer questions, and sign up volunteers to assist in engaging school kids in healthy, nutritious and rewarding work.

If you’ve ever wondered what a community garden looks like, are interested in starting one, or simply desire some garden inspiration, join in this free event. But be warned-you might get hooked!

The Tour!Grow your own sites:

See map on previous page.

2 ROSEWIND COMMUNITY GARDEN3131 Haines StreetPort Townsend

6 DRYLAND WHEAT PROJECT1210 F Street , Port Townsend

Park at Colinwood farmstand and follow directions to project gardens. Be prepared for a walk.

4 PATCH 222233 Kuhn StreetPort Townsend

5 NEW SONG GARDEN3918 San Juan Ave.Port Townsend

1 DUNDEE HILL COMMUNITY GARDEN2810 Hendricks StreetPort Townsend

7 OLYCAP COMMUNITY GARDEN10632 Rhody DrivePort Hadlock

3 JACKMAN STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN1820 Jackman StreetPort Townsend

The Tour!The Tour!Saturday, Sept. 19, 1 - 5 pm

Find map online at L2020.org

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Where Gardeners Go!

406 Benedict Street, Port Townsend • 360-385-3354

✸ Extensive Selection of Annuals and Perennials✸ Fertilizer and Remedies

for All Your Plants

✸ Beautiful Statuary and Fountains

✸ Shrubs, Trees, Ground Covers and More

✸ Bulbs, Seeds, and Lots of Pottery

TIRESBATTERIESSHOCKS WHEELS

BRAKESALIGNMENTSCONVENIENT CREDIT

ON-SITE SERVICEWARRANTIES IN WRITING

We support our local farmers

Home of Sudden Service2355 Sims Way, Port Townsend 360-385-0124

Port Townsend Bicycle Association presents Tour des Fermes! Ride your bike to visit our local farms on the WSU Farm Tour. There are two great self-guided courses to choose from: a three-farm family/kid route in Port Townsend and a longer route visiting 12 farms in the county. Meet other cycling enthusiasts, enjoy fueling up at one of the many bike-friendly farms along the way. This may not be the Tour de France, but it is the Tour des Fermes! Have fun and “go green”! More info at ptbikes.org

Cyclists take in the country scenery on West Valley Road.

4th Annual Tour des Fermes


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According to agricultural economist Ken Meter, Jeff erson County residents spend nearly half of their food dollars eating out at restaurants or buying pre-pared food to eat at home. This presents a challenge for those of us who try to “Eat Local”: Where does this food come from? What is in it? For one week, at least, those who love to eat out will not be bothered by such ques-tions. In conjunction with the Farm Tour, 15 local restaurants will be serving a “Local Special” each evening, starting Sunday, Sept. 20 through Sunday, Sept. 27.

What you order at a restau-rant can seems as simple as satisfying a craving. But consider the benefi ts of ordering up the “Local Special”:

* By demanding local food you encourage restaurants to or-der more from Jeff erson County farmers.

* Locally grown food at res-taurants is a great way to keep tourist dollars in this town, sup-porting farmers instead of large food services companies.

* Consider the economic multiplier: every dollar spent at both local restaurants and local farms stays in this community and is spent at more local busi-nesses.

* Shorten the distance your food travels; instead of the aver-age 1,500 miles your dinner may travel to your plate, your choice to buy from Jefferson County farms greatly lowers the distance and the amount of energy and pollution to get it here!

Chefs and restaurant owners are excited to bring discerning customers the best of local farm products. “We’re so fortunate to have so many great farmers to work with here,” says Alison Hero, owner of the Silverwater Café and Mezzaluna Lounge.

“It wasn’t that long ago that we had a hard time getting local produce. Now the farmers make it so easy.” Hero has been a fan of local farms for many years, but it’s not just the die-hards that are inspired by this way of cooking. Her head chef, Tiffany Sewell, had not worked directly with farmers before coming to the Silverwater. “Now I just love the Farmers Market! Buying from farmers like Zach (Wailand) at Dharma Ridge make it fun–and you can’t beat the quality.”

So celebrate the bounty of Jeff erson County farms this last week of September by asking for the “Local Special” at area restau-rants. Order the PT Pizza! Dabob Oysters have never tasted so good! Head out on a special date to try a new restaurant and a new way of eating!

For a list of participating restaurants visit our website: jeff erson.wsu.edu

“I’ll Have the Local Special, Please”

Chef Arran Stark of Brassica Restaurant buys local produce from Colinwood Farm’s Jesse Hopkins. It brings smiles to both of their faces, as well as the customers who get the freshest and tastiest dinner as a result.

EAT LOCAL WEEK AT RESTAURANTS, SEPT. 20-27


WSU FARM TOUR7th ANNUAL SPONSORS:

Celebrate local food! www.jefferson.wsu.edu 360-379-5610

2009 Farm Tour Guide

Documents

Transcript of 2009 Farm Tour Guide