CATHLAMET -- “No longer is
it necessary to drive an hour or more for top-quality produce and breads,” says
Heidi Heywood of Skamokawa. “Our family
has loved joining the ‘slow food’ movement, made easy by purchasing
naturally-raised vegetables from Stockhouse’s Farm, pasture-raised meats and
eggs from Wooden Bridge Farm and wonderful artisan breads from the Inn at
Crippen Creek Farm.” She says her
daughters eat more vegetables and eggs as they see first hand where their food
comes from, “and who can argue with a six year old falling in love with
artichokes?”
Locals are increasingly falling head over heels for
delectable farm-fresh goodies. Currently
there are more than a dozen small farms in Wahkiakum County dedicated to growing and selling
top-quality foods direct to customers. These
farms are gaining a strong customer base by working together with WSU Wahkiakum
County Extension to promote themselves and reach more local customers.
They began their work together in October 2004, when WSU
Wahkiakum County Extension, Lower Columbia EDC and the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum
Council of Governments initiated the first Wahkiakum Ag Summit. At the Summit,
interested folks met each other and were excited to learn that they all had a common
desire to grow and produce or buy local food. Participants identified a need
to promote small farms with their top ideas being starting up a Farmers Market,
creating a cooperative effort among farmers to market their products, and
creating a Farm Map to advertise small farms and their products. A little over two years later, all of these
ideas are reality thanks to the hard work of local farmers and WSU Wahkiakum
County Extension.
WSU Extension Small Farms Coordinator, Carrie
Kennedy, sees tremendous growth in locally. “People are surprised when I tell them how
many vendors we have at the Farm Market, or how many farms we have in the Food
and Farm Guide,” she says. “While the
face of agriculture in Wahkiakum County has changed over the years, farming remains a thriving part of the Wahkiakum
economy. More and more, farmers are
finding revenue in agritourism and specialty organic or all-natural products.”
2006 was the first year Stockhouse’s Farm offered CSA (community
support agriculture) for subscriptions produce grown on their farm. Produce subscriptions were an overwhelming
success says Diane Stockhouse. The
Stockhouse’s, along with Mike and Kim Howell of Little Island Farm, opened Two
Islands Farm Market in August. With a few other
vendors, the community response was once again very positive. Market Manager Rob Stockhouse says “This will
be our first full year and we are planning for more vendors and a much larger
customer base. People are still learning
that we are here.”
Two Islands Farm Market opens May 4 and will be open every
Friday 3-6 p.m. through October. Stockhouse says about 10 vendors have signed
up, selling vegetables, eggs, baked goods, perennials and meats. Wahkiakum County Master Gardeners will also
have a booth, handing our plant growing advice along with educational posters
and some kids’ activities. The Wahkiakum Food and Farm Network was initiated at last
year’s Ag Summit. They work together
with WSU Extension to promote small farms in the county, including publishing
the Wahkiakum Food and Farm Guide. Last
year, the first Guide included six farms. This year more than 14 farms and food purveyors are in the Guide, which
includes a Farm Map. The Guide was
distributed in the Eagle the first week of May, and is also available at
several Wahkiakum locations; including the PUD, Chamber of Commerce and the Two
Islands Farm Market.
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