Submitted by Sustainable Connections
Sustainable Connections Food and Farming Program announces the return of a month-long celebration in September highlighting local foods, farmers, and fishers. With the help of local businesses, farms and restaurants, Whatcom County will have the opportunity to celebrate “Eat Local Month” with cooking classes, a food trek, movies, cruises, special dinners, a farm tour and more.
“The month-long celebration gives us a specific way to say thanks and support local farms and food businesses that provide and seek out local food for us!” said Sara Southerland, Food & Farming Manager at Sustainable Connections. “Pick up an Eat Local Month passport and start eating your way through this festive month.”
In celebration of Eat Local month, Sustainable Connections is coordinating the annual Whatcom County Farm Tour on Saturday, September 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is self-guided, family friendly, free and features ten farms, one winery and one farmers market. (See all 12 farm tour stops and descriptions here). Attendees can become a Farm Tour VIP with a $25+ donation, and reap the benefits of a VIP goodie bag, coupons for tour stops and a few local goodies. VIP passes can be purchased at Sustainable Connections or at any of the Farm Tour stops on the day of the tour.
Twenty-one participating restaurants throughout the county will offer an Eat Local Month special dish, made up of 50 percent or more locally sourced ingredients – anything grown, raised or produced within Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan or Island Counties. And seven local grocers and markets will offer in season local products, individuals who purchase $10 worth of local produce during September from these businesses will receive a stamp on their Eat Local Month Passport, more details below.
Many farms, businesses and organizations will also be hosting a wide variety edible events including:
- Incognito Dinner by Ciao Thyme
- Bow Hill Blueberries Field Dinner
- Oktoberfest Brewers Cruise with Boundary Bay Brewery
- Bite of Bellingham
- Community Food Co-op Farm Fund Hootenanny
Individuals can earn one of four grand prizes by picking up an Eat Local Month passport and
having it stamped at participating restaurants, grocers, markets and venues and events.
Additional passport information, farm tour details, and a list of events and prizes, will be listed in Sustainable Connection’s Eat Local Month Guide available in August at the Community Food Co-op, Village Books, Bellingham and Whatcom County public libraries and visitors centers, farmers markets, Whatcom Farmers Co-op stores, Haggens, participating restaurants, local newspapers and online at eatlocalfirst.org.
