4th Annual Whatcom County Farm Tour - Sat. September 10

Media contact: Sara Southerland, Food & Farming Outreach Coordinator
sara@sconnect.org, (360) 647.7093 x114
          
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         
July 14, 2011 – Bellingham, WA

4th Annual Whatcom County Farm Tour - Saturday, Sept 10

Bellingham, WA – The 4th annual Whatcom County Farm Tour is right around the corner and the perfect day to meet your farmer, explore local farms with a backdrop of stunning Mount Baker and taste the bounty our fertile region has to offer.

Always held on the second Saturday of September, this free, self-guided tour is a treat for everyone: the whole family, cyclists and more. With exciting educational and interactive activities at each tour stop, fabulous products for sale at farm stands and a number of bicycle routes – the Whatcom Farm Tour is a real adventure.

Last year’s tour of diverse Whatcom County farms brought out hundreds of visitors, with more than 5,500 individual farm visits at all the stops combined.

Bellingham resident Barb June, her husband and father-in-law in his mid eighties, made it out to seven out of 11 stops last year.

“What a fantastic day!” June said. “We ate corn, ice cream, strawberries, yogurt, cheese, apples, and buffalo sausage. We picked green and yellow beans, cukes and carrots. We drank cider and wine and treated our hands to luscious lotion made on the farm, too!”

Discover Whatcom County farms through a day of savoring the sights, smells and tastes of the season, our agricultural history and of our place in the world.

2011 Tour Stops Sneak Peak:  13 stops with interactive education and products for sale         
    *BelleWood Acres – Tour the farm on the Apple Bin train, take the stream walk,     and pick up your delicious apples and homemade treats at the farm store.                    
    *Bellingham Country Gardens – Pick your own no-spray strawberries and veggies, and join in the fun with our scarecrow-making contest!
    *Boxx Berry Farm – Tour the farm on the tractor trailer, put your kids on the kiddie train, nosh     on sweet corn on the cob, or a berry sundae.        
    *Camelot Ranch Alpacas – See and learn about raising Alpacas and their incredibly soft fiber --  make your own fiber project on the farm too!       
    *Cloud Mountain Farm –  Peruse through the nursery and fields, see the dozens of varieties of  rare fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and check out the farm stand.       
    *Dakota Creek Winery – Tour the eco-friendly wine cellaring cave and taste and purchase delightful locally made wines.
    *Edelweiss Dairy – Not usually open to the public, come see the cows, take a tour and taste organic treats at this Organic Valley Cooperative dairy farm.
    *Farmer Ben’s – Experience a farm animal tour of their grass fed Angus beef,  pastured Berkshire pigs, free range laying hens, and pastured poultry.
    *Half Acre Farm – U-pick vegetables! Come play in the dirt with us and leave with the freshest “no-spray” veggies you’ll ever purchase
    *Heritage Lane Farm – Come and see heritage breed Navajo-Churro, Southdown and Oxford sheep, Large Black and Mulefoot pigs, geese, chickens, turkeys, ducks and more.
    *Twisted S Ranch – A complete bison ranch tour with up close viewing and photo opportunities, samples of tasty bison meat products and display of bison hide and fiber.
    *Vartanyan Estate Winery – Relax with amazing view of Mount Baker or stroll through vineyards while savoring a glass of vino from this boutique winery.
                    & the Bellingham Farmers Market – Farmers, food vendors, local crafters, musicians celebrating the Eat Local First Campaign, and more for a festive day in downtown Bellingham – a great first stop on your way out to the County.


What: Whatcom County Farm Tour
When: Saturday, September 10, 2011, 10:00am - 5:00pm
Where: 13 Whatcom County Farms -- pick up Farm Tour maps and the September Eat Local Month Guide starting August 30 at the Community Food Co-op stores, Haggen, area farmers markets, local businesses and online.
Contact: sara@sconnect.org or 360-647-7093 x114.

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