Washington State University Clallam County Extension and North Olympic Land Trust will celebrate small farms and local food during Farm Week, which begins Saturday with the 23rd annual free Farm Tour.
The celebration will continue through the following Saturday, Oct. 5.
The organizations plan events with agriculture-related businesses such as small farms, restaurants and producers with meals, entertainment, sales, demonstrations and talks.
Farms will be open for the free annual tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The tour is self-directed, leaving attendees free to go to farms they want to see throughout the day at their own pace. Visitors can begin their tours at any of the participating venues.
Organizers ask that visitors leave all their pets at home.
Taking part this year are:
• Lazy J Tree Farm, 225 Gehrke Road — Presenters will talk about the importance of compost and there will be a hayride through an organic orchard and tree farm.
• Agnew Grocery and Feed, 2863 Old Olympic Highway — This is visit to a 1920s farm store. There will be opportunities to meet animals and check out antique tractors on display.
• Finn Hall Farm, 940 Finn Hall Road — Finn Hall Farm is a historic dairy now used to grow hay and raise beef. There is also a refurbished train caboose, a “crooked” house and antique farm and dairy equipment on display.
• Five Acre School, 515 Lotzgesell Road — Farm staff will show student agriculture projects underway and demonstrate apple pressing. There is also an extensive playground. Baked goods and homemade cider will be available.
• Dungeness Valley Creamery, 1915 Towne Road — Visitors will have a chance to see a raw milk dairy, enjoy farm fresh ice-cream, tour a milking parlor, take a hayride and visit the creamery calves.
• Jardin du Soleil, 3932 Sequim-Dungeness Way — Visitors can see how to care for, harvest and process lavender. There will be demonstrations of the distillation of fragrant essential oil of lavender and children will have fun finding hidden treasure, running in the maze and making farm crafts to take home.
• Woodcock Demonstration Garden, 2711 Woodcock Road – The WSU Clallam County Master Gardeners have a whole day of Farm Tour events planned.
Farm to Table Dinner
Tickets are available for a $45 donation for a Farm Walk and Farm-to-Table Dinner at Chi’s Farm and Bent Gate Farms in Sequim from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Space is limited to 20 people. To register, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4351670.
Anna, Bryan, Libby and Asha Swanberg of Bent Gate Farms and Scott Chichester of Chi’s Farm will host an educational Sunday afternoon tour of their farms in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley.
Participants will gather at Chi’s Farm at 142 Towne Road at 2 p.m. for the tour. Participants will learn about organic vegetable production on the farm and all that it takes to get salad from his farm to the dinner plate.
At Bent Gate Farms the Swanberg family will show how grass-fed beef, lamb, goats and pastured pork are raised.
Dinner will be served on the farm at approximately 5 p.m. The menu features foods from both farms including whole roasted goat, potatoes, salad, veggies, pie, and ice cream.
Proceeds will support scholarships for the Clallam County 4-H Junior Livestock program to help kids get started in raising livestock of their own.
Participants will need to be able to get around on uneven ground and should wear appropriate footwear for walking in farm fields. Dinner will be served outside but there will be cover in the event of rain.
Participants should leave their pets at home.
Wild Edge Farm tour
From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday will be a tour at Wild Edge Farm, 621 Sisson Road, just west of the Elwha River.
While registration is required, attendance is free for this tour. To register, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4355181
Attendees will gather at a trailhead along the Olympic Discovery Trail for a 5-mile bike ride west to the Wild Edge Farm. Owners Jim and Karen Weaver and their children will conduct a walking tour of the farm.
Participants will share in a harvest meal that they will help to dig, pick and prepare.
Participants will need to be able to get around on uneven ground and should wear appropriate footwear.
Organizers ask visitors to leave their pets at home.
Agricultural history
Thursday, WSU Extension director, will make a presentation on agriculture in Clallam County and its evolving “place-based” food systems.
The presentation is free and will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.
Farmers markets
The farmers markets in Port Angeles and Sequim will feature fresh and local produce of the fall harvest this Saturday and next.
The Port Angeles Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Lincoln and Front streets.
Sequim’s market will feature Fiber Fun Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 5 at 152 W. Cedar St., the Civic Center Plaza.
For more detailed information about the Farm Tour and Farm Week, go to tinyurl.com/y67zubl8.
