ORCAS CENTER TONIGHT (FRIDAY)
Tonight Orcas Center and the San Juan Islands Agriculture Guild are launching the Annual Orcas Farm Tours with the Island Bounty opening party from 4-7 PM. It’s free for all ages to come and enjoy the art, food, and farms that make Orcas Island what it is. (Sales of the pop-up local food and beverage options that will be served tonight have now concluded, but you will get to see what they all look like when you arrive.)
There will be a whopping 55 artists, artisans, and makers from Orcas, Lopez, and other islands sharing their paintings, fiber and woodworks, sculpture, printmaking, metalworking, books, award-winning food products, wines, and ciders that all use island-grown materials or depict island agricultural landscapes.
Special features include demonstrations of metal working (Zackarya Leck) yarn spinning, basketry (Maria Bullock), flower arranging (Emmy Gran), herbal medicines, and sales of island brewed wines, ciders, and spirits (think pear, thimbleberry, lavender, etc.!).
If you haven’t heard about this until now, you will see people on Orcas Center’s porch eating island-grown bowl dinners and salads with amazing local breads and cheeses, and holding bottles of said wines and ciders. They were pre-ordered here. (I include that because I always like to know what I missed out on!).
The Orcas Center exhibit runs through November 15th.
FARMERS’ MARKET HARVEST FESTIVAL TOMORROW (SATURDAY)
The celebrating will continue tomorrow at the Farmers’ Market’s Finale at the Village Green from 10-2, where there will be live music, a zucchini contest, face painting, and 3 raffle prizes drawn at 11:30, 12:30, and 1:30 (buy your tickets for $5 each to win a big basket of fantastic goodies).
ANNUAL SELF-GUIDED FARM TOUR (FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY)
Pick up the 2022 Farm Tour map brochure (shown below) at tonight’s Island Bound party at Orcas Center, then head out to the fields, orchards, and market gardens tomorrow and Sunday to explore the bounty awaiting you!
All ages are welcome! Enjoy live music and cooking demonstrations. Sample local cheeses, ice cream, donuts, pastries, jams, and ciders. Pick a pumpkin. Watch apples being pressed and sample the juice. Buy anything from pottery to beautiful fruits, vegetables, meats, and baked goods from local growers and makers.
Island Bounty at Orcas Center is the outcome of an innovative collaboration between art and agricultural organizations that share the goal of building a thriving local community. Support for the exhibit comes from the Visual Arts Committee of the Orcas Center, the San Juan Makers Guild, the San Juan Islands Conservation District, and the San Juan County LTAC grant program. To learn more about the Farm Tours that run Oct 1-2, see www.farmtourssanjuans.com. Visit the Agricultural Guild and its important work building a sustainable food system at www.sjiagguild.com. To learn about Orcas Center, see www.orcascenter.org. The San Juan Makers Guild community platform is at www.sanjuanmakersguild.com. And the countywide Conservation District is at www.sanjuanislandscd.org.
