by Grow Northwest

The farms, food and culture of the San Juan Islands are celebrated during the month-long  Great Island Grown Festival in October. Also part of the islands-wide Savor the San Juans Festival, the Island Grown event features farm fests and feasts, parades, cooking classes, barn and hatchery tours, educational workshops and more.

The month is full of events, including tours at San Juan Distillery and Westcott Bay Orchard. COURTESY PHOTO

Some event highlights include:

• Shellfish Farm Hatchery Open House & Tour: Visitors can tour the Lopez Island hatchery on Oct. 5-6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn about the local shellfish industry or purchase fresh clams and oysters from the Sweetwater Shellfish Farm’s harvest site. Sponsored by the Jones Family Farms.

• Scarecrow Making: All welcome on Oct. 6 at the Brickworks from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for some autumn fun making scarecrows. All supplies will be provided. Participants may enter their scarecrows in the Farm Festival parade.

• Friday Harbor Fall Farm Parade: The parade follows the scarecrow making, and begins at 2:30 p.m. down Argyle Avenue and Spring Street before heading to the Brickworks, home to the farmers market.

• Brickworks’ Harvest Chili Cook-Off : After the parade, six of Friday Harbor’s finest chefs will compete to create their best chili from local foods on Saturday, Oct. 6 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The event follows the Friday Harbor Farm Parade. Participating will be Cask & Schooner, Ernie’s Cafe, The Market Chef, chefs from F.H.H.S. Food for Thought, the Bluff Restaurant, Adam Stone, and Pablito’s. The public is welcome to taste the dishes and cast a vote for the 2012 Brickworks Chili Cook-Off King or Queen. Tickets are $15 per adult and $8 per child, and includes chili, cornbread, fresh-pressed apple cider, and dessert. The Brickworks beer and wine garden will be open and music will be provided.

• S & S Homestead Cheese Making Demonstration: This Lopez Island farm will demonstrate making raw milk hard and soft cheeses on Oct. 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. Samples will be available. Return to the homestead for a Bread Baking Demonstration on Oct. 20.

• Cider Apple Picking Party: On Oct. 6-7, Westcott Bay Cider/San Juan Island Distillery offers families the pleasure of helping pick the apples that grow in the orchard on Westcott Bay. Cider tasting available. Head back on Oct. 13 or Oct. 20 for a tour of the ciderworks and distillery to see how they make cider and then distill gin and apple brandy. Taste their prize-winning ciders, Spy Hop Gin, Apple Eau de Vie, Pommeau, Lavender and Wild Rose Liquor, as well as various brandies.

• Orcas Island Farm Tour: Visitors can explore working farms on Orcas Island on Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including Maple Rock Farm and Morningstar Farm.

• Food for Thought Community Dinner: On Oct. 10, share a meal produced by the San Juan Island School District’s Food For Thought Program to benefit the Student Chef Program. Dinner starts at 5:30 p.m.

• A Tour of Historic Barns: The weekend of Oct. 13-14 features barn exploration and activities, including apple pressing, animal petting and wood carving demonstrations. All proceeds benefit the Historical Society. Barn tour tickets are $20 per adult.

• Seed Lending Library Open House: The Seed Lending Library on Lopez Island is committed to providing the community with open source seeds. View seed processing demonstrations and learn about what the library offers This event will take place on Oct. 19 and Oct. 26 from 4 to 6 p.m.

• Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead Tour: On Oct. 20, tour the Bullock’s Permaculture Homestead on Orcas Island. See holistic orchard management, wildlife habitat enhancement, energy systems, water catchment and more from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

For a complete list of activities and locations, visit www.visitsanjuans.com/savor.

Published in the October 2012 issue of Grow Northwest.