Welcome to Week 6 of Island Health’s Farm Stand!

Put on your shades, it finally feels like summer in Anacortes! The next week of warmer, uninterrupted sunny weather means fruit-bearing vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini will be growing by leaps and bounds.

Because our average summer temperature is tempered by the chilly Salish Sea, many common vegetable varieties do not grow well in Western Washington without the help of greenhouses. Thankfully, our local farmers are experts at choosing and developing varieties which ripen early and thrive in our climate. Farmers use a unit of measure called Growing Degree Days (GDD) to estimate plant ripening. Learn more about GDDs for tomatoes from WSU Skagit County Extension Master Gardeners: https://www.skagitmg.org/home/resources/tomato-info/

Tayberries made their first appearance at the Farm Stand last week. A cross between the red raspberry and blackberry, this fruit is hard to find in commercial markets due to its pleasant soft texture. Tayberries must be picked by hand and have a short storage window. We are incredibly lucky to have this berry at our market. Plan to process or consume tayberries within a day or two of purchasing.

This week’s Fresh-to-Go bag contains both carrots and sugar snap peas. Slice both raw and have in storage containers in the fridge for an easy crudité snack. Consider switching up your standard chickpea hummus with this black bean version: https://islandhealth.org/healthy-recipes/black-bean-dip

Please remember to bring a reusable bag to the Farm Stand. The statewide plastic bag ban went into effect October, 1, 2021. We have a limited number of Island Health Farm Stand bags available for purchase. If you are interested, please respond to this email!

This Week’s Participating Vendors

• Schuh Farms will be providing their wide selection of Skagit grown produce, berries, flowers, honey, and cookies as well as choice items from family farms in Eastern Washington. https://schuhfarmswa.com/
• Water Tank Bakery is back by popular demand with their artisan breads and cookies made using craft techniques and Washington grown Cairnspring Mills flour. https://www.watertankbakery.com/
• Ebb & Flow Herb Farm grows culinary and medicinal herbs with which they sell fresh, dried, and as blended teas and seasonings. Also available will be artisan goat milk soaps and selection of fresh vegetables!

Weekly Fresh-to-Go (FTG) Bags

Fresh-to-Go Bag Contents for Tuesday, July 12th

• Bunched Carrots
• Bing Cherries
• Greens of your choice
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Tayberries

How to Order Fresh-to-Go (FTG) Bags

• Email farmstand@islandhospital.org by noon on Monday, July 11th to indicate you want the current FTG bag.
  • Please include a contact phone number (prefer cell phone) when placing your order.
• Pick up FTG bag from the Schuh Farms booth at Farm Stand on Tuesday, July 12th, 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • Please pick up your Fresh-to-Go bag by 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, unless you make a special arrangement when emailing farmstand@islandhospital.org.
• Pay at the Farm Stand.

If you pre-paid for the entire season there is no need to email, we have you on the list!

The Island Health Farm Stand runs 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every Tuesday from June 7th to September 6th. The Farm Stand is held in the 24th Street courtyard on the Island Health campus just to the east of the main campus entrance. Island Health employees and the local community are all welcome to attend.

Thank you,

Island Health Employee Wellness