Welcome to Week 8 of Island Health’s Farm Stand!

It is hard to believe we are officially halfway through the summer Farm Stand season!  The variety of fresh, local produce from our vendors has been wonderful. This is arguably the easiest time of year to participate in healthy habits. A long, dry sunny day pairs well with grilled protein, fresh greens and an after dinner stroll.

If strawberries, raspberries, and tayberries were not enough, Schuh Farms is rolling out some of our favorite specialty purple berries this week, boysenberries and marionberries!

According to Specialty Produce, boysenberries are a hybrid of raspberries, blackberries, and loganberries developed during the Great Depression. Sweeter than a blackberry with delicate skin, this berry was responsible for putting Knott’s Berry Farm on the map!

Marionberries are a hybrid blackberry, generally larger in size than a standard blackberry with an almost black juice. These berries are only ripe for two to three weeks each summer and are rarely found in the marketplace fresh due to their fragile nature. The majority of marionberries are processed into flavored sauces and jams. In 2017, marionberry pie was deemed the official pie of the state of Oregon!

For the rest of this summer please be diligent with your fresh berries. Most are picked locally by hand in the warm sun. It is best to unpack and sort your berries immediately when you get home and move them into refrigeration. These special fruits will otherwise mold quickly, it is just their nature.

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/
• Dog Island Mushrooms grows a variety of culinary mushrooms on Guemes Island and will bring mushrooms by the pound and mushroom growing kits. http://www.dogislandmushrooms.com/

Weekly Fresh-to-Go (FTG) Bags

Fresh-to-Go Bag Contents for Tuesday, July 26th

• Raspberries
• Choice of Greens
• Peaches
• Bunched Carrots
• Surprise!

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

Email farmstand@islandhospital.org by noon on Monday, July 25th 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 26th, 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 farmstand@islandhospital.org by noon on Monday!

The Island Health Farm Stand runs 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every Tuesday from
June 7^th to September 6^th. The Farm Stand is held in the 24^th 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