From mushrooms to melons, clams to Camembert, goats to gardens, the Farm Tour is the best way to see the bounty of Jefferson County agriculture. Come meet the "many faces of farming" and celebrate the great food and the rural landscape that make this place home.
1 • WHISKEY HILL
Diana Dyer
2333 Cape George Road
Port Townsend
www.whiskeyhillfarm.com
Whiskey Hill is located southwest of Port Townsend. From the end of Hastings Road, turn right (or SW) onto Cape George Road. After 1/4 mile, the farm is on the left.
Whiskey Hills is a new Grade A goat dairy, the first in Jefferson County in many years, with purebred, registered Alpine and Nubian goats. The farm produces raw milk and raw milk cheese. Come meet "The Girls of Whiskey Hill" and tour the milking parlor, barn and cheese-making room. Cheese and handcrafted goat milk soap are available for purchase.
2 • COLINWOOD FARM
John Gunning & Jesse Hopkins
1210 F St.
Port Townsend
Colinwood is located in the heart of Port Townsend, at the corner of F Street and San Juan. Parking is just off of F Street near the barn and farm store.
Likely the most visible farm in Port Townsend, Colinwood has long been a reminder to residents of the beauty and bounty that result from farmland and open space - even in a rapidly growing town. John Gunning has kept this land in vegetable production for many years and plans to keep it going as a visual reminder to Port Townsendites of where their food comes from and why we should keep farmland as farmland. Come learn about John's greenhouses and newly reopened farmstand, and meet his righthand man, Jesse Hopkins.
3 • SUNFIELD FARM
Willy Reid
10903 Rhody Drive
Port Hadlock
www.sunfieldfarm.org
Driving south on Rhody Drive, turn right just past Circle and Square Auto. Sunfield's driveway is on the north side of the Fiesta Jalisco parking lot. Parking is plentiful around the myriad buildings.
Sunfield Farm features horse-drawn wagon rides of the farm, apple cider pressing, self-guided tours of the animals, music, children's activities and crafts, open house and open classrooms as well as a tour of the farm on the hour. New this year is the farmstand. Stay for lunch, with fresh food available for sale.
4 • WILD HARVEST CREAMERY
Mike, Suzanne & Aaron Tyler
734 Wind Ridge Road
Chimacum
From Rhody Drive in Chimacum, turn south onto West Valley Road. Go 2.8 miles, passing through some of the most scenic farmland in Jefferson County, and then turn right onto Wind Ridge Road. Follow this all the way to the top, and park near the house and barn.
Wild Harvest Creamery is a goat and sheep dairy that produces farmstead artisan cheeses, bottled milk and, in the near future, handmade yogurt and ice cream. The farm also raises and sells pasture-fed lamb and cheveron, practicing rotational grazing on 125 acres of mixed pasture and woodlands. During the tour, the Tylers offer milking and cheese-making demonstrations, and cheese tasting.
5 • GUNNING FAMILY FARM
John Gunning
5270 West Valley Road
Chimacum
Head south on Beaver Valley Road. Just after milepost 5, look for a barn and irrigated field on the right. Turn right here and park near the barn.
John Gunning, who also owns Colinwood Farm in Port Townsend, has farmed his "county piece" for nearly 15 years.He primarily grows potatoes at this site. Come learn about the specialized equipment he uses to efficiently plant, cultivate and harvest potatoes.
6 • SOLSTICE FARM B&B
Linda Davis & Jim Rueff
6503 Beaver Valley Road
Chimacum
www.solsticefarmstay.com
Driving south on Beaver Valley Road, turn right on Peat Plank Road (mile 2.8). Make first right turn onto farm driveway and park near the house.
Solstice Farm B&B invites everyone to come meet their chickens, ducks, sheep, calves and llama, all munching happily on abundant pasture. The bed and breakfast doors have just opened, and Linda is now hosting craft classes too. Farm Tour activities include tours, demonstration of building twig structures, sheep hoof care, stream restoration education, a farmstand and more!
7 • BISHOP DAIRY
The Bishop Family
2691 Egg & I Road
Chimacum
Drive south on Beaver Valley Road. Turn right on Egg & I and go 1/4 mile. The farm is on the left. Park near the barn and house.
Come visit the historic Bishop Dairy - home of much local legend and lore as well as organic milking cows. For more than 100 years, the Bishops have farmed the 525 acres that inspired Betty MacDonald's famous book The Egg and I. Come learn about the farm's certified organic practices and meet three generations working together to keep this important piece of Jefferson County's agricultural heritage viable.
8 • BROWN DAIRY
The Brown Family & Jefferson Land Trust
9156 Rhody Drive
Chimacum
Though the picturesque driveway is on Center Road, visitors are asked to enter the property from Rhody Drive. Coming from the north, turn right immediately past the Chimacum fire station and before the car wash. Parking is behind the white, historic farmhouse.
History in the making! For generations the Brown Dairy has been admired by all who pass through the Chimacum intersection. The Brown family milked cows here for 30 years, and the Bishop family for generations before. Now, Jefferson Land Trust is raising funds to purchase the property to protect its agricultural, historical and conservation values. Through an innovative lease agreement with Mt. Townsend Creamery, the Land Trust will help keep this farm productive and preserved for generations to come. Visitors will learn about the history and future of the farm, sample and buy Mt. Townsend Creamery cheese, and tour the grounds.
9 • RED DOG FARM
Karyn Williams
406 Center Road
Chimacum
At the four-way stop in Chimacum, go south on Center Road. Travel 1/2 mile to find Red Dog Farm on your right. Turn right at the Farm Tour sign and park alongside the driveway or around the big red barn.
Red Dog Farm is a certified organic 23-acre vegetable, berry and flower farm nestled in the Center Valley of Chimacum. This is Red Dog Farm's first year in production. Farmer Karyn Williams runs the farm, assisted by three interns, various helpers and Rupert Dandelion, the red border collie. Musicians Dave Sheehan, Meredith, and Bill Shepard perform live music throughout the day. Arran Stark of Cultivated Palette serves up fresh, locally inspired food prepared from his mobile sustainable kitchen cart. Please leave your dogs at home.
10 • FINNRIVER FARM
Keith & Crystie Kisler
62 Barn Swallow Road
Chimacum
www.finnriverfarm.com
Proceed south from the Chimacum four-way stop on Center Road. Drive 2.7 miles and take a right turn onto Country Meadow Road. Just past the bridge, take a right turn onto Barn Swallow Road. Drive past the Finnriver Farm sign all the way up to the big red barn and park there.
Finnriver Farm is a 33-acre certified organic and salmon-safe farm that straddles Chimacum Creek in the historically agricultural Center Valley of Chimacum. In addition to a newly planted heirloom apple orchard for producing artisan ciders and fruit wines, the farm grows mixed berries and vegetables as well as bees, goats and chickens. Come learn to press apples for cider, take a guided farm walk, taste the flavors of Cape Cleare's salmon cart, load up on pumpkins and squash, and listen to music in the fields by The Airstream Travelers. Belltower Arts also sponsors "Art on the Farm," with watercolor painting activities for all ages.
11 • SERENDIPITY FARM
Chris Llewellyn
141 Cemetery Road
Quilcene
www.serendipityfarm.org
Take Center Road south to Quilcene. At U.S. Highway 101, go right (north). After 1/4 mile, turn left onto Cemetery Road. The farm is the third house on the left.
Serendipity Farm is a family-run farm that practices sustainable, organic agriculture. The farms boards horses, grows produce, fruit, herbs and flowers, sells eggs and hosts workshops. Everyone is invited to tour the growing areas and stables and check out the new compost facility and heavy use protection areas for horses. Enjoy a cup of soup while watching the festivities, and peruse the other farm products for sale. Horse rides are part of the fun too, but don't miss the chicken-herding competition at 2 p.m., complete with prizes. Bring a team of two or three people (no border collies allowed!) and see if you can outsmart our chickens!
12 • BIG QUIL ENTERPRISES SHELLFISH FARM 4-H YOUTH ENTREPRENEUR PROJECT
Joe & Joy Baisch
Linger Longer Road
Quilcene
Travel on Center Road to the U.S. Highway 101 intersection and turn left at Windermere Real Estate. Go one block and turn left at the Jefferson County Road Shop on Linger Longer Road. Continue south for about 3 miles to the Quilcene Boat Haven Marina at the end of the road, where you can park.
A "land" tour presentation of this youth entrepreneurial project is given all day to visitors at the Quilcene Marina. A "water" tour to the beach takes visitors by boat to see Big Quil's shellfish farm. Coast Oyster is next to the marina, providing an example of one method of propagating oysters. Fresh clams and oysters are available for purchase. Donations for boat fuel are appreciated by the youths to help defer costs.
Reservations are needed for the boat tour, leaving on the hour. Call 379-5610, ext. 200, to make a reservation.
13 • OVERBROOK FARM
Eric & Joan Hendricks
1592 Duckabush Road
Brinnon
From U.S. Highway 101 going south, turn right on Duckabush River Road in Brinnon. Go 1.5 miles on Duckabush Road. Turn left on Overbrook Lane and then right at the first driveway.
Overbrook Farm is a 10-member CSA located in the Duckabush Valley. It is also a Stewardship Forest and member of the American Tree Farm System. Come tour the vegetable garden and see the elk fencing. New on the tour this year are tours of the tree farm and information on forestland management.
14 • MOON HILL MUSHROOM FARM
Gary Streid & Jude Ashley
554 Briarwood Lane
Brinnon
Driving south on U.S. Highway 101, pass through Brinnon and continue 5 miles to Duckabush River Road. Turn right and follow for 2.1 miles. Turn right onto Briarwood Lane. Follow this gravel driveway 0.7 miles, passing the greenhouses. Look for parking signs.
In 1996, Gary became interested in gourmet mushroom cultivationand ever since has been propagating shiitake and oyster mushrooms on a slope of the Duckabush River Valley. Visitors can gain an overview of growing techniques, tour the grow rooms, see the equipmentand talk to staff.
ALSO ON THE TOUR
JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM
540 Water St.
Port Townsend
www.jchsmuseum.org
A new exhibit on the agricultural heritage of Jefferson County is featured in the temporary exhibit gallery in the restored 1891 Port Townsend City Hall building. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-12.
WSU JEFFERSON COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
201 W. Patison
Port Hadlock
www.jefferson.wsu.edu
WSU, host of the Farm Tour, is Tour Central this year - both logistically and geographically. Stop by on the way out to the county for a copy of the "Passport to Local Farms" activity book and a Farm Tour map. At noon, hear storytelling from George Huntingford Sr., a longtime Jefferson County farmer, resident and politician. Join a carpool to lessen the carbon footprint of your tour. Plus, learn about your local cooperative extension. All events are free.
CHIMACUM GRANGE
9572 Rhody Drive
Chimacum
The recently revitalized Chimacum Grange is a great place to witness our new farm economy in action. The Chimacum Farmers' Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and offers the products of myriad Jefferson County farms. Docents are also on hand to give tours and history of the grange, starting at 12:30 p.m. This year marks the grange's 90th anniversary.
