By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
In an effort to support local farmers and food businesses and foster connections with consumers, the Tilth Alliance, a founding member of the Eat Local First collaborative, has launched its first Eat Local Month King County to better connect consumers and farm/food businesses in the area.
Throughout the month of August, residents and visitors are invited to celebrate local food in King County. The celebration — which focuses on the diversity of farms, ranches, fishers, farmer’s markets, and grocers – will highlight chefs, restaurants, food trucks, local food artisans, and makers who grow, raise, prepare, and create local food throughout the county.
Each week, the initiative will provide different opportunities to eat local food in King County. In addition, there will be special events, activities, recipes, buying local products, and resources, a special enter-to-win with prizes from local farms and food businesses.
August 6-12 is Farmers Market week, which celebrates the vital role farmers’ markets play in connecting consumers directly with local producers. August 13-19 is Locally Made week, which highlights the creative talents of food artisans and makers who grow, raise, prepare, and create local food throughout the region. August 20-26 is Farm week, which showcases the hard work and dedication of farmers in King County who sustainably produce a diverse range of products, from dairy and livestock to row crops and berries and August 27-31 is Restaurant week, Celebrates the collaboration between local farmers and food businesses, emphasizing the growth of the local food and beverage culture.
“Eat Local Month King County is a celebration of the many different pathways that bring the farm to our tables,” says Sheryl Wiser, Director of Special Projects at Tilth Alliance. “It’s a fun and easy way to connect folks with new tastes, new producers, and local food businesses, to growing their own food, while advocating support for our local farms and food economy. We also want to ensure they know about Eat Local First and the WA Food & Farm Finder, which is the go-to resource for finding local food in King County and Washington State.”
Eat Local First is a trusted source for those looking to find local farms and identify the restaurants, markets, and food businesses that purchase from local food producers. Their partner Sustainable Connections Food and Farming Program launched Eat Local First’s campaign in 2011 to help people throughout Northwest Washington choose local food first.
The Tilth Alliance, an organization formed in 2016 through the merger of Tilth Producers, Cascade Harvest Coalition, and Seattle Tilth, has played a significant role in the local and sustainable food movement in Washington State. In partnership with Eat Local First, they have launched the Washington Food and Farm Finder (eatlocalfirst.org/wa-food-farm-finder), which serves as a valuable resource for finding local food in King County and Washington State. The alliance also created a seasonal pay-what-you-can farm stand at Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands in 2020.
According to the King County Agriculture Program, King County has the fourth largest farmer population in Washington State, with over 42,000 acres (about twice the area of Manhattan) in its Agriculture Production Districts areas designated for agriculture. Of the 39 counties in Washington state, King County has the third highest number of farms, with over 100 plus products grown here, with dairies, livestock operations, row crops, and berry fields.
Working farms in the urban and rural areas of the county support 41 farmer’s markets (with over 25% of farmers from King County), Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) and local food delivery companies, a vibrant restaurant, food truck, grocery retail, and expanding local food and beverage culture – one that highlights the growth of entrepreneurial and culturally relevant food businesses working closely with local farmers to create new products for the marketplace. These businesses have made a notable investment of time, effort, and funds to source more consciously, from fine dining institutions to social enterprise cafes to pop-ups across a diversity of cuisines.
With support from the King Conservation District and PCC Community Markets, alongside additional backing from Seattle Good Business Network, After95 Creative, 21 Acres, Harbor Foodservice, and Seattle Farmers Market Association, Eat Local Month King County promises to strengthen the local food system, promote sustainable practices, and celebrate the rich culinary diversity that King County has to offer.
“Our mission is to ensure that good food nourishes the communities we serve while cultivating vibrant, local, organic food systems. For 70 years, we’ve been dedicated to preserving local farmland and partnering with Northwest producers, farmers, ranchers and makers,” said Rachel Tefft, Senior Manager Community Food Systems at PCC Community Markets. “Celebrating with our partners at Tilth Alliance for the first-ever Eat Local Month King County is our mission in action, and we are thankful for their leadership to build a sustainable, healthy and equitable food future.”
More information on the initiative is available online at eatlocalfirst.org/eat-local-month/King-County.
