Buy Local Food In Kitsap

In This Issue
Kitsap Harvest Week
Guess the pumpkin weight

Alvarez Farms Peppers Are Here In Plenty!

FROM THE PREZ
The farmers’ market season is winding down – last day is OCTOBER 10TH so get down here before it is too late!

This is our last newsletter for the season.  Thanks for subscribing this year.  We welcome comments & suggestions for next season for the newsletter and for the market.  I’d like to close out this season by showing you just a little of what else is going on in the county, garden-wise, and by shamelessly plugging a gardening course being offered this winter.

Remember, if you are a veggie gardener, or any other kind of gardener for that matter, spring and fall are the best planting times and our market has a great variety of plants all season long.

Thanks so much for supporting the Port Orchard Farmers Market this season.  We couldn’t do it without you!

KITSAP IS GARDENING!
Growing food for yourself and others can be very satisfying and good exercise for you too!  Look at just a few of the ways Kitsap County volunteers are growing food.  The Bremerton Urban Garden Society helps out with the planting beds at Bremerton Food Bank, growing fresh vegetables for distribution and education.  The Poulsbo Fire Station staff and other community members led by Master Gardener Brett Annear started growing produce for Fishline in 2009. Master Gardeners in South Kitsap led by Ray Garrido and Mary-Cathern Edwards cleared a huge garden area to grow food for the Port Orchard food bank and have delivered many, many pounds of food this year. Visit southkitsapgarden.org to watch the progress of this wonderful South Kitsap Garden in Olalla. Visit this website and you’ll be amazed at how quickly this garden has gone together. It may inspire you to try it on your own piece of land.   If you don’t have land, there are p-patches around the county that offer low cost plots.  You can grow a surprising amount in containers too.

As a grower of plants and vegetables, and from speaking with other farmers and customers, I know there are quite a few folks who have taken up vegetable gardening for the first time this year, and others who have decided “to get serious” about growing more of what they eat.  There is no food better than the produce fresh out of your own garden.  I think sweat must make it taste better!

If you have a backyard veggie garden, consider taking your excess bounty to your local food bank or sell it at our farmers’ market.  We love backyard farmers and it is a fun way to make a little spending money (to pay for your garden!) and meet people too!

If you’d like to learn more about growing vegetables and small fruits (especially organically), there is a good course this Jan/Feb called GROWING GROCERIES ORGANICALLY for the Backyard Gardener.  It was designed by & is taught by 4 Kitsap County Master Gardeners & Farmers Market vendors; yours truly, Sharon Howard (both of us are with the Port Orchard Farmers Market) , Kathy Morse (formerly Bainbridge Farmers Market), Kim Schleis (Bremerton Farmers Market).  We’ve taught this course a couple of times before.  Sharon will teach a 1 day course on Jan 9, 2010 for gardening “newbies” & then there are 4 other sessions in Jan & Feb. that are more intensive for more experienced gardeners.  You can take one or all of the sessions.  For registration and info, email Kathy at ogcourse@gmail.com or call the Master Gardener hotline at 360-337-7158.  Registration forms will soon be posted online at kitsap.wsu.edu and at local garden centers.

We hope to see you at the market this Saturday.  It’s going to be great!

Laura Pittman-Hewitt, President
Port Orchard Farmers Market

Upcoming Events
October 3 Fall Fair at Rodstol Lane Farm, 10AM to 3PM, benefits Kitsap Food Coop
October 10 Last day of the market

Kitsap Harvest Week

The Kitsap County Commissioners have proclaimed September 28 through October 4 as Kitsap Harvest Week to celebrate and honor all the local food that is grown right here in our own county.

And they have issued a challenge — eat at least one locally-produced food item this week.

Hmmm, locally-produced food, I wonder where you can find that?  I think you know…

Win a giant pumpkin!

On the last day of the market, October 10, John Rollins plans to transport his quite large Atlantic Giant pumpkin to the market.  He does NOT intend to transport it back home, because the pumpkin will be awarded to the market customer who comes the closest in guessing the pumpkin’s weight.

Please note that Atlantic Giant pumpkins get VERY BIG!  These pumpkins are the ones usually grown in the big pumpkin contests across the country.  So, if you plan to win this veggie-on-steriods, you’d best be planning to drive your big pickup truck to the market.  And maybe bring along a few of your strong friends for lifting it into the bed!

Stop by John’s booth at the market to see the pumpkin for yourself.

It appears Atlantic Giant pumpkins are used for more than just pies and contests.  Check out what they do with them in Maine.

Port Orchard Farmers’ Market
Every Saturday until October 10 (just two more market days!!)
9AM to 3PM
On the waterfront in Port Orchard, behind Peninsula Feed
P.O Box 8247
Port Orchard, Washington 98366