Sarah

Friends and cheese

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Apr 072012

On Whidbey Island there used to be many many dairies, but in 2007 the Sherman-Bishop farm sold their cows and thus ended the dairying era on our island. That is, until Little Brown Farm started up in 2010 and brought her wonderful goats and a supply of local cheeses to the appreciative island gourmets. It was not easy for, Little Brown Farm owner, Vicky Brown to make that happen as she worked her way through the maze of regulations and inspections to get her dairy licensed. During those years we got to know Vicky and now we have a mutual appreciation that shows itself in several ways. The two of us have worked on various farm-related committees on the island, and Vicky uses our lavender in some of her cheeses.

It’s finally spring and the goats are kidding which means Vicky is making her cheeses again. She posted this today on her facebook page. Chevre cheese with lavender!

She wrote: “Packaged little bites of bliss for the Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival - This is Little Brown Farm Caprine Cream Chevre with Lavender Wind Farm Lavender!”

As the season progresses you’ll find her cheeses made with lavender and our own herbs de provence at our shop as well as at Bayview Farmers Market. In a word… YUM!

Medicinal Moments with Toni

News Comments Off

Mar 282012

Toni has it Made in the Shade

We scored a coup! An officially trained herbalist joined our staff. We didn’t think she’d be teaching us about herbs, because we hired her to take over as Nursery Manager. But, in her first few days we were sitting at a staff meeting complaining about sore bodies due to spring demands on the farm and she told us to try taking Turmeric. “It helps with inflammation,” she says, and went on to tell us how well it’s helping her adapt to work on the farm.

She writes articles on gardening for the Whidbey Examiner, and she wrote in the Island County Master Gardeners Newsletter.

Watch in the next few months as she teaches us about the medicinal aspects of many herbs, works on the plants in our nursery, and after we open the new shop, we are hoping she’ll be teaching some classes, so you’ll be able to learn, too.

The dirt on the project

Coupeville Shop Comments Off

Mar 232012

Bottom line? It’s all about safety. That’s why we had an engineer come and have a look at the building before we went too far along the design phase of the process. He said we needed support underneath the floor joists to accommodate the hoards of people and machinery/equipment that will be in the building. Ok, the bit about hoards of anything is either tongue in cheek or hopeful.

In any case, we need to put in some beams under the joists when we get permission to start work. This building is 87 years old, and the building codes were different in those days, so the crawl space underneath was deep enough to allow maybe a 10 year old boy to get through to do work, but no adult. So, we’re starting to move out some of the dirt to get a bit more space in order to be able to put in joists, run ducts and wiring, and adjust plumbing.

Isn’t this glamorous? Isn’t it just what you’d love to know about when you think about lavender? Rest assured, you won’t see any of that when we open, but you will be very happy to know you will be completely safe in the building, and so will we.

Until then, get your lavender out at the farm and continue to send good thoughts to the town officials who have to wade through mountains of paperwork, including our building plans.

Mussel Fest Success

Coupeville Shop Comments Off

Mar 052012

Looks like an apothecary

We had a great weekend in our “Popup Shop” at our new building this weekend during the Mussel Fest. Lots of people had a chance to stop in and find out what is going on with the building that has been on the corner since 1925. Our friend and lifelong Coupeville resident, Lyla Snover, came by and told us not only had she babysat for people in the house many years ago, she’d gone to kindergarten here, too, about a decade before the babysitting. It’s this community history with a place that makes the project so much fun.

We intend to breathe new life into the corner – changing overgrown landscaping and putting in a commercial kitchen in order to make our own products and rent to other farmers and producers in the area who might need a kitchen to develop their businesses.

New Shop During Mussel Fest 2012

But, for now, the house will be in the hands of our capable contractor for the remodeling work that needs to be done. Keep your fingers crossed that all will go smoothly and we’ll have an opening date before summer comes.

From Red Carpet to Purple

Uncategorized Comments Off

Feb 262012

Update the Red Carpet* to PURPLE!

It’s our new campaign and you can join. For one day you can get 20% discount off your total order – just use this code when you check out.

purplecarpet

Now you can look forward to some relaxing after stresses of the Oscars.

*For you non-Oscar junkies, that’s where the celebs parade their stylin’ abilities and chat it up with interviewers on their way into the main event. For some people the Red Carpet IS the main event – I didn’t just say that.

Greenbank Cheese Co.

Other Shops Comments Off

Feb 262012

Greenbank Cheese Co. is one of the amazing shops at Greenbank Farm.

Greenbank Cheese Co.

It carries a huge selection of cheeses and an amazing array of gourmet foods, many from the island, and many from beyond our shores.

You can find our jams and mixes there most of the year.

They also carry a couple of lavender cheeses. Drop by and check out the selection. For you locals, they have good prices, so keep them on your regular shopping route.

765 Wonn Rd # B101
Greenbank, WA 98253

(360) 222-3474

The Goose Grocer

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Feb 262012

In Bayview on Whidbey Island is a unique grocery store called The Goose. Owned by Goosefoot, it was created to fill a niche to supply a combination of local food and staples commonly desired that aren’t necessarily local. So, they have a lot of the kinds of things you’d usually find in a grocery store, and they have special displays with local foods, including some of our foods and personal care products.

Phone: 866.326.6714

14485 Highway 525
Langley WA 98260

Prairie Center Red Apple Grocery

Other Shops Comments Off

Feb 262012

In our own backyard, and where we do most of our own shopping is the venerable Prairie Center Red Apple. They have been carrying quite a few of our products for a year and a half now. It is really fun to have people tell us that they are so happy they can get the products there and don’t have to drive ALL the way out to the farm… Well, ok, in the winter we can understand, and when people are busy…. But who wouldn’t want to come out to the farm in the summer when there is so much purple in the fields?

The folks at the Prairie Center are amazingly friendly and helpful, and we’re grateful they include us in their product line. Enjoy!

Store Address:
408 S. Main Street
Coupleville, WA 98239

Phone: (360) 678-5611

Navy Exchange

Other Shops Comments Off

Feb 262012

For all you folks who are connected to the Navy, many of the exchanges carry some of our products. It all started with the Whidbey Island NEX (Navy Exchange) and soon a bunch of others, mostly in the Puget Sound area, picked up our products as well. We feel lucky to be there and hope that you find their locations and selection of our products useful.

Scotty’s Local Farm to Market

Other Shops Comments Off

Feb 262012

This brand new store just started carrying a few of our food products.

Scotty You’ve gotta go into this place, it’s really cute, it’s got good food, and the folks are super nice.
Location:
Corner of HWY 525 and Scott Road, Freeland, WA 98249

Hours

Tue – Fri:	12:00 pm	-	6:00 pm
Sat:	10:00 am	-	6:00 pm

Scotty’s is a local market pleased to offer wonderful high quality and local grocery items. Scotty’s is owned by Scott and Laura Stevens, long time Whidbey Island residents. They specialize in locally grown beef, pork, lamb, and chicken, produce from our wonderful farmers, artisan cheeses and breads, old fashioned glass bottled milk and dairy, rustic pies, fresh pastas and sauces and much more. They scrutinize all products that come through our doors and wish to provide the very best our local producers have to offer, as well as some fine imported items such as Italian olive oils and vinegars.

Phone: 1 360.331.1636

Website: http://scottyslocalfarmtomarket.com/

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