Whidbey Island Farmers Markets

Starting at the south end we have the Bayview Farmers Market and the South Whidbey Tilth.

The Bayview Farmers Market is held on Saturday between 10 AM and 2 PM at Bayview Corner behind the Cash Store. This is one of the largest and most diverse. There are vendors serving hot food, plenty of music and entertainment, besides a glorious amount of fresh produce and flowers.

The South Whidbey Tilth is at Thompson Rd. and Hwy 525. There is music, handmade crafts, cooked foods and organic produce available; you can sign up and tour the experimental gardens and forest restoration projects; the WSU Master Gardeners will have plant clinics. There are often special activities for children.

Also on Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM.Greenbank Farm has a Sunday Farmers Market. Located at the historic Greenbank Farm, look for banners welcoming you to the market at the narrowest point of Whidbey Island. Organic produce, honey, art and crafts of all kinds. Hot food and coffee and a lovely setting. Walk your dog after you are done shopping on the trails and take in the beauty of the water from the east and west. The market is 10 AM until 3 through October.

Coupeville market is the quintessential small town market. Located at the heart of beautiful Whidbey Island, they offer a wide variety of local produce, plants, as well as tasty treats, such as homemade chocolates and fresh local honey. We also feature local artisans and crafters and hot food vendors. Saturdays, 10 am. to 2 pm, April thru October, then it closes with Harvest Fest. The market is held at Alexander and 8th Street (behind the library).

And if you miss the ones on the weekend you can still get fresh produce in Oak Harbor. Mid May and continue every Thursday through September 24, from 4 pm to 7 pm. It is located on State Route 20 next to the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center.

Maybe you know of another farmers market on the island? Are there some smaller farms you visit and buy produce and eggs at during week? What other specialty farm stores do we have on the island? I would love to hear more about your experiences.

We are moving quickly towards summer with long days and plenty of time to spend outdoors taking strolls at the beach and to walk our dogs. But since we all know there are always a few rainy windy days left in the next couple of months, I thought I would share with you some great real estate flicks. Who better than a Realtor to recommend real estate movies? Most of these you can get from your library.

So first lets talk about a good movie about real estate finances. My favorite is Lost in America, which shows what not to do when you are lucky enough to have some home equity. Absolutely one of the funniest movies about a couple looking to move on to their dream life.

If you want to see the way the Savings & Loan business is suppose to act, watch Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life. There was no Charles Keating’s in Frank Capra’s world and this is a classic to be watched again and again.

Many of the great real estate movies are about land, getting it, working hard to keep it, and then losing it. A few good choices here would be Grapes of Wrath and The River. If you enjoy French films, how about Manon of the Spring, where Jean (Gerard Depardieu) a city boy who is also a hunchback, puts all of his savings in a dry area of Provence, and the evil neighbor, Le Patat (Yves Montand) blocks the spring (water) on his land. Jean eventually dies from the struggle of hauling enough water to the parched land. In the sequel his daughter exacts revenge for her father.

Another one about land is Gone with the Wind. The government vs. the landowner is the story here. You’ve got a war with Sherman marching to sea, and Scarlett torn between caring about her man or her land.

How about a good film on home renovation. Might we learn something from Pacific Heights? Or, if you are planning to rent a home you might want to watch The People Under the Stairs or The Super before you make a decision on a property.

If you have ever had trouble identifying a property line or had a bad appraisal, you should watch The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill And Came Down A Mountain.

How about that real estate agent who seemed alittle on edge? You may identify why in The Stepfather? Here we have a homicidal maniac who also sells real estate.

Of course the one many of us remember most to do with real estate is Glengarry Glen Ross. A bleak disturbing view of the real estate profession. I ‘m glad I don’t work in that office.

Well that about wraps it up. Oh there is the one I am watching tonight, The War of the Roses . I think I was introduced to a couple last week who tried to work out their property settlement the same way as Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas do in this movie. Stay tuned.

I am a foodie. I love to cook, I love to eat, and I love to share that passion. Doesn’t it just make you feel welcome when you walk into a house and there are wonderful food aromas coming from the kitchen? One of the older “tricks of the trade” in real estate is to instruct the seller to bake a batch of cookies just before the potential buyers are supposed to arrive. We are all seduced by the primal, comforting feelings that are released by the smell of food.

I have decided to start a new practice for all of my property listings; I am going to select food that I think represents the house best, explain the reason why, and provide a recipe . So here’s the first one.

The custom waterfront home on Sunlight Beach is a perfect home for clam chowder. Besides the sugar sand beach setting, which by itself is enough to qualify as a perfect place to enjoy a bowl of steaming hot clam chowder, close by Double Bluff is a great clamming beach with a long sweep of flats at low tide. Here are a few tips:

1) Obtain the necessary Shellfish license, and follow the rules and limits.  You can do this online, or at numerous locations on Whidbey to include Ace Hardware in Freeland.

2) Check for the presence of marine biotoxins before you collect any shellfish.  This is absolutely critical.

3) Toss the clams in a bucket of seawater (out of the sun) for a few days, and they will clean themselves of sand and grit.

My eldest grandson, Garrett came to visit us a few years ago. He just loves clam chowder, so we decided to do a chowder tasting whenever we went out for lunch or dinner. For the next two weeks, we happily tasted clam chowder from Seattle to the San Juan Islands to include my own recipe made from clams from nearby Holmes Harbor.

And the winner was unanimous  – the chowder from Ray’s Boathouse, although mine came in a very close second. Here’s their recipe, courtesy of a wonderful cookbook entitled appropriately enough Ray’s Boathouse.

• 1/2 cup butter
  1 pound red potatoes, cubed, skin on
  1 stalk celery diced
  1/2 white onion, diced
  1 small carrot, diced
  2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  2 cups of fish stock or clam broth
  3 cups heavy cream
  2 cups half and half
  1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  1/4 te4aspoon Tabasco sauce
  1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  1 tablespoon kosher salt
  1 teaspoon dried thyme
  1 bay leaf
  14 ounces steamed clams, chopped, with juice.

Garnish:
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Melt butter in a 5 quart stockpot over medium high heat. Add potatoes, celery, onion and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Add stock, cream, half-and-half, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, pepper, salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in clams. Garnish with chopped chives.

Serve with lots of fresh sourdough bread.

The 21st annual Penn Cove Coupeville Mussel Festival is being held over the weekend of March 5-7 2010  on the waterfront. Come enjoy briny mussels fresh from the sea in chowder and off the grill. This is a fitting place to hold an event like this, as the famous Penn Cove mussels are farmed here. Cruise aboard the Mystic Sea and visit the Penn Cove Shellfish farm just a short distance from the historic Coupeville Wharf. The vessel is equipped with an underwater camera and two large screens for viewing. Tours will be led by Penn Cove Shellfish staff and will leave the wharf every hour on the hour 11 AM to 4PM Saturday and Sunday. This is a fun way for adults and children to enjoy the day.

Surviving off the gifts of the sea was essential to the everyday lives of the natives and early settlers of the northwest islands. Enjoying this natural bounty is a practice of many islanders today. From algae to salmon, a balanced diet can be achieved from the sea. Mussels can be pulled from rocks, or harvested from a chain on a dock. Their formal name is black bivalve mollusk and there are over 70 types.

If you buy your mussels fresh, make sure they’re alive, and that the shells are closed. Fresh Penn Cove mussels are widely available throughout Western Washington. They can easily be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a container covered with a damp cloth. They can be frozen, but should be used within 3 months. This recipe is one of the simplest and most delectable recipes I have tried. You will find yourself making this recipe again and again.

Mussels in Wine – Serves 4 as a meal — 6 to 8 as an appetizer

* 4 lbs live mussels
* 2 cups dry white wine
* 4 large shallots, finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley

Simple Directions

* Rinse and scrub the mussels under cold water.
* Using your fingers or paring knife, remove beards (strings that hang from the mussel shells), and discard.
* In a large stockpot set over medium heat, combine wine, shallots, garlic, and salt.
* Simmer 5 minutes.
* Add mussels Cover, and increase heat to high.
* Cook until all mussels are open, about 2-4 minutes.
* Stir in herbs
* Remove from heat.
* Divide mussels and broth among four warmed bowls.
* Serve immediately with crusty French bread Yummm!

Enjoy the festival

Rain doesn’t bother me one drop.  I love the sound on the roof and watching the way the earth, sky and the “ in-between” interact.  But my personality doesn’t let me spend too much time in contemplation.  I start looking for ways to enjoy the rain experience on the islands when I have a day off.

With the restless energy that needs to be released, I head out to Ebey’s Landing.  Some of the Reserve’s best walking is along the strip of rocky beach between Fort Casey and Fort Ebey state parks. The beach rises to dramatic 200-foot high bluffs, most of which are accessible by a trail.  When you reach the top of the ridge you enjoy one of the best views out the Straits of Juan De Fuca.

After a nice long walk, I am a little hungry and decide to enjoy a light lunch at the Greenbank Farm’ s little pie shop. You absolutely, positively cannot leave here without sharing a piece of warm berry pie with ice cream.  It’s a favorite local’s spot, warm and cozy with the hum of good conversation on a wet day.

What next, well thoughts of a nap…….but no, I have a book I have been wanting to read and so I visit some of the wonderful bookstores in Langley and Freeland. There is the Moonraker in Langley, and the Book Bay in Freeland to start, and of course the Sno-Isle libraries are located in each town.There are also many interesting shops, especially in Langley, that a wonderful way to spend a quiet afternoon.

Of course, by now, food is on my mind again and there is absolutely no better place to go for warmth, good service and outstanding food than Prima Bistro in Langley.  It also has a great view for watching the rain sweep across Saratoga Passage.

Did I tell you I love the rain?

When you think about winery wine tasting, I’ll bet you think California, Oregon or Eastern Washington.

On South Whidbey Island, there are a number of local wineries making some pretty darn good northwest wine.  It is an eclectic mix of wineries, some offering wines made from locally grown grapes and/or wines made from grapes grown in Eastern Washington.  These are all small wineries, and the owners and wine makers are passionate about their wine.

The island wineries are working together to let you know where they are, who they are, and how to taste and buy their wines. Some of them have tasting rooms while others do not.  You can enjoy the lush grapes on the vines in the lovely rural vineyards, and meet local wine makers who are dedicated to giving you the best possible Whidbey wine experience.

If you are coming over on the ferry, I suggest starting out your Whidbey Wine Tour at the Bayview Corner where there is a co-operative wine store called Taste-4-Wine.   At this store you can taste wines from 3-4 island wineries that do not have public tasting rooms. There are also other shops, a small grocery store and Thai restaurant on premises.  If you are coming from the north, you should stop at the Greenbank Farm, where there is a wine shop and tasting room that carries a number of Whidbey Island wines.  Like the Bayview Corner, the farm has additional shops – and be sure you  don’t miss Whidbey Pies!

Below the video is a list of some of the wineries on Whidbey.  To learn more about them, just follow the links to their website.

Spoiled Dog Winery: Pinot Noir wine made from grapes grown on the owner’s South Whidbey farm.

Whidbey Island Vineyards & Winery:  Full tasting room with a lovely vineyard and winery. Pure island magic.

Holmes Harbor Cellars: Fantastic wines with a large selection of unique combinations. Call ahead for hours.

Greenbank Cellars: Located half way between Freeland and Coupeville is this very interesting winery and vineyard.

Blooms Winery: Tasting at Greenbank Farm and Taste-4-Wine.

FishTalk Vineyard: Estate grown wines, tasting at Greenbank Farm

Swede Hill Cellars: Tasting at Taste-4-Wine.

You get up in the morning to the quiet of island life, waves lapping on the shore, birds and eagles flying overhead, deer and other wild life framing the landscape of your life.  But every once and a while, you just need to go to the city and feel the pulse and excitement of Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, the Seattle Art Museum, Nordstrom’s, Uwajimaya’s, the Seattle Library, and, of course, the many incredible restaurants.

If you live on Bainbridge Island, it’s pretty easy since the ferry and it delivers you to Coleman Dock right in the middle of downtown Seattle, and everything is within an easy walk, cab or bus ride.  On the other hand, if you live in the San Juans, you have no real option except to take the ferry to Anacortes and drive into the city.

If you live on Whidbey Island, you can always take the ferry and drive, but there is another choice.  Why not take a train! This service is new in the last few years, and you can take the Sounder train into Seattle from the Mukilteo station that is a 4-5 minute walk from the ferry landing.

If you want, you can make the trip almost entirely car free.  Here’s whatFREE Island Transit bus from close to wherever you live on the island to the ferry landing, board the ferry and enjoy the fresh salt air, while maybe catching a glimpse of a seal or if you are lucky a whale. Exit the ferry, and catch the Sounder at the adjacent terminal. In 44 minutes you will step off the train in downtown Seattle. Magic! No car, no hassle, a day in the city, and then back to Whidbey. Here is the current Sounder commuter train schedule.