SPONSORED:
Tilth Alliance, a founding member of the statewide Eat Local First Collaborative, this week announced the inaugural ‘Eat Local Month King County,’ running through the end of August.
As part of this celebration, residents and visitors throughout King County are invited to embrace and savor the rich diversity of locally sourced food from farms, ranches, fishers, farmers markets, restaurants, food trucks, and local food artisans and makers.
The month-long event, taking place in August, will be highlighting the vibrant local food ecosystem within the county. Each week, different ways to connect with and enjoy local food will be showcased, along with resources on where to buy local products and delectable recipes. Participants will also have the chance to enter exciting giveaways featuring prizes from local farms and food businesses.
Enter to Win
Entering to win is easy! Simply fill out a quick online survey here and you will be entered to win one of a variety of prizes including $50.00 gift cards to Anthony’s Restaurants, $100.00 gift cards to PCC or Neighborhood Farmers Markets just to name a few.
Here’s what is being highlighted each week:
- Aug. 6-12: Farmers Market Week
- Aug. 13-19: Locally Made Week
- Aug. 20-26: Farm Week
- Aug. 27-31: Restaurant Week
Check out their fun video here that pictures a variety of producers and exciting elements of this program:
“Eat Local Month King County is a celebration of the many different pathways that bring the farm to our tables,” said 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.”
According to the King County Agriculture Program, the region boasts the fourth-largest farmer population in Washington State, with over 42,000 acres of Agriculture Production Districts dedicated to farming. King County also ranks third among the state’s counties in terms of the number of farms, cultivating over 100 different products, including dairies, livestock operations, row crops, and berry fields.
Urban and rural areas within King County are home to 41 farmers markets, with more than 25% of farmers originating from the county. Additionally, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) and local food delivery companies thrive here, complementing the vibrant restaurant, food truck, and grocery retail scene. The local food and beverage culture is thriving, with various businesses working closely with farmers to create innovative products that cater to diverse cuisines.
Sponsors
Eat Local Month King County is made possible with funding from the King Conservation District and is presented by PCC Community Markets, which has been a long-standing partner with Tilth Alliance and other regional organizations, aiming to strengthen the local food system.
“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.”
Additional support for Eat Local Month King County is made possible by Seattle Good Business Network, After95 creative, 21 Acres, Harbor Foodservice and Seattle Farmers Market Association.
How to Get Involved
For more information and to get involved, residents can visit the Eat Local Month King County website. To discover local food options throughout the year, check out the Eat Local First and Washington Food & Farm Finder websites.
Tilth Alliance works in community with Washington farmers, gardeners and eaters to build a sustainable, healthy and equitable food future and is dedicated to creating and fostering welcoming and inclusive events, programs and volunteer/employment opportunities and activities for all. Tilth Alliance acknowledges that we gather on Indigenous land: the traditional territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish Tribe (Dkhw Duw’Absh). Learn more at tilthalliance.org.
For more information about Eat Local Month King County, visit the website. To learn more about local food options year-round and throughout Washington State, check out Eat Local First and the WA Food & Farm Finder.
Photos
The following photos are courtesy Tilth Alliance: