If you are interested in learning more about how Port Townsend and other Olympic Peninsula farmers, chefs, and food producers thrive, be sure to attend the Olympic Peninsula Farm-to-Table Trade Meeting, Thursday, December 8, 2011, 1:00 – 6:00 PM at the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend.

Join local producers, distributors, health care professionals, school nutrition directors, chefs, retailers, sustainable food advocates, and consumers for an afternoon of network building, expert panel discussions, and more. Help build connections, increasing the sale of and access to fresh local products and creating healthier people, jobs, and environments. This year’s focus areas will be how to build farm-to-chef connections and discussion about diversifying markets.

This event is hosted and sponsored by: Cascade Harvest Coalition, the WSDA/USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, EDC Team Jefferson, WSU Jefferson County Extension, and the Port Townsend Food Coop.

Cascade Harvest Coalition (CHC) is a non-profit dedicated to re-localizing the food system in Washington State by connecting farmers with tools and resources they need to be more sustainable and consumers more directly with producers. CHC organizes Farm-to-Table events throughout Washington State, working to connect producers and buyers and generate sales.

NW Maritime Center (http://www.nwmaritime.org/)
431 Water Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Cost: $10
RSVP required by December 3: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/207999

AGENDA
(may be subject to minor changes)

  • 12:30 – Registration Opens
  • 1:00 – Welcome
    Cascade Harvest Coalition’s Farm-to-Table Program
    Mary Embleton, Executive Director
    Sarah Wilcox, Farm-to-Table Program Manager
  • 1:15 – Keynote
    Dr. Laura Lewis, Director, WSU Jefferson Co. Extension
  • “Local and Native: Agrobiodiversity and Economic Development for the Olympic Peninsula”
  • 1:45 – Break/Networking
  • 2:00 – Panel Discussion
    Farm-to-Chef: Successful examples, best practices, what farmers/chefs need to make connections, production matching, and developing a local strategy
    Speakers include: Rochelle Prather-General Manager of Bon Appétit at Fort Worden, Chef Dan-The Fireside at Port Ludlow Resort, and Karyn Williams-Owner and Operator of Red Dog Farms.
  • 3:00 – Break/Networking
  • 3:15 – Panel Discussion
    Diversifying Markets: Direct marketing vs. wholesale markets, advantages and challenges, how farmers can scale up, and what buyers are looking for
    Speakers include: Katherine Baril of EDC Team Jefferson, Kia Kozun of Nash’s Organic Produce, and more.
  • 4:15 – Next steps
  • 4:30 – Closing remarks, evaluations
    Local appetizers by In Season Catering
  • 4:45 – One-on-one consultations
    Networking and local appetizers continue!