Around the island….

Coming home: Early morning in the Anacortes ferry line, with the sun over Mount Baker. Photo by Ian Byington.

Let’s take a quick look around the island……

Andrea Kiernan

• Time marches on….Andrea Kiernan started working at Pelindaba Lavender ten years ago, and she’s still there, although her jobs have changed with the passage of time….here’s a nice little writeup about what she’s creating these days….

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• Mary Karen & Cal’s son Tyler Ryan (FHHS ’01) is close to opening night for Anything But Brilliant – a love story on March 29 in Portland…he and Bobby need to raise a bit more money to keep the show going – here’s a link where you can give to help out, and here’s a bit about their production company, Lights Up! Productions.

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• Tough times in Blaine last weekend, as the Wolverines’ basketball teams came up short….the boys (9-7, 5-0 in league) lost 58-42, while the girls (3-13, 1-5) dropped a 53-25 decision to the Borderites.

That’s Jeff MacDonald in action in Victoria last weekend, playing ice hockey in a tournament…photo by Jenny MacDonald (thanks, Jenny!)

The teams wrap up the season this week, traveling to Cedar Park Christian las night, where the girls won 57-34, and the boys got back on track with a 62-46 win –  and finishing at home with Shoreline Christian on Thursday.

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• Here’s what I hear from the Second Act:

WOW! Now shop Second Act online! We’re still learning, but you can now browse our inventory received since the 1st of the year online! Go to our website Secondact.shoprw.com and see what we have!

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• It’s School Board Appreciation Month, according to a proclamation by former Gov. Gregoire earlier this month….this will be celebrated at 6pm  on Wednesday the 30th, at the FHHS library, at the next school board meeting.

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This weekend!

• This Saturday the Farmers’ Market is inside at the Grange (notice – the Grange, not at the high school!) from 10am – 1 pm. I know you think about getting your food at the Market, but here’s a little bit to add to your thinking:

10 Reasons to Buy Your Fruits & Veggies at Your Local Farmer’s Market

by Dr. Edward F. Group
Wake Up World

1. Buying Locally
Buying from your local farmer allows you to support local agriculture. This means that the food you are eating comes from nearby, and does not require us to waste lots of energy and petroleum to ship the food half-way around the world. You are eating food in your own environment, where it has perfectly-created nutrients for your specific climate and region. You are also supporting the environment by reducing the usage of fossil fuels.

2. Cheaper Organic Fruits & Veggies
You can find a variety of fresh, organic produce at more affordable prices than in a supermarket. There are also many farmers that carry products that are not technically “organic,” (as this is a costly and often beurocratic-heavy process), but have many low-priced foods that are pesticide and herbicide free. The advantage at a farmers market is that you can actually talk to the farmer, learn about their methods, and then decide for yourself and in most cases they will allow you to come and visit their farm.

3. Supporting Your Local Economy & Farmers
You are supporting human beings and the local economy, not massive agribusiness GMO food conglomerates.

Not only will your money be staying in your area, but you will happily please the farmer that worked to grow that food. Your belly will remember the farmer’s smile as they handed you that juicy peach.

4. Eat Seasonally
By shopping at the local farmers market, you will eat seasonally, fresh and ripe. This is another great way to increase your overall health. Supermarkets offer too much variety and the food is picked before it has ripened decreasing the vitality. The body does not need to be eating imported pineapple in the dead of a Montana winter!

5. Safer Foods
Food from your local farmers market is generally safer. Remember the recent outbreaks of E. coli in bagged spinach? These things happen mostly in large industrial settings, where business-men work to mass produce food, preserve it and bag it in mass amounts.

6. Fresher Fruits & Veggies
The food from your local farmers market is, quite frankly, fresher. Because it was grown locally, there is a good chance that the apple you buy from the farmer was picked a few days ago. This is virtually impossible in a big supermarket.

7. Great Variety
There is usually an amazing variety of fruits and veggies at your local farmers market. Each farmer may have his own method for growing tomatoes or peppers. This is something that never happens at a grocery store.

8. Better Taste
There is no doubt that locally-grown foods just simply taste better. You will never be able to eat a carrot from the grocery store again!

9. It’s Healthy!
There’s just no way around it, eating fresh, locally-grown fruits and veggies are great for your health.

Buy yourself some local honey, which is sold at most local farmer markets. It has just the right components for allergy prevention in your neck of the woods, not to mention it’s tasty!

10. Most Importantly — It’s Fun!
We stated it in the beginning, but farmers markets are just plain fun for the whole family. Meeting your local community is an excellent way to feel connected to the world around you, increasing health for body, mind and spirit.

An even better solution would be to grow your own food by creating an organic garden in your yard or even on your balcony.

Read more here!

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