Submitted by the San Juan Makers Guild.

Orcas Center and the San Juan Islands Agriculture Guild are launching the popular annual Orcas Farm Tours with the Island Bounty opening party on Friday, Sept. 30 at Orcas Center. Island residents and visitors are invited to come enjoy and honor the art, food and farms essential to our Island heritage and culture. This free event is open to all ages, with pop-up local food and beverage options.

As the opening reception for the Island Bounty exhibit, 36 artists and artisans from Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Islands have been invited to share their paintings, fiber and woodworks, sculpture, printmaking, metalworking, and award-winning food products, wines and ciders that all use island grown materials or depict island agricultural landscapes. Special features include demonstrations of yarn spinning, basket-making, flower arranging, herbal medicines, and sales of island brewed wines, ciders and spirits.

From indigenous plant uses to historic barns and early settler agriculture, right up to today’s innovative climate-wise agricultural practices and value-added food products, the Island Bounty opening event shares the heritage and future of island plants and agriculture. Supporting local art, food and farms strengthens and enriches our community in many ways that benefit the San Juans, today and tomorrow.

Dinner is served! Island-grown bowl dinners, salads, wine and ciders can be pre-ordered online to enjoy on the spacious Orcas Center porch during the 4-7 p.m. event, or to take home. See islandbounty.eventbrite.com to reserve food and beverages grown on the San Juans. Pop-up orders must be received by September 28th to ensure availability.

Come celebrate local art, food and farms on Friday the 30, pick up the 2022 Farm Tour map brochure, and then head out for on-the-land explorations on Saturday and Sunday when farmers open their fields, orchards, market gardens – and ice cream stand or pumpkin patch – to guests of all ages. If you are ag-curious or already devoted to supporting local foods, there is something for everyone to discover and enjoy during the Farm Tours.

Island Bounty is the outcome of a new collaboration between art and agricultural organizations that share a goal of building a thriving local community. Support for the exhibit, which runs through Nov. 15, comes from the Visual Arts Committee of the Orcas Center, the San Juan Makers Guild, the San Juan Islands Conservation District, and the San Juan County LTAC grant program. To learn more about the Farm Tours that run Oct 1-2, see www.farmtourssanjuans.com. Visit the Agricultural Guild and its important work building a sustainable food system at www.sjiagguild.com. To learn about Orcas Center, see www.orcascenter.org . The San Juan Makers Guild community platform is at www.sanjuanmakersguild.com. And the countywide Conservation District is at www.sanjuanislandscd.org .

Contributed photo by the San Juan Makers Guild A sculpture by Shannon Belthor.