By Karen Bishop

What an exciting event to be part of in the Farm Tour of 2007. It was a big endeavor for the majority of the farms on the tour to be open to the public for both Saturday and Sunday. Even though the weather was blustery, hundreds of people bundled up and headed out on the self directed tour to their choice of the 19 participating farms.

Thank you to all of the farmers that participated in giving the community an opportunity to see more of our Whidbey Island farm community. And, thank you to our supporters and sponsors: Whidbey Island Conservation District, Washington State University Island Extension, Port of South Whidbey, Whidbey Island Bank, Puget Sound Energy, Whidbey Telecom, Skagit Farmers Supply, Whidbey Watershed Stewards and Wallgrens’ Les Schwab who made it possible to offer the tour free to the public.

With Greenbank Farm as the hub of additional activities, the community had a place to gather whether Friday with the opportunity to taste Whidbey pie, hot cider and see educational displays or Saturday for the barbecue and contra dance, with the auction of the original painting of “Earl of Whidbey,” the 2007 Farm Tour icon. Stacey Neumiller’s original painting “Earl of Whidbey,” the pig that adorned the Farm Tour brochures, has a new home. Stacey’s generous donation of talent to the Farm Tour benefits so many.

The Kobe beef barbecue allowed people to stop between 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets sold out in the first hour and we had to turn people away. Thank you South Whidbey Kiwanis for your willingness to battle the wind and rain to keep your barbecue grills going. Thank you for those who met this challenge graciously. Thank you Serendipity Catering for volunteering your services, preparing all of the food from scratch and for working with volunteers.

All food served at the barbecue was raised on Whidbey; donated by the local rancher and farmers; and community volunteers setting up the barn and serving the meal, in the hope that we could provide a family friendly event that was affordable.

Hundreds of people, young and old, families and singles were introduced to Whidbey’s wonderful farms. Many people took advantage of the activities at Greenbank Farm. What fun to see the children enjoying the music of the Mosquito Fleet Band and following the directions of Sherry Nevins who had us all up and dancing.

Special acknowledgement and thank you to those that donated their produce, products and services: Crescent Harbor Ranch LLD, Serendipity Catering, Dale Sherman, Double R Rentals, South Whidbey Kiwanis, Sherman Squash Farm, Bishop’s Ebey Road Farm, Smith Farm, Case Farm, Rose Hip Farm & Garden, Molly’s Island Garden, Soaring Hawk Farm and a dozen community volunteers – you know who you are.

Special thanks for the tourism promotion sponsored by Mollie Swope, Windermere, Erwin Schalker, Quintet Mortgage and RoseAnn Alspecktor, The Valis Group.

Karen Bishop represents the Farm Tour Steering Committee.