Submitted by Rhys Hansen

Those who love local food (and farmers) are invited to join the agricultural community for a Hoedown from 6-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7 at Orcas’ Odd Fellows Hall. The Hoedown is the party midway through this year’s San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit, a gathering for all those involved in the San Juan County food systems.

Lopez chef Nick Coffey of Ursa Minor will be preparing a locally-sourced buffet dinner featuring your choice of Lopez-raised chicken or creamy braised mushrooms. Prioritizing island ingredients, this meal highlights the range of delicious local food available year-round from right here in San Juan County.

In addition to great food, the evening will feature live music from Orcas’ own funk and rock instrumental band The Dustbunnies. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets should be purchased in advance (very limited availability at the door) and are available this year on a sliding scale from $20-$30. Kids (age 3-12) meals are $10.

The summit had historically relied upon farmers and producers to donate their time and product to reduce overhead and registration prices. While local producers gave generously each year, the summit organizing committee wished to better demonstrate their values of supporting local farmers. This year they committed to paying market value for the ingredients in summit events and invite community members to offer the amount that is right for them. All proceeds from this event go to support the San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit.

Eating local in February may be less flashy than the summer’s cornucopia of options but promises to be no less delicious. We hope to see you there!

For more info, call Rhys Hansen at 425-238-0832 or email sji.agsummit@wsu.edu.