Upcoming events
Farming in Community: Venison Valley Farm
Venison Valley Farm is home to a small herd of pastured dairy cows. Ben and Kelsey produce a wide variety of dairy products including bottled milk, yogurt, cheese, cream and butter, all sold exclusively through the on-site farmstand. This year they have ventured into high tunnel production of cut flowers, and eventually citrus. Please park alongside the road.
Eat Vashon Week
A weeklong challenge to eat as local as possible on Vashon Island, enjoying the abundance of the season and the abundance of the island…
How to participate:
purchase food from an island grower either at a farm stand or at the Saturday Farmer’s Market
prepare a meal using your bounty
take a photo and tag VIGA and the farms and post on social media!
you will be entered into a raffle to win a prize (i.e. $50 gift card to a farm stand, a local restaurant, gift basket of locally grown goods etc).
Follow our newsletter and social media for Recipes, Farm stand Updates, Farm Buck Locations, and More...
Production Committee
Production Committee Meeting
The production committee discusses all things production!
They are the leads on the Mukai Fruit Barreling Plant Project, The Food Preservation Initiative, Grain Growing alliance and much more!
We brainstorm ideas on how to help farm production. Whether it be by making a new kind of crop viable, small grants for projects, investing in shared equipment, and more!
We meet every other month on the third Monday.
Buckwheat Walk & Talk
Join Dr. Micaela Colley from the WSU Breadlab, Thomas Vroom baker at Fernhorn Bakery and Jen Williams of Wild Dreams Farm and Seed as we talk about growing Buckwheat for seed/grain harvest on Vashon. Jen is growing a 5,000 square foot plot of a diverse population of Buckwheat for seed at Tian Tian Farm as part of a participatory plant breeding program at WSU Breadlab. We will look at the crop, hear from Dr. Colley about the goals and future of the Buckwheat project at the Breadlab called "More Bang for your Buckwheat", and talk baking with buckwheat flour with our own local expert baker Thomas Vroom.
Optional bakery tour from 2-2:45 at Fernhorn Bakery. Limited to ten people so email Jen at jennifer@wilddreamsfarm.org to hold your place.
Bring your curiosity and questions as we talk about buckwheat and a vision for the future of growing grains on Vashon and in the PNW.
Farming in Community: Sweet Alyssum Farm
Sweet Alyssum Farm is owned and operated by Alyssa O'Cotter, growing cut flowers and hops. The fields are planted with over 100 varieties of flowers, both annuals and perennials. as well as four varieties of hops that tower on 18-foot trellises. The farm sells through multiple channels including wholesale, farmers markets, CSA, a farmstand and you-pick, and direct retail orders. Farming practices incorporate low tillage, preventative IPM with beneficial insects, crop rotation, cover cropping and regular foliar feeding. Early June we'll see the transition from spring to summer crops and climbing hop vines.
The farm is located at 17628 94th Ave SW. Please pull in at the Farm Stand Sign on Bank Road (one block EAST of 94th Ave), and follow signs for campground parking to the grassy parking area.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 4th Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
Farming in Community: Tian Tian/Wild Dreams Farm
This is a combination of Tian Tian Farm, which specializes in Asian vegetables, and Wild Dreams Farm, which primarily grows seed, on a shared parcel of leased land. Farmers Elizabeth and Jen will talk about growing food for food banks, growing seed, how both farms have evolved in recent years, and more. Address is 24026 Wax Orchard Road. When you turn into the driveway, turn left immediately and follow the road toward the back of the property. Park behind the second deer-fenced plot.
Pizza Party
Pizza Party Fundraiser for VIGA's Food Access Partnership
Join us Sunday September 13, 2026 at the bountiful La Biondo Farm and Kitchen for a Pizza Party that will benefit VIGA's Food Access Partnership's Farm Bucks program!
Tickets - Sliding scale starting at $60, sky is the limit!
This event has always been an opportunity for us to celebrate all we can do together through this program. For that reason, we are committed to keeping ticket prices as accessible as we can. At the same time, the need to find ways to get more food to the community and support our local farmers has increased dramatically. For these reasons we have tickets available on a sliding scale, starting at $60 with no limit to how much you can give to directly support your community. Please give whatever amount is meaningful for you- every dollar buys more VIGA Farm Bucks
Please leave your pooches at home. Registered support animals are welcome.
Includes: wood-fired pizza* + salad, dessert & beverages
* Gluten-free and vegan options available!!!Music
Raffle Tickets - $10/ea | $45/5 | $100/12
Prizes:
weekend at Ocean Park Beach House
farm brunch for 12 at LaBiondo Farm & Kitchen
more to come…!
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 4th Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
Farming in Community: Crows Feet Farm
Date TBD
End of September/Beginning of October at Crow’s Feet Farm. Crow’s Feet Farm is the passion project of Dana Illo and Catherine Johnson, in their own words, “We have a tenth of an acre in food production. We grow vegetables for friends, family, the food bank and occasionally for sale at the VIGA Coop Table. While we grow plenty of garden variety vegetables, our passion is drying (shelling) beans. Over time we have found which varieties adapt best to our microclimate, and when October rolls around our living room is filled with baskets of beans to be shelled, which becomes our “go to” nightly activity throughout the month. As we admire the harvest, the many ½ gallon jars lining our shelves with yellow, gray, red, white, and black beans we know that in times of scarcity, we could feed ourselves and our neighbors. Beans are a great source of plant protein, rich in vitamins and lend themselves to endless creativity in the kitchen.
So come on over and we’ll talk beans: growing, trellising, irrigation systems, and whatever else comes up. Who knows, maybe we’ll put a pot of these beauties on the stove to share when you visit.”
Address is 23915 Landers Road SW (on the corner of 240th and Landers, off of Wax Orchard.), please park on the shoulder of Landers Rd.
Production Committee
Production Committee Meeting
The production committee discusses all things production!
They are the leads on the Mukai Fruit Barreling Plant Project, The Food Preservation Initiative, Grain Growing alliance and much more!
We brainstorm ideas on how to help farm production. Whether it be by making a new kind of crop viable, small grants for projects, investing in shared equipment, and more!
We meet every other month on the third Monday.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 4th Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 4th Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 3rd Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
Extending the Harvest Season Workshop
A free workshop for farmers and gardeners concerned about rising produce costs and local food security on Sunday, August 2nd, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust Building. Guest speakers will be Bill Thorness, author of “Cool Season Gardener,” and Jen Williams, founder of Wild Dreams Farm & Seed on Vashon Island.
The workshop is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. RSVP: Lauren Evashenk lauren@vigavashon.org
Bill Thorness will review strategies for taking advantage of Vashon-Maury Island’s mild winters to grow and harvest fresh veggies year-round. By planning ahead, you can harvest from your garden through the fall and have a bounty of early-spring vegetables before most gardeners have even broken ground. Learn what to plant through the year, and how to fit winter crops into your summer garden. Bill will have copies of his books, “Cool Season Gardener” and “Edible Heirlooms,” available for purchase.
Jen Williams, Vashon seed grower, will introduce ways to increase food security by saving seeds from summer, fall and winter crops. She will share her experience with saving seeds of vegetables, herbs and flowers adapted to our unique growing conditions. She will also have seeds and starts of cold-hardy winter vegetables available for sale.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 3rd Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
Farming in Community: Aeggy’s Farm
Aeggy’s farm is a multigenerational family-run and owned farm on the westside of Vashon. They primarily grow flowers, raspberries, blueberries, and some vegetables that are sold at their farm stand. However, they are best known for their eggs, which are turned into fried egg sandwiches every Saturday at the Farmers Market.
Please park at the farmstand, or along the road.
Interested in a farm dinner after? Aeggy’s hosts many over the summer and there just so happens to be one after the farm visit! You can get tickets at www.aeggy.com.
Farming in Community: Alta Rosa Farm
Alta Rosa Farm is a cider orchard, but also grows berries and other market edibles. Farmer Laure will focus on berry varieties for small markets, trellis types, flavor and nutrition, and pests and diseases. Address is 12917 SW 248th st. Please note for parking: the property has a long access driveway and electronic gate. So it would be helpful if visitors are timely so we do not have to monitor the gate the entire time. There are about 13 parking spaces inside the gate. Late-comers will have to park outside on 248th st.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every 4th Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
Production Committee
Production Committee Meeting
The production committee discusses all things production!
They are the leads on the Mukai Fruit Barreling Plant Project, The Food Preservation Initiative, Grain Growing alliance and much more!
We brainstorm ideas on how to help farm production. Whether it be by making a new kind of crop viable, small grants for projects, investing in shared equipment, and more!
We meet every other month on the third Monday.
Fiddlehead Feast
The Fiddlehead Feast
** We cannot offer substitutions for any dietary restrictions at this time.
VIGA's Spring Fundraiser Dinner
An inspired evening of education, engagement and celebration of island grown food
VIGA invites you to Join us for a creatively curated, locally sourced 5-course menu, craft cocktails and silent auction in support of building a more resilient food system on Vashon-Maury Island.
Some silent auction teasers: Makanai (previously Matsuda) Farm to Table Dinner for Four, Fernhorn Bread & egg subscription, half a lamb, and more to be announced…
Farming in Community: Fernhorn Bakery
Thomas the baker will take us through his process, focusing especially on island grain production. Thomas has long been an advocate for locally produced grain and is laying the groundwork for a local grain economy on island! He will show us seed cleaning, go thru milling equipment, and the future steps the bakery will be taking. Address is 22736 wax orchard. Parking is on the east side of the cannery building carpooling is encouraged. This visit is limited to 10 attendees due to space, to reserved your spot for this visit, you must RSVP. Thank you!
Farming in Community: Mushroom Production
In Peter’s own words, “ a long time ago, a friend gave me a small shiitake log as a gift. When I moved to our 5 acres here, which had plenty of alder I got an urge to see if I could grow them myself. Thus began my "adventure." I am NOT an expert by any means, as I never made the time to learn it in a more structured way. However, I have managed to accumulate about 120 logs of various ages and stages, which I have grown and sold at the VIGA table at the market.
Growing on logs requires a lot of physical labor, from felling the trees and cutting them into manageable lengths for innoculating, waxing and caring for them. At 70 this is why I am "retiring" from setting up any more new logs. The ones I have should last about 3 years, before they are exhausted. Even with all the work involved, it's been a really rewarding experience. In season I produce enough to provide for my family, friends, and the market.”
There will be something out to distinguish where to park.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every last Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
VIGA Board Meeting
Every last Monday at The Land Trust.
First hour or so is open to anyone! Come and hang and bring your curiosity, energy, and ideas to VIGA.
Last part of the meeting is executive session only.
Pig Slaughter & Butchering Workshop
Pig butchering and slaughtering workshop!
Come learn how to slaughter and butcher a pig at our next workshop! There is an increasing need for the island to grow more livestock and we want to offer an opportunity for our community to learn some of the basics so that more of us might grow for ourselves and our neighbors.
This workshop will be a two day exploration of the slaughtering, scalding, and hanging of the pig with a second day to break down and butcher it. This is a unique opportunity that we are offering to our community free of cost and is limited to just 8 attendees, places offered on a first come first serve basis. We ask that those attending come to both days to gain the most from this invaluable workshop. This workshop is intended for folks that are very interested in processing animals themselves and haven’t had the chance to learn in a hands-on setting.
The details:
Day 1: Saturday, February 28th, 2-5pm (this could go later or end earlier): Kyle and Abby Antonelis will lead us through the steps it takes to get an animal raised for slaughter, a slaughter demonstration by Kyle (who will also be available in the future to hire if that’s not your thing) and will end with it hanging in preparation for butchering.
Kyle and Abby moved to Vashon to raise their family in 2014 and started a haphazard farm not too long after. They have been raising pigs for over 10 years and have learned a lot that they hope to share with you. Abby has been involved with VIGA since 2017 (starting as the Vashon Fresh manager, then joining the Food Access Partnership committee, and currently on the board as the Treasurer).
Day 2: Monday, March 2, 1-4pm: Lauren Garaventa of the Ruby Brink will be our guide for all things post-slaughter. Lauren will lead us through all the basic steps it takes to break down a pig. Lauren is a whole-animal butcher who believes in using every part of the animal. She started butchering and raising animals on Vashon Island in 2011. She co-owns The Ruby Brink; a place that’s part butcher shop, part restaurant, part neighborhood hangout. Her work is all about good food, local farms, and making butchery approachable and thoughtful.
Also interested in purchasing some of the pig that we will be handling at the workshop? Abby and Kyle still have half and whole pigs available for their upcoming slaughter, please email abby.l.faust@gmail.com for more information.
