Cruising the Farmers Markets

Farmers Markets bring together the best of the islands artists, farmers, potters, woodworkers, bakers, fishermen, and photographers.

A delicious and fun way to enjoy the islands and the surrounding areas. The markets are held around mid-May thru September at many of the seaside communities accessible by boaters. You will enjoy connecting with the local farmers, bakers, fisherman and craftsmen.

United States

Anacortes

Just up from the Cap Sante Marina on 7th St. & 'R' Ave, this is one of the best. Having started in the 1990s it's one of the more established markets around.

• Saturday, May thru October
• 9a.m. to 2p.m.
• Website

Bellingham

More than 50 booths in Depot Market Square, 1100 Railroad Avenue. A bit of a walk from the waterfront but well worth it. The Bellingham Farmers Market supports local sustainable agriculture by connecting the public with local farmers, artisans, and other producers in an economically viable marketplace.

• Saturday, April thru December
• 10am to 3pm
• Website

Blaine

Support your local farmers gardeners, artists and crafts people!

• Saturday, June thru October
• 10am to 2pm
• Website

Coupeville, Whidbey Island

Running for 41 years!

• Saturday, February thru October
• 10am to 2 pm
• Website

Kingston, Kitsap Peninsula

Live music and dozens of vendors.

• Saturday, May 5 - October 27
• 9:30am - 2:30pm
• Website

Langley, Whidbey Island

The one closure is the Choochokam Arts estival weekend in early July.

• Friday, May thru September
• 2pm to 6pm
• Website

Lopez Island

Located in Fisherman's Bay, the Lopez Island Farmers Market is on Village Road, in Lopez Village.

• Saturday, May thru September
• 10am to 2pm
• Website

Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island

A 10 block walk up from the Oak Harbor Marina up on Washington State Highway 20.

• Saturday, June thru September
• 11am to 3pm
• Website

Orcas Island

In the Heart of Eastsound Village on North Beach Road. Over 40 booths!

• Saturday, May thru September
• 10am to 3pm
• Website

Point Roberts

Locally grown and organic products.

• Saturday, June thru August
• 11am to 2pm
• Website

Port Townsend

Just a short walk up the staircase to 650 Tyler St. A thriving market stemming from a network of sustainable farmers that culminates in a glorious presentation produce, crafts, arts and music.

• Wednesday June thru September
• 2pm to 6pm
• Saturday April thru mid-December
• 9am to 2pm
• Website

San Juan Island

Visit Friday Harbor on 150 Nichols Street for beautiful produce, crafts, baked goods, meats and seafoods.

• Saturday, April thru September
• 10am to 1pm
• Website

Canada

Saltspring Island

Our favorite, located in Centennial Park, Ganges Harbor.

• Tuesday 2:00pm - 6:00pm
• June to the end of October
• Saturday 9:00am - 4:00pm
• April or Easter weekend (whichever comes first) through October
• Website

Jumbo Shrimp!

Tasty morsels!

Nothing beats the taste of seafood fresh out of the water. In Puget Sound we're blessed with unsurpassed taste treats like Dungeness Crab and Spot Shrimp.

We've never pursued Spot Shrimp before this year, beyond the occasional run to Costco ;-). How hard can it be to pull 300 ft of leaded line up with a weighted trap? It turned out that there were a few hard lessons to learn, but it was well worth the effort, even for the short 3 day season in Admiralty Inlet and Seattle/Bremerton.

We have seen Grey Whales feeding on shrimp so we knew where to set our traps, which is not easy on a sailboat with the wind. On the first drop we ended up with line around the prop. Dang. Sailed into the shallows hoping to drag the pot with us, but the line snapped, losing the trap to the depths. Meanwhile, a pod of Killer Whales passed us by, probably laughing at our foolishness.

Sailing back, we found it extremely difficult to locate the trap, even with a MOB mark set on the GPS. The amount of line out and a tide running combined to place the bouy a long way from where you think it would be. Plus, the depth required sets you a long way off land so triangulation is of little help.

The pros all seem to have electric winch assemblies to pull their pots which is not something I've invested in... yet. So hand pulling was the only solution, which was not all that bad. We're used to this technique with crab.

LESSONS LEARNED

• Look for 300+/- foot depths with a sandy bottom.
• Shrimp travel in schools. Use your depth sounder to locate 'clouds' of shrimp.
• Drifting is problematic, especially on a sailboat. Stay close. Pull pots every hour.

BAIT RECIPE
Go to the dollar store and buy and mix:

• 1 box instant potatoes
• 2 cans dry cat food
• 4 cans Friskies cat food
• 2 cans mackerel
• 1-2 cups liquid fish fertilizer
• Or just use cat foot soaked in vegetable oil as bait, freezing the night before.

CATCH

• Twist their heads off and put their bodies on ice.
• Or put them whole in ziplock bags and keep them alive on ice.
• Don't let them sit directly on ice or in fresh water.

TO KEEP POTS FROM DRIFTING

• In winds, big tides, or on ledges, suggest 150' of extra line
• Add an anchor 30' above pot on a 10' line

RULES

• Limit 80 shrimp per person
• Each harvester must have a separate container for their catch, either in their possession or identified with their name.
• No minimum carapace size.
• Maximum of two shrimp pots per person and no more than four shrimp pots per boat.

Prior to harvesting, check the shellfish rule change free hotline 866-880-5431 or visit the WDFW website.

Mildew Prevention

Mildew Preventers That Really Work

Any boat moored in a slip with a bilge is destined to have moisture. Absorbing that moisture and keeping the air moving are critical control factors. The last line of defense is to keep the surfaces clean and coated with a preventative substance.

Practical Sailor has again done a great job looking at cheap alternatives to the expensive off the shelf potions. Below is a snippet from the Practical Sailor article.

The two homemade spray formulas we tested each cost about one penny per ounce. Like the other mildew preventers in our test, you use these as cleaners by simply spraying the product on, wiping any excess away, and leaving it on. Before applying to any fabric, test the spray on an inconspicuous sample spot.

Formula A

• 1 quart hot water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• 2 tablespoons washing soda (sodium carbonate)
• 2 tablespoons trisodium phosphate (TSP)5

Much like Concrobium (which it is modeled after), our homemade Formula A removed the mildew from test carpet on board and kept it away, even though the area got wet again. It was also very effective in the moist-environment lab test.

Formula B

• 1 quart hot water
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons Borax
• 1 tablespoon TSP

Formula B was the second-place performer in the liquid group. It was certainly the best value. It cleaned well, prevented mildew from returning to the carpet, and greatly slowed mildew infection in the moist-environment test in the lab.

We also tried treating with plain vinegar, which reportedly works on some hard surfaces, but testers found the smell a little too overpowering. A 10-percent solution of household bleach (3-percent sodium hypochlorite) was one of the best cleaners, but this has to be used with care. Bleach will bleed or degrade many fabrics, and can harm the marine environment. For complete results and more tips on keeping your boat mildew free, be sure to check out the full test report on mildew preventatives at www.practical-sailor.com. Non-subscribers, or those who'd rather save some time and support our testing program, can also dive into our complete two-volume report on mildew cleaning and prevention The Mildew-Free Boat, which will help you take care of mildew once and for all, with minimal effort.