If you’ve been following the blog or my social media for a while, you probably already know how much Marcus and I love the Skagit Valley. It’s a magical place rich in agriculture and natural beauty, just a short hourish or so drive north of Seattle. This region is teeming with farms and roadside farm stands, and there’s nothing more enjoyable than making a day out of visiting as many as we can and collecting all the fresh fruits, veggies, cheeses (and MORE) along the way! Shop the stands participating in the Genuine Skagit Valley Farmstand Fresh program during July and August and you can sign up for a FREE 15-minute zoom session with a local chef who can show you how to use all of your fresh goodies! You’ll also be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to one of the delicious Skagit restaurants in the area as well as a 2-night stay at (the dog friendly) Candlewood Suites in Burlington! And read on to see all the fantastic spots we hit up on our trip last week! (Some of these spots accept Venmo, but I highlight recommend bringing cash for your trip!)
Stop #1: Our first stop is the darling La Conner Gardens roadside stand (where they take Venmo as well as cash). Fresh herbs and tomatoes, squash and zucchini the size of your arms, beautiful sunflowers and more welcome you. You can also see part of the farm next to the stand with things growing and it’s just lovely.
Stop #2: Blanchard Mountain Farm is run by husband and wife team Walter and Linda and they are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. They were kind enough to give us a tour and show us the greenhouses filled with tomatoes and eggplant, as well as walk the fields full of squash, herbs, and fresh flowers. I was absolutely enamored with all of their beautiful tomatoes (I took so many photos of them, but I only included a few here).
Stop #3: Messman Farms specializes in organic beef (but also features pasture-raised pork and organic lamb), and they just opened their farm stand two years ago (previously not open to the public and only selling wholesale). It’s family-owned by the sweetest couple and you can see their pups and kiddos running around the farm (which I absolutely love). Make sure to stop by to pick up some steaks!
Stop #4: Enjoy a leisurely lunch at Taylor Shellfish. Take in the views (and all the seafood) with a cold lager or crisp white. If you’re lucky they’ll have Dungeness carb available the day you’re there, and you should absolutely order that, too!
Stop #5: Don’t miss the utterly delicious Samish Bay Cheese. With a farm of about 200 acres, Samish Bay Cheese is owned and operated by Suzanne and Roger Wechsler. The goodness abounds here with dozens of cheeses, butter, yogurt, and even grass-fed beef from their farm (we picked up beautiful New Yorks for dinner, as well as lots of cheese when we visited).
Where to Stay + Cook: Dog-friendly Candlewood Suites Burlington has grills with easy access for cooking up your farmstand goods! It’s the perfect home base for your Skagit Valley adventure. (You can easily make a day trip out of this, but if you’d like to spend the night; this is a great option for pup owners!) We cooked up the broccoli we got at La Conner Farms and the steaks from Samish Bay Cheese on the grill and made a beautiful fresh tomato and basil salad with our goodies from Blanchard Mountain Farms.
Stop #6: The next morning on your way out, stop by Blackburn Gardens, which is just one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. Fresh cut flowers are waiting for you to pick them by the stem or in a premade bouquet; and this stand accepts Venmo as well as cash! If you can, it’s always best to hit the flower stand last so your next stop is home where you can put them in fresh water and they aren’t in your hot car all day.
Thank you for another perfect getaway, Skagit Valley! There are so many great farms and roadside stands, you really can’t do this trip wrong. Pack the car up and go for a drive with an outline of what you want to do, and hit all the other things that look fun along the way! Don’t forget that this is such a great way to support local farmers (and also to get the best and freshest produce, cheeses, and meats available). We are already planning out trip back for early fall!
