Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms Part 2
Old Edison Inn
Have an exit strategy ready.
Walking into Old Edison Inn was like travelling back in time to someone’s 1970′s basement. The saws mounted on the back wall were sure to come in handy if anyone wanted to start a bar brawl or defense against zombies.
My sister and brother-in-law quickly gravitated towards the shuffleboard table, located next to the bar, for a Canada vs. US game. I noticed a hefty looking biker gentleman sitting at a table nearby was reading a book. The book didn’t quite fit in with the stereotype of someone who rides a hog. But hey, I’m not judging.
Breadfarm Bread
We glanced over the menu and I ordered the clam chowder special. I also insisted that we order the deep fried pickles. Smoky bacon covered in luscious cream was complimented by the velvety potatoes. It was a soup that ate like a meal! I later found out that I ordered the last bowl, and in a sense got the dregs from the pot. But I certainly didn’t mind. The bread, which was baked a few doors down the road at Breadfarm, was the thick and chewy. The way bread should be.
Thick and Chunky Clam Chowder - Made from locally sourced ingredients
The pickles were sealed by bread crumbs speckled with dill weed. Beneath the thin crunchy crumb coating was a piping hot crisp and juicy pickle. The ranch dip served alongside the pickles was a good contrast against the tang from the vinegar.
Tangy Deep Fried Dills
Deep Fried Oysters
We also ordered deep fryed oysters, which were by the dynamic duo of seafood sauce and sour cream. They looked like oversized golden brown raisins that had a thin soggy dredge. They tasted of how I think algae would taste, but they were creamy and far from what I would call revolting. I would’ve perferred a shattery crust for the oysters, but I can’t say I would’ve enjoyed it much more since I’m not particularly fond of cooked oysters anyway.
Feta Lamb Burger
Crunch Chocolate Eclair Bar
After lunch, we headed to Golden Glen Creamery where there were plenty of activities, but they were all for kids. There was a small stall selling a small selection of cheeses and fresh churned butter. The highlight of this farm was the free ice cream where I ate my first Crunch Chocolate Eclair Bar. It was thin layers cake with vanilla ice cream in between, then completely covered in more ice cream. The ice cream is then coated with what looked like nuts, but were actually cake crumbs. Cake and ice cream are always a great combination. However, for something that had ‘Crunch’ in its name, the bar wasn’t crunchy at all.
Fresh Carrots grown at Schuh Farms
Eat your vegetables!
The last farm of the day was at Schuh Farms, which grows seasonal fruit and vegetables. They were selling a wide variety of squash, which made for very colorful scenery.
Schuh Farms
After Schuh Farms, my sister and brother headed south for home, and that was the end of the festival for us. The Skagit Valley and the surrounding area is filled with many restaurants and farms waiting for me to discover. Since the harvesting season is soon coming to an end, I will probably have to wait till next year to visit any more farms.
