Friends of the Farms

11/01/2026

Fall yumminess

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween!

10/24/2026

The Red Envelopes are arriving!

10/22/2026

This sounds interesting and it's online 🍄‍🟫

MUSHROOM SEASON IS HERE… BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT?

Take a walk through the woods around Kitsap County this time of year, and you might be surprised by just how many different kinds of mushrooms you can find.

Some are tiny and easily overlooked. Others are enormous, brightly colored, or so unusual-looking that you'd swear they belong in another world!

But here's what makes them especially fascinating… some mushrooms are edible, others are toxic, and telling the difference isn't always as simple as looking at a picture.

Learning to identify mushrooms is about more than knowing which ones you can eat.

It's about recognizing the incredible diversity of fungi living right here on the Kitsap Peninsula, understanding their role in our forests and soil, and developing a greater appreciation for the natural world around us.

And there's plenty to learn!

FUNGI 101: A MUSHROOM FEST PRIMER

The Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society (KPMS) is offering a great opportunity to explore the world of fungi with KPMS President Sable Burgess.

This beginner-friendly online class will cover the basics of fungi, introduce mushroom identification skills, and explore notable local species, including the characteristics of popular wild edible mushrooms.

Class Details:

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

6:00–7:00 PM

Online

Cost: $29

The timing couldn't be better! The class is designed to help participants build their mushroom knowledge ahead of the Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society's Annual Wild Mushroom Show on November 1.

Whether you're interested in mushroom foraging, gardening, ecology, or simply curious about what's growing in your backyard, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn from someone who shares a passion for our local fungi.

Of course, mushroom identification is something to take seriously. Some toxic mushrooms closely resemble edible species, so never eat a wild mushroom unless its identity and safety have been reliably established.

Learn more and find registration information here:

https://kitsapmushrooms.org/event/october-28-mushroom-week-fungi-101/

Thank you to the Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society and Olympic College for helping our community discover more about the fascinating fungal world around us.

Here's a question for our Kitsap community…

Have you ever come across a mushroom growing in your yard, pasture, or local forest that was so unusual you just had to stop and take a closer look?

We'd love to see your mushroom photos in the comments! Let's see what kinds of fascinating fungi people are finding around Kitsap County this fall.

10/21/2026

39 COUNTIES IN WASHINGTON. ONLY ONE WITHOUT DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE LANDS. THAT COUNTY IS KITSAP.

Let that sink in for a moment.

Kitsap County has farms, farmers, livestock, orchards, market gardens, and families who have worked the land for generations. Agriculture is part of our history, our economy, and our community.

Yet Kitsap stands apart from the rest of Washington in one significant way.

We have no officially designated Agricultural Resource Lands (ARL).

Under Washington's Growth Management Act, counties identify agricultural land considered to have long-term commercial significance. This designation helps establish a framework for protecting farmland from incompatible development.

Kitsap County's Comprehensive Plan states that our agricultural land doesn't meet the criteria for that designation.

That doesn't mean agriculture isn't happening here. And it doesn't mean our farms have no protections.

But it does raise some important questions.

What happens when farmland becomes more valuable for development than for growing food?

How do we protect opportunities for the next generation of farmers?

How can farm businesses invest in their future when land-use regulations, water availability, development pressures, and land costs create uncertainty?

And perhaps most importantly...

Should the future of Kitsap agriculture be determined only by what land looks like on a map, or also by the people who actually farm it?

These are questions worth discussing, especially right now.

ON OCTOBER 29, KITSAP FARMERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.

Kitsap County is hosting its Rural Lands Analysis Workshop, part of an ongoing effort to understand rural land use and inform future planning decisions.

The analysis is examining land use, development, conservation, agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. Its findings could help shape future recommendations affecting rural properties and agricultural businesses.

Importantly, the workshop will include a dedicated agriculture discussion group.

This isn't a meeting where new farmland regulations will be adopted. It's an opportunity to share experiences, examine information, and help inform the next phase of the county's analysis.

And farmers have firsthand knowledge that deserves to be part of that process.

RURAL LANDS ANALYSIS WORKSHOP

Thursday, October 29, 2026

5:00–7:00 PM

Village Green Community Center

26159 Dulay Road NE, Kingston

Registration is required. Attendance is limited to 60 participants.

Workshop information and registration:

https://www.kitsap.gov/dcd/Pages/Rural_Lands_Analysis.aspx

At KCAA, we believe that understanding the challenges facing local agriculture is an important part of building a stronger local food system.

Whether you're a longtime farmer, just starting out, a rural landowner, or someone who cares about the future of local food, this conversation matters.

Here's a question we'd love to hear your thoughts on:

What would meaningful protection and support for agricultural land in Kitsap County actually look like?

Sources: Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan and Kitsap County Rural Lands Analysis.

10/01/2026

09/25/2026

They are donating student-grown produce to Helpline House!

09/21/2026

Join Winney Farm for a Fall Festival full of celebration! Spend the day enjoying live music, farm-fresh food, exciting activities, friendly farm animals, and plenty of fall fun for all ages.
No tickets are required, simply come and enjoy the day with family and friends.

09/16/2026

Farming is not just about growing and selling things.

What happens when a farm opens its gates to the community?

Agritourism can be a lot more than a fun day on the farm. In Washington, it can also be part of a much bigger conversation about keeping farms economically viable and keeping agricultural land in agriculture.

A new Washington State Agritourism Report, released by the Washington State Department of Commerce, takes a close look at that connection.

One finding really stands out: 77% of surveyed Washington farmers operate on less than 100 acres, and more than 40% reported gross annual farm income below $40,000. More than half of farm operators or their partners also reported having an off-farm job to supplement farm income.

For many small farms, finding additional ways to generate income can make a real difference in whether a farm remains viable.

The report found strong community support for agritourism activities that are closely connected to farming, including farm tours, U-pick operations, farm stands, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and agricultural education.

And perhaps most importantly, 76% of survey respondents identified preservation of agricultural land as a major benefit of agritourism.

That doesn't mean every activity on agricultural land is automatically compatible with farming. The report also explores concerns about traffic, noise, infrastructure, regulations, and the possibility of tourism activities eventually displacing the agricultural purpose of the land.

One of the report's central recommendations is that commercial agriculture should remain the primary land use, with tourism serving as an accessory use.

That's an important conversation here in Kitsap County, too.

We have farms that grow food, raise livestock, produce flowers, welcome visitors, teach agricultural skills, and give people a chance to experience agriculture firsthand.

How we support those farms while protecting the land and agricultural character that make these experiences possible is worth thinking about.

What does good agritourism look like to you?

Washington State Department of Commerce: https://deptofcommerce.app.box.com/s/eslwn7mddbj18tvvj3bqr9w8snreitqn

09/15/2026

The Fall issue of Tideland Magazine has an article about the Bainbridge Island Fruit Club 's restoration of the historic orchard at Johnson Farm that is managed by FotF. There is a sidebar piece about Share the Harvest. The farm is more than just an orchard - in addition there are 14 community P-patch garden plots, commercial farming, and the Little Lending Library focused on food and farming.
The farm is open to the public (it is owned by the city).

https://www.tidelandmag.com/issue/2026-fall