(Editor’s note: Since this letter was published, we learned from the owners that the clothing barn and donation box are the two portions of the farm stand that have been closed: owner Ian Harlow states: “We are just no longer accepting clothing donations at our thrift shack. An[d] yes our payment box continues to suffer the affects of bolt cutters and pry bars, but is getting stronger in the process.” We could withdraw the following letter and the comments it elicited from publication, but feel it’s more telling that we share heartfelt appreciation and high ethical expectations with our community — expectations that apply to professional journalism as well as to community conversation. We value that expression in your letters, columns and comments. Thank you ALL for participating).
— from Kira Bradshaw —
I am deeply saddened to hear about the burglaries and subsequent closing of the Black Dog Farm Stand on Enchanted Forest Road.
Like many others in our community, I loved going there. It is where I bought my first batch of fava beans and learned about purple potatoes (from Erica Harlow herself!) I want to thank Ian and Erica Harlow for all their hard work over the years in keeping that farm stand going and providing delicious produce as well as quirky, fun kitchen-y stuff in that little shed. Last year, they added a cute clothing barn next door and a donation box for clothes that was always full and usually had somebody diving into it looking for good free finds!
The Black Dog Farm Stand was run on the honor system, a dying system that has been alive on Orcas for a long time, a fact we are proud of. The thieves that stole from the Harlow’s took more than their money; they broke a bond of trust in our community. I am very sorry for the loss of a place that was special to me and many others.
Thank you again Ian and Erica for keeping the farm stand open as long as you could. It will be greatly missed.
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This is a tragic shame. In a small community such as Orcas, there are no secrets. The family and friends of the criminal involved need to turn her/him in and then the community needs to see a severe punishment is extracted through the legal process. Anything less will fail to send a message or to act as a deterrent.
Call me naive but I don’t want to believe this was done by someone from the island, rather than from the mainland. I guess illusions about the special nature of this island and its people die hard.
Thank you Kira for saying so eloquently what many of us felt about the Black Dog Farm Stand and the Harlow’s hard work in making it a highlight of island life for so long.
Don’t let a few turkeys get you down! Trust and goodwill are alive on Orcas Island – a few bad events can’t change this…
Please let’s get together and help them re- open. The unfortunates who took their money shouldn’t rob us of trust for the entire future. Maybe alternate payment method? Monthly fee /sign unit sheet? Those duck eggs, the taters and kale, mmm. People who would stoop so low as to steal from local farmers lost more than they gained. Please, Harlows, tell us what we can do.
Thank you all! The clarify we are only closing the trift shack and donation bin. The donation bin was a great resource and together we helped devert 60k lbs of clothes from the landfill. The consequence to this project was a constant stream of late night traffic that led to an unsafe environment to our family and customers.
We will continue to operate our vegetable stand on an honor system 7 days a week. Hopefully a more secure lock box will deture future theft.
Please people.. fact check your stories BEFORE you publish them. So over innacurate journalsim.
Yes, that was a whole lot of hear-say.. apparently. How does a story become so distorted? Wow!
Whether or not it was “just” the thrift shack and donation box or the entire stand, Black Dog Farm and by extension our entire community were violated. Trust was violated. Honor was scorned.
Thank you for sharing the breaking news and amending this news as it was clarified.