Letter to the Editor: Islands Fall Farm Festival Seeks Sponsors

Farm Festival to celebrate Local Food and Farms in San Juan County, Oct. 1-31

Throughout the month of October, the Islands Fall Farm Festival will support a series of events on the larger islands in San Juan County to celebrate our thriving farms and local food culture.

As noted in the New York Times, “The Best Places to Visit in 2011”, “The big draw for the San Juan Islands .. just might be its dining scene. But the eternal lure of the San Juans — what brings chefs out as well as tourists- is the landscape,” defined by our beautiful pastoral farms.

Agritourism connects visitors and islanders to our local farmers, chefs, farmers markets and other businesses that promote and support our local farm economy.  It offers an opportunity for increased revenue for farmers, and a way for them to tell their story, share their passion for farming, and educate consumers about what it takes to grow delicious and healthy food.

The Islands Fall Farm Festival will coincide with San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau’s (SJIVB) month-long “Savor the San Juans”, promoting restaurant and lodging specials in support of our farm community. The Fall Farm Festival is coordinated by the Agricultural Resources Committee (ARC), in collaboration with Washington State University SJC Extension, Friends of Island Barns, SJC Agricultural Guild, and SJIVB. The ARC has already organized several successful agritourism events in 2010.

We are seeking business and community sponsorship to help make this event a success and to help establish an annual tradition of agritourism events in the county, benefiting local farmers and farm related businesses.  Your support will help us provide a brochure with a schedule of county-wide events and participating farms and businesses, advertise broadly, and provide direct support to the farmers and businesses offering events. In exchange for your support, we will include your name and business logo on promotional materials.

We are offering 3 levels of sponsorship. Please see information below.

In order to include sponsor information on our promotional materials, we hope to hear from you no later than August 12^th.  This will allow us to include your name in our advertisements to be displayed at SJC Fair, August 17-20^th.

We hope to hear from you soon.  Please contact us with any questions. Your support will help our island farmers and farm businesses.

Thank you,

 Sara Jones, Chair
Agricultural Resources Committee of San Juan County

Sponsorship

San Juan Islands Farm & Food Hero for donations of $750 or more.
 San Juan Islands Farm & Food Friend for donations of $500-$750
 San Juan Islands Farm & Food Supporter for donations of $100-$500

Please make checks out to: Agricultural Resources Committee of SJC
PO Box 3370
Friday Harbor, WA  98250

For further information, contact by phone 360-378-6621 or email  info@sjcarc.org