Join Oak Harbor Main Street for their Annual Wine, Bites & Brew Fundraiser at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge!

Enjoy tastes from local restaurants, wineries, breweries, and distilleries and help them with projects to further enhance historic downtown Oak Harbor.

Sponsored by the Oak Harbor Main Street Association.

Join us for a prairie restoration work party in the upper meadow to cut back blackberries and clear around the Garry oaks. This area is a conservation easement for wildlife habitat. The oaks have a wide variety of prairie plant understory.

The first half hour is an orientation of what understory plants to look for. Then we’ll get to work. Please bring clippers, loppers and hori horis(Japanese digging knives). Dress for the weather and wear heavy gloves.

 This is an Earth and Ocean Month service day. Please use this form to let us know you are coming: https://forms.gle/TRuDBxSjrSkhzga86.

For more information, contact prscot@whidbey.net.

Feeling helpless as we watch our democracy crash and our hard-fought social and climate gains burn to the ground?

Take heart! We are not alone, and we are not powerless. As an individual it’s impossible to imagine making a difference. BUT as a group, shoulder to shoulder, we are mighty. Our community is rich with opportunities to engage, take part, direct energy and action toward common goals.

Join us on April 3 to focus on actions you can take, connect with a movement you can join, find your place in the RESISTANCE.

This month’s Island Conversations will highlight some of the impacts of Federal actions on the people and environment in Washington and on Whidbey. Brief presentations from local organizations will showcase opportunities to plug in. Our goal is that each individual feel empowered and connected to a community, a larger, more powerful movement to preserve and restore our climate and our democracy.

Carpool Option!  If you pass the Bayview Park & Ride (at Bayview Rd and Hwy 525) on your way to Langley, consider meeting there at 5:40 to carpool. Every car that stays at Bayview will avoid 8 miles of driving!

Snacks & Social 5:45, Program 6–8pm | FREE 

info@whidbeyclimate.org
Meeting the challenge of climate change in our own community.
https://whidbeyclimate.org

Get Prepared for spring with these Fruit Tree Workshops

4 Saturdays, one each in January, February, March, and April to help you prepare to grow your own fruit trees.
Presented by Dan Vorhis from Muscle and Arm Farm

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January 18, 2025: Fruit Tree Selection and Care 10 AM – 12:30 PM
The introductory class on which the other classes build. Addresses cultivar selection, rootstocks, plant needs, diseases and pests, fertilizing, and other important foundations of fruit horticulture.
Class Cost: $25 in advance, $30 at the door

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February 15, 2025: Fruit Tree and Vine Pruning 10 AM – 1 PM
Classroom portion addresses the science of pruning; field lab is hands-on in the orchard. Unless it is pouring down rain, we'll have the lab regardless of weather (which is usually cold and damp), so dress for it.
Class cost - $25 advance payment, $30 at door

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March 29, 2025: Hardwood Grafting 10 AM – 12 PM
Addresses the science of grafting, followed by a hands-on bench grafting lab (apple). Everyone goes home with their grafted tree. Bring your grafting knife if you have one. We provide the rootstock, scion wood, and necessary tools and materials.
Class cost - $25 advance payment, $30 at door.

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April 26, 2025: Soil Science 10 AM – 12 PM
Soil is the basis for much of plant agriculture. Knowing your soil is a little bit like knowing how your engine works when you drive a car, or knowing a little about food science when you cook. Our focus in this class is to give you a basic understanding of key elements of soil science that bear directly on the health of your plants, and what you can do about it.
Class cost - $25 advance payment, $30 at door.

South Whidbey Tilth Food Growing Series

Get Growing the Best Vegetable Crops for Whidbey

Thursdays March 13, 20 and 27, 4 to 6 p.m.

Freeland Library, 5495 S. Harbor Avenue, Freeland

South Whidbey Tilth is offering a three-class series on growing food taught by Anza Muenchow. All classes will be held at the Freeland Library on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Anza Muenchow, formerly a WSU Extension educator, has been teaching and promoting growing and eating local food, to children and adults, through programs in Seattle and Whidbey Island for over 30 years. She is a farmer who has sold fresh produce at the Tilth Sunday market for many years and is currently a member of the South Whidbey Tilth council.

March 20 – Grow your Food and Save Money

We’ll discuss selecting crops. What do you and your family love to eat? What is easy to grow in our climate? Do you know your micro-climate? Learn how to get started with transplants, row covers, tunnels and cloches.

Mapping your garden can help make gardening fun, accessible and successful. We’ll talk about using raised beds, managing crop rotation and avoiding pests and pathogens by not stressing plants.

March 27 – Warm Season Crops

Learn the best varieties and how to maximize harvests. We’ll learn about these families of crops: Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, groundcherries and tomatillos). Cucurbits (cucumbers, summer and winter squash and pumpkins). Summer beans (pole or bush, edamame).

 Classes are free. Donations to Tilth can be made online at www.southwhidbeytilth.org/donate.

with Tobey Nelson, CPH

Most gardeners are frustrated by weeds. We spread mulch to suppress them but eventually that mulch breaks down, the seeds blow in, and the weeds come back. Mother Nature hates bare ground, and she’ll use weeds to cover it up. Smart gardeners will work with nature; instead of leaving bare ground between shrubs, plant something! There are several benefits of covering the ground with plants: it keeps soil cool, the shade will prevent weeds from sprouting, and having foliage close to the ground can actually help keep moisture in the soil. Depending on what plants you choose, you can also bring more beauty to your garden and add food for wildlife as well! In this class we’ll dig a bit deeper into how to use this strategy in your garden, and we’ll talk about lots of options of plants to use for a living mulch layer. Students will receive a coupon for 20% off plants, class fee is $15. To register call 360-321-9931 or Click Here!

Do your part to plant a more abundant future! FREE trees are available on a first come basis. Hundreds of native, bare root trees, including cedar, fir, alder, as well as a limited number of pine, willow, hazelnuts, chestnuts, and Garry oaks. Donations are welcome. More specialty trees (and dahlia tubers!) will be available for sale inside the stand.

Whole Systems Kitchen

An exploration of what it takes to grow, prepare, and benefit from food

Join us every third Thursday from 4 - 6 p.m.

Join Nutritional Therapists, Jenn Goff and Bethany-Lynn Rodriguez to learn about meats, eggs, vegetables, herbs, and more… what it takes to grow them, how long it takes to grow them, how climate change might impact them, how they are harvested, the challenges of processing, tips for storing/preserving them, their nutritional profile and how to prepare them for maximum health benefits and flavor.

Full details and information can be found here.

$90/per individual session or $900 for the full 12-month series. Payment plans available upon request.

South Whidbey Tilth Food Growing Series

Get Growing the Best Vegetable Crops for Whidbey

Thursdays March 13, 20 and 27, 4 to 6 p.m.

Freeland Library, 5495 S. Harbor Avenue, Freeland

South Whidbey Tilth is offering a three-class series on growing food taught by Anza Muenchow. All classes will be held at the Freeland Library on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Anza Muenchow, formerly a WSU Extension educator, has been teaching and promoting growing and eating local food, to children and adults, through programs in Seattle and Whidbey Island for over 30 years. She is a farmer who has sold fresh produce at the Tilth Sunday market for many years and is currently a member of the South Whidbey Tilth council.

March 20 – Grow your Food and Save Money

We’ll discuss selecting crops. What do you and your family love to eat? What is easy to grow in our climate? Do you know your micro-climate? Learn how to get started with transplants, row covers, tunnels and cloches.

Mapping your garden can help make gardening fun, accessible and successful. We’ll talk about using raised beds, managing crop rotation and avoiding pests and pathogens by not stressing plants.

March 27 – Warm Season Crops

Learn the best varieties and how to maximize harvests. We’ll learn about these families of crops: Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, groundcherries and tomatillos). Cucurbits (cucumbers, summer and winter squash and pumpkins). Summer beans (pole or bush, edamame).

 Classes are free. Donations to Tilth can be made online at www.southwhidbeytilth.org/donate.

As fun as gardening and yard-work are, they can feel very overwhelming, very quickly in the spring. In this class, we'll explore spring routines you can follow to help set you and your growing spaces up for success throughout the growing season! We will focus on regenerative methods, meaning the routines will help you use your natural resources more effectively and responsibly!

The class is held outside under a tent so dress warm!
Children 12 and younger can attend for free with a paying chaperone

Registration required
Class fee: $10
(Only 20 spaces available!)

This is a family friendly event beginning with introductions and instruction from Whidbey Island Conservation District, followed by a riparian buffer planting to protect the wetlands at Black Seed Farms. Help plant and mulch over 400 bare root trees! Potluck lunch. Snacks and water provided. Black Seed grows food to gift and sell to BIPOC communities, facilitates youth education, and helps to establish economic stability and a dignified, culturally appropriate food supply chain. 

Register to Volunteer!

Whidbey Gardening Workshop is a full day of classes, workshops, demonstrations, and a full-service Marketplace where you'll find just what your garden needs. Please visit whidbeygardening.org to sign up. Save $$ if you register before Feb 7!

The Whidbey Gardening Workshop draws gardening enthusiasts from across the Puget Sound region, eager for expert advice to elevate their own gardens. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced green thumb, you’ll leave with fresh insights, creative ideas, and renewed inspiration!

Our diverse classes cover everything from composting and essential beginner tips to advanced topics like vegetable and fruit cultivation, crop rotation, soil health, and climate-smart garden design. No matter your skill level, there’s something to nurture your passion for gardening!

Keynote Speakers Kelly Dodson and Sue Milliken presenting the story and work behind Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy. Again this year are Make-n-Take classes where participants will learn a technique and take their project home with them. Over 40 gardening classes—register early before they fill up! This Workshop is produced and presented by the Island County Master Gardener Foundation in affiliation with the WSU Extension Service of Island County

South Whidbey Tilth Food Growing Series

Get Growing the Best Vegetable Crops for Whidbey

Thursdays March 13, 20 and 27, 4 to 6 p.m.

Freeland Library, 5495 S. Harbor Avenue, Freeland

South Whidbey Tilth is offering a three-class series on growing food taught by Anza Muenchow. All classes will be held at the Freeland Library on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m.

Anza Muenchow, formerly a WSU Extension educator, has been teaching and promoting growing and eating local food, to children and adults, through programs in Seattle and Whidbey Island for over 30 years. She is a farmer who has sold fresh produce at the Tilth Sunday market for many years and is currently a member of the South Whidbey Tilth council.

March 13 – Getting Started 

Enjoy organic greens this season fresh from your garden. In this class we will discuss soil preparation, the best varieties for our climate and the best cool season crops. March is the time to plant out many kinds of vegetable starts and sow your peas, parsley, favas and arugula.

March 20 – Grow your Food and Save Money 

We’ll discuss selecting crops. What do you and your family love to eat? What is easy to grow in our climate? Do you know your micro-climate? Learn how to get started with transplants, row covers, tunnels and cloches.

Mapping your garden can help make gardening fun, accessible and successful. We’ll talk about using raised beds, managing crop rotation and avoiding pests and pathogens by not stressing plants.

March 27 – Warm Season Crops

Learn the best varieties and how to maximize harvests. We’ll learn about these families of crops: Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, groundcherries and tomatillos). Cucurbits (cucumbers, summer and winter squash and pumpkins). Summer beans (pole or bush, edamame).

 Classes are free. Donations to Tilth can be made online at www.southwhidbeytilth.org/donate.

with Tobey Nelson, CPH

This is a big topic that can encompass so many things! From adjusting our mindsets and “goalposts” to changing our garden practices, in this class we’ll talk about the big and little things we can do to make gardening more sustainable, including soil health, water conservation, work management, habitat gardening, options for lawns & lawn care and more. Students will receive a coupon for 20% off plants, class fee is $15. To register call 360-321-9931 or Click Here!

The Penn Cove Mussel Festival is a culinary celebration of the mussels grown offshore from Coupeville. These tasty mollusks quickly grow in the clean river-fed waters of Penn Cove. Each year area restaurants compete to see who can serve the best chowder, and those who buy tasting tickets get the chance to vote on who is the winner!

There are also mussel cooking demonstrations by both local and regional chefs. There are beer gardens with live music and plenty of shopping in downtown Coupeville. Buy a ticket, take a boat tour of the mussel beds, and finish the day by watching who can chow down on mussels the fastest.


Please buy your tickets early, as it’s almost always a sellout!  Tickets are online only and go on sale February 7th.
 The fun begins Friday evening with a Mussel Mingle – a get-together at the Coupeville Rec. Hall, but the tasting and all the rest happen on Saturday and Sunday!

The Penn Cove Mussel Festival is a culinary celebration of the mussels grown offshore from Coupeville. These tasty mollusks quickly grow in the clean river-fed waters of Penn Cove. Each year area restaurants compete to see who can serve the best chowder, and those who buy tasting tickets get the chance to vote on who is the winner!

There are also mussel cooking demonstrations by both local and regional chefs. There are beer gardens with live music and plenty of shopping in downtown Coupeville. Buy a ticket, take a boat tour of the mussel beds, and finish the day by watching who can chow down on mussels the fastest.


Please buy your tickets early, as it’s almost always a sellout!  Tickets are online only and go on sale February 7th.
 The fun begins Friday evening with a Mussel Mingle – a get-together at the Coupeville Rec. Hall, but the tasting and all the rest happen on Saturday and Sunday!

Safety is everyone’s concern. Extreme weather, economic disparities, political upheaval, loss of jobs and housing—these conditions are making the systems we rely on brittle. Can we bounce back? Will everyone be okay? 

Join us for Whidbey Climate Action’s March 6 conversation. Let's create our own safety network, starting with ourselves at home, expanding to our block, our neighborhood, our town, our island.

Bring a neighbor, a friend, someone you don’t even know well. We can all become stronger, smarter, safer with knowledge and a plan. We can build resilient communities and show up when we need each other. And we will.

This event is free and open to all. Refreshments provided.

Please bring your own mug, napkin, etc. as this is a waste-free event.

www.whidbeyclimate.org/island-conversations

John Fetrow, retired DVM, will be sharing info about Avian Flu: The actual pathogen/disease.

• Where is it showing up?

• How is it treated and controlled?

• Potential impacts to our food systems?

Dishing the Dirt is free to attend but donations are encouraged. Please RSVP!

Join us for local Mardi Gras favorite Ken Pickard and Zydeco Explosion! Playing new, old, and some very old authentic Zydeco and Cajun music, they promise to have you on your feet from the downbeat.

Don’t forget to come decked out in your best Mardi Gras finery! The evening fun includes a costume contest with prizes for Best in Show, Most Comical, Best Child Costume, and Best Mask. Beads do not count as a costume, but you can grab some free at the door.

Beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be for sale. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (the Mardi Gras party call of “let the good times roll”).

Mardi Gras has a long history in the US, with the first New Orleans Mardi Gras parade in 1837. Goosefoot has brought the party to Whidbey Island since 2014. Mardi Gras is actually the culmination of 12 days of celebrations before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, the final of which being “Fat Tuesday.”

Chef in the Black Bandana will be set up right next to Bayview Hall selling Mardi Gras specials! From hush puppies to muffalettas to gumbo and shrimp po’ boys, all your NOLA favorites are here! Even if you can’t make the party, be sure to stop by their food booth for a special dinner.

Admission is free and the event is family friendly. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Join us for a weekly session “out in the kitchen garden.” Each week you will learn by doing - as we transform what started as a strawberry project into a kitchen garden focused on herbs and vegetables.

No experience required. Just curiosity about growing food and a willingness to work toward progress.

Please RSVP here

Learn to make beautiful and delicious fresh Garlic Pomodoro Sauce for pasta the way the Italians make it, using the finest organic Italian pasta and freshest organic ingredients, prepared simply for a fine dining experience you can easily recreate at home. 

In this two to three hour class, you'll learn how to make Fresh Garlic Pomodoro Sauce for pasta, using fresh organic Roma tomatoes, pressed garlic cloves, olive oil, fresh basil and spices. Enjoy wine pairings and a plate of our preparation.

This is a live cooking class where you can enjoy food, wine and an experience to treasure and share with friends and family.

with Carrie Morlang of Knox Cellars Mason Bees

Meet the Blue Orchard Mason Bee and learn why you should love these amazing native pollinators, and how to care for them. We’ll go over their life cycle, what you’ll need to keep them happy and healthy, and what they can do for you. There will be time for questions at the end, and each attendee will receive a coupon for 10% off mason bee supplies. Class cost is $15, to register call 360-321-9931 or Click Here!

"Braising" class with Chef Vincent.

Chef will lead with a discussion of, "What do we braise and why?" You will learn how to braise protien, vegetables and how to make a sauce for your braise with the reduced braising liquor. This class (as well as all the others) is great for advanced to beginner skill sets. All are welcome! Lunch and wine included. 🍽️🍷

Join us for a tour of the coffee roasting facility followed by a tasting of a few selections of brewed coffee and small pastries from Coffee At Dawn, the café in the woods next door to Mukilteo Coffee Roasters. A great way to start a cold winter’s day! There is no charge for this event. If you would like to attend, email us at info.sfwi@gmail.com. Space is limited.

Join us for a weekly session “out in the kitchen garden.” Each week you will learn by doing - as we transform what started as a strawberry project into a kitchen garden focused on herbs and vegetables.

No experience required. Just curiosity about growing food and a willingness to work toward progress.

Please RSVP here

Join Chef Vincent for a lesson on how to make Gnocchi. A traditional Italian style of pasta. In this technique-driven class we’ll show you exactly how to prepare from scratch these pillowy light dumplings.

Whole Systems Kitchen

An exploration of what it takes to grow, prepare, and benefit from food

Join us every third Thursday from 4 - 6 p.m.

Join Nutritional Therapists, Jenn Goff and Bethany-Lynn Rodriguez to learn about meats, eggs, vegetables, herbs, and more… what it takes to grow them, how long it takes to grow them, how climate change might impact them, how they are harvested, the challenges of processing, tips for storing/preserving them, their nutritional profile and how to prepare them for maximum health benefits and flavor.

Full details and information can be found here.

$90/per individual session or $900 for the full 12-month series. Payment plans available upon request.

Join the Whidbey Island Growers Association and Heavy Nettle Collective for a day of exchanging seeds and tips, wellness practice, classes, hands on & kids activities, repair, fiber arts, food, and more!

RSVP at whidbeycd.org/events

Featuring:

• Wellness Suite from Black Girl Country Living, Winding Circle Massage

• Soils 101 from WSU Extension

• Food by Chef in the Black Bandana

• Info Booths from North Central Whidbey Farmer's Market, Good Cheer, Whidbey Island Grown, Whidbey Island Conservation District

• Music from Cascade Cody

This event is funded by a cooperative agreement with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.