Sequim Farmers Market

June 18, June 25

Open Saturdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through October

Downtown Sequim at Sequim Avenue, Washington Street

Contacts: www.sequimmarket.com; manager@sequimmarket.com; 460-2668

What’s new at the market are the organic farmers Daniel and Karina Shuman of Westwind Farm.

We are very excited to welcome another new produce vendor to our market community.

I asked Daniel what inspired them to be growers and he quickly responded with, “We love food, we love delicious food and that is how we found our way to farming.” He added, “More homegrown produce means more delicious food for my family.”

This passion combined nicely with another love of theirs, sharing delicious food with others.

Before they came to Sequim, they had a 500-square-foot home garden in Duvall at the foothills of Stevens Pass.

“We wanted to have a simpler lifestyle and it is a slower life here,” Daniel said.

Although he noted that in many ways it has been a faster paced life for his family here as they develop their farm.

“The natural climate and the social climate drew us here,” he said.

So three years ago, Daniel started growing produce at Nash’s Organic Produce to learn how it was done.

They got the fire under them to relocate when their now 3-year-old son Leo was born. They wanted to buy land to start a future for their family. They found that land was cheaper here and they purchased a piece of their own in Port Angeles while Daniel was training at Nash’s. The passion for farming really was cultivated at their homestead with dairy goats, ducks and chickens for eggs plus they grew their own produce. Now they are at Westwind Farm and they are stewards of 55 acres of wilderness and 7 acres of agriculture land.

They have since become a family of four, with little sister River joining them last year in April.

I have to share that they grow some amazing radishes! He has heirloom radishes from Italy and Japan, among others. While I am interviewing him, we are interrupted with customers coming along for more of these colorful gems. He can tell you all about the vitamins in the radishes.

“This one makes a great snack, these are called Purple Plum, Golden Zealot, China Rose,” he said.

Daniel loves to sell heirlooms. He is a self-proclaimed variety geek. At the market, Daniel and Karina also are selling Connecticut pumpkins and Daniel explained that the flowers, the stalk and leaves are all edible, and the pumpkin is good for carving and for pie. Also, he has seascape strawberries and Rocky Top lettuce mix. All the starts are open pollenated heirlooms.

“The flavors attracted me and they have the ability to adapt to different climates,” he said. “The hybrids are less adaptable. Fantastic flavor and vibrant color is pronounced in heirlooms and that is what drew me to them.”

During the season, Daniel tells me, there will be 40 varieties of vegetables ranging from zucchini, squash, lettuce, cabbage, kale, peas and seven varieties of beans which are all stringless.

“There will be some obscure varieties of beans from Thailand that can be up to 18 inches long,” Daniel said.

Come visit Dan and Karina of Westwind Farm and take home some delicious produce and fresh ideas!