by MARK ST.J. COUHIG
Sequim Gazette
Nash’s new farm store is open for business.
The new store “at least quadruples the space” of the old farm stand, said Patty McManus Huber, who with her husband, Nash, owns Nash’s Organic Produce. The new store is at 4681 Sequim-Dungeness Way, just a short walk away from their old stand.
The store will hold its grand opening from Tuesday-Saturday, Nov. 1-5. Speeches and a ribbon cutting are planned for 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 4.
While expanding the available space, the store also has expanded its inventory. Rather than serving as a farm stand, selling produce only, the new store provides a substantial line of “grocery store” products, including packaged and canned goods, cleaning products and cooking oils. The store also has a large and growing “bulk section,” with grains, beans and legumes for sale.
McManus Huber said Ellen Russell and Mary Wong, co-managers of the store, “have been working hard to find the highest-quality processed foods for the new grocery shelves — products that don’t contain genetically modified organisms, corn syrup, artificial flavorings or additives — and products from socially responsible, independently owned companies.”
Nash’s employee Devon Beck said the beef now for sale is from the Clark Farm in the Dungeness Valley. It’s not only local, she said, “It’s grass-fed and grass-finished.”
Beck explained that most cattle are finished on grain, which they can’t fully digest.
Milk is provided by Dungeness Valley Creamery and is produced by local farms.
McManus Huber said while most of the produce they sell will come from their own farm operations, they also will purchase certain other goods, including additional eggs, from other family owned farms. Much of the fruit will come from Jerzy Boyz, an organic grower in eastern Washington.
Eventually the store also will sell beer and wine — including organic wines, McManus Hubersaid.
The new store also features locally made crafts and a “children’s corner” where the young ’uns can hang out while Mom and Dad shop.
Nash’s Farm Store is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. For more information, call 681-6274.
Reach Mark Couhig at mcouhig@sequimgazette.com.
The Grand Opening
Nash’s Organic Produce will celebrate the opening of its new store from Nov. 1-5 with five days of special events, including a give-away of “Sugar Pie Pumpkins with recipes for great pumpkin pie.” There also will be a “farm share” raffle and a daily drawing for gift baskets.
Children who come in with their parents get a free apple or carrot and can compete in a coloring contest.
Other events include:
Tuesday: Sample the goods from several vendors and from Pane d’ Amore and Diviana’s Chocolates.
Wednesday: More samples, including goodies from Theo’s Chocolates and Cape Cleare Seafood.
Thursday: Samples, including those from Pane d’ Amore.
Friday: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Welcome to Community, speeches by Nash Huber and store co-manage Mary Wong; cutting of the “carrot ribbon.” (Cutters include Huber and Wong plus the store staff.) Also: samples from Diviana’s Chocolate and Mount Townsend Creamery and music with Cort and Kia Armstrong performing.
Saturday: Laff Pack provides balloons and face painting (10 a.m.-noon); storyteller/puppeteer at children’s corner (1-3 p.m.); animal display outside (piglets, calf from Brown’s, rabbits, goat); Dungeness Valley Creamery to give away milk pints; “Guess the Veggie” game with prizes (activity books); Arts and Crafts for Kids; give-away organic lollipops for children.
