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11/22/15 - Seen at the Port Angeles Farmers' Market

This is a great time of year for the Port Angeles Farmers' Market. The regulars are all here, and that includes Johnston Farms, Nash Hubers, Spring Rain, River Run, Clark Farms, the Family Farm and Wild West. We've probably left out a few, but we can only buy and eat so much at a time.

Of note:

  • Spring Rain was offering a great alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving - Chicken, it's like a turkey, just smaller and delicious.
  • Cajun Kitchen, a newcomer, was there with their crayfish etouffee and their wonderful moufaletta.

An alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving

The Cajun Kitchen

Their muffaletta

Keywords: farmers' market, farms, johnston farm, nash huber, port angeles, spring rain

08/21/15 - Vancouver

We're off. (Of course, you knew that.) We left Port Angeles and took a short flight north. We've been staying close to the coast, and if you don't recognize the scenery, most of it is as seen from Stanley Park in Vancouver. Tonight we take our big flight. As we said earlier, we're off.

Good bye to Port Angeles

It looks like Holland, but it's en route to YVR.

The ferry to Victoria

That yellow pile in the distance is a Vancouver landmark, the great sulfur heap.

As seen from the coastal trail in Stanley Park

Some big ships in the harbor

One of the beaches

Approaching Siwash Rock, the one that looks like a pineapple

The pineapple close up

Another view

Houseboats in the harbor

Keywords: port angeles

07/06/15 - The Hazy Sun

When the winds changed, smoke from the forest fires burning on Vancouver Island made it our way. There have been lots of photos, but we figured we add our own, a picture of the sun, dimmed and recolored by the haze.

The hazy sun

Keywords: port angeles, atmosphere

06/27/15 - Seen Off The Port Angeles Coast

There were a few kayakers in the strait, carefully lined up under Mount Baker.

It's not easy getting that mountain lined up.

Keywords: mount baker, port angeles

04/26/15 - Country Aire

When Country Aire first moved into its new, larger space downtown, the store seemed rather empty, as if the old store had simply been spread out more. Over the past year or two it seems to have filled in a bit. There's a lot more on sale including meats from local farms, some pretty good cheese, Draper Valley chickens and fresh fish, some from Wild West. They've also upped the quality and variety of their produce. We love their packaged mushrooms which we can't find anywhere else in the area. We've been shopping there more and more often, and more often finding everything we need.

They aren't going to replace the Safeway, but the new Country Aire on First Street and Oak is a great new reason for heading downtown.

Frozen meats, much from Clark Farms

Mount Townsend cheese among others - We love the fresh feta.

It's hard to get a good photo of fish.

Keywords: port angeles, shopping

04/25/15 - Port of Port Angeles

There's a new visitor to Port Angeles harbor, a rather controversial oil rig. We gather it is in town being outfitted after having spent some time in Malaysia and is now on its way to Arctic waters. Greenpeace was in town protesting, though it is likely that low oil prices will do what the protestors cannot, keep the rig from drilling up north.

The oil rig was big and gaudy, but there was also the Kayak Festival at Hollywood Beach with its tents, brightly colored kayaks and kayakers in wet suits. It was a perfect day for kayaking with lots of sun, mild winds and smooth water. We watched a bit of a kayaking class and a minor rescue with two other kayakers getting a third back into his kayak. This is trickier than it sounds.

Our visitor

The Kayak Festival

A kayaking class

Keywords: port angeles

03/21/15 - Farmers' Market Update

There are more and more green things on sale at the Port Angeles Farmers' Market. Spring Rain and Johnston farms had various salad and braising greens, but the big news was pea shoots at Johnston Farm. For us, these are the sure sign of spring. Nash Huber was selling everything raab, that is, the usual vegetables except right before flowering. Kale raab, brussels sprouts raab, cabbage raab, and a number of others were all there just waiting to be sauteed.

Maybe it was the mild February, but it feels like spring is coming to the market earlier than ever.






Keywords: farmers' market, johnston farm, nash huber, port angeles, spring rain

01/19/15 - Winter Market Update

As usual this time of year there just aren't as many farmers and vendors at the Port Angeles Farmers' Market. Still, there was a nice crowd which meant potatoes, kale, brussels sprouts, squash and a host of other winter hardy vegetables. Spring Rain Farm even had fresh rabbits which are quite delicious.

Pacific Pantry sausages for our late breakfast

Nash Huber's stand - coco beans, carrots and brussels sprouts

Spring Rain was also selling chickens and rabbits.

Johnston Farm had a surprising bounty.

We bought some nice soap at Lana Bella

Pane d'Amore, the bakery has a stand every week.

We hadn't noticed Goodness Tea before, selling coffee and tea

Jose's Tamales were tempting this week

We bought some nice soap at Lana Bella

Keywords: farmers' market, johnston farm, nash huber, port angeles, spring rain

01/05/15 - Port Angeles Farmers' Market

This is just a reminder that the Port Angeles Farmers' Market is still operating on Saturdays from 10-2, and there are vegetables. There have been potatoes, kale, scallions, squashes and even arugula. Dungeness Seaworks has been there selling salmon and sometimes halibut, and Clark Farms is selling beef and pork. It may be winter, but the market lives.

These photos are ...

... all from ...

... Johnston Farms.

Keywords: farmers' market, johnston farm, port angeles, salmon, winter

12/11/14 - Christmas Firetruck

One of the great local customs in Port Angeles is the Christmas firetruck which visits every street in town. It's a vintage firetruck with lights, a tree, Santa and his helper elves giving out candy canes. We're always listening for the siren so we don't miss the truck.

Our neighbor's house - He's a gold star power company customer.

Our place - quiet elegance or maybe we're not as energetic

The firetruck

Closer

From the side

Passing

Until next Christmas season

Keywords: christmas, port angeles

11/13/14 - Green Stuff at Hollywood Beach

Hollywood Beach is the little beach in downtown Port Angeles near where Lincoln Street meets the strait, or would if the street ran down into the water. It's usually just a little spot of sand to explore, but this time it was covered with a band of green. What was it? Seaweed? There were some bits of it on the waterfront trail, but mainly along the beach.

The beach usually isn't that green. The gulls seem to like it though.

Keywords: port angeles

08/26/14 - Port Angeles Farmers' Market Update

We've been remiss in updating folks on the Port Angeles Farmers' Market. It is full summer now with tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, scallions, berries and just about everything else, except for winter squash. Wild West seafood has fresh salmon and Clark Farm has been selling beef and pork. There's no point in going into details, things change from week to week.

River Run Farm

Johnston Farm

More Johnston Farm

Nash Huber

Spring Rain Farm

Keywords: farmers' market, johnston farm, nash huber, port angeles, salmon, spring rain

07/28/14 - Kale on the Loose

We've always been big fans of kale. After all, kale is a feral vegetable. So, take a look at this photo. That's the first feral kale we've spotted, growing right along the Olympic Discovery Trail between downtown Port Angeles and Morse Creek.

Wild kale by the side of the trail

Keywords: morse creek, port angeles, kale

07/07/14 - Farmers' Market Update

Here's another photo update on the Port Angeles Farmers' Market. Now that it is summer, the market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10AM to 2PM, and there are all sorts of wonderful vegetables, berries, fish, meat, bread, sausages and now cider on sale.

River Run Farm has great potatoes and oversized napa cabbage.

Eaglemount Wine and Cider with their wares from Port Townsend

Eaglemount Wine and Cider

Johnston Farm with all sorts of peas and greens, but no oats

Berries at Spring Rain Farm from Chimacum

Keywords: farmers' market, johnston farm, port angeles, eagle, spring rain

07/06/14 - The New Bridge Over Ennis Creek

It's not really new. It opened back in February, but we finally made our way down along the waterfront to see the new bridge over Ennis Creek. It links the waterfront trail accessible from Railroad Avenue near the Red Lion in downtown Port Angeles and the rest of the Olympic Discovery Trail accessible from the parking lot near Morse Creek off route 101. It was actually possible to cross the creek before, but it required a detour inland. Now, one can head east out of town or west into town and stay along the waterfront.

The area around the bridge is the Rayonier site, once a paper pulping mill, and now a toxic waste site. It's a bit industrial, but industrial softened by time as old metal rusts, old wood crumbles, and brush and plant life take back their own. Unlike the rest of the trail, chain link fences block off the waterfront for about a half a mile, but the water remains in view. The bridge itself is good looking and offers a nice view of the strait. It's not pristine wilderness by any stretch, but it's a definite improvement.

View from the bridge

The town storm water holding tank, protecting the strait from run off

Industrial site

The cordon

A less pretty view of the bridge

Keywords: port angeles

07/05/14 - McPhee's Bodega

Lurid foods deserve lurid packaging. One of the fun things about traveling is seeing all the stuff that people overseas see as ordinary, but getting to appreciate them as wild, strange, or even outlandish.

Wasabi Iso Peanut - ISO is probably not the International Standards Organization.

Wonderful colors

Who can resist? What are they?

Keywords: port angeles, food

05/03/14 - Farmers' Market Update

The Port Angeles Farmers' Market has been ramping up for the season. Johnston Farm is back with potatoes, leeks, salad greens and other goodies. Spring Rain has its chickens, greens, and most recently, asparagus. The Family Farm and Nash Huber have been there with lots of green in their bins.

Elwha Apiary is back with their local honey. There's also a newcomer, Pacific Pantry, serving prepared food. The market is not quite fully ramped up, but things are happening.

Nash Huber - We were told that those are the last cauliflower we'll see for a while.

Johnston Farm - Potatoes, greens and more

More Johnston Farm greenery

The Family Farm has great baby turnips. We slice and salt the turnips, then saute the greens.

Spring Rain has vegetable starts, eggs, chickens and rhubarb.

Pacific Pantry is new. We haven't tried their goodies yet.

Spring Rain had asparagus. Spring is here.

Elwha Apiary is back.

A bit about honeybees

Keywords: farmers' market, johnston farm, nash huber, port angeles, spring, spring rain

03/22/14 - Farmers' Market Update

These are thin times at the Port Angeles Farmers' Market, so we've been buying what we can. Nash Huber, for example, had some spinach, so we assumed that the spinach season was starting. We were wrong. The young man at the stand filled us in. That was likely it for spinach for a while. Still, Nash Huber did have all sorts of raab, that is flowering young cabbages, arugulas and kales. They are sweet and delicious, and they are only available this time of year.

Spring Rain had their chickens, but they also have their greenhouse. That means salad greens, baby kale and all sorts of exotic things, mainly green vegetables. We have our hopes.

New at the market was Eric Pozgay, the Pasta Guy. He was selling freshly made pasta. Fresh pasta may be a hallmark of gentrification, but Port Angeles is a few miles down the road, so it was nice to see it on sale.

Dungeness Seaworks had some fine whole fish, good looking salmon, but we had to pass this week.



Keywords: dungeness, farmers' market, nash huber, port angeles, salmon, spring, kale, spring rain

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