WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Whatcom County has celebrated Eat Local Month for over a decade, but this year the governor has declared Eat Local Month a statewide festivity. As people all over Washington honor what it means to eat locally, we are reminded of our own local events in our backyard.

In Whatcom, Eat Local Month is hosted by Sustainable Connections and separated by week. The first week is dedicated to restaurants, the second is farm week, the third is for the markets and the last week is known as seafood week.

In this second week of celebration, folks are encouraged to attend the Whatcom County Farm Tour: a self-guided tour that will cover 16 different farms throughout the county, including farms in Lynden, Everson, Ferndale and Bellingham. This year is the 17th annual, and the event is seeing several new farms join the tour list.

Sustainable Connections Program and Food Manager Jessica Gillis says there is something for everyone at the farm tour this year and encourages folks to do some farm research before attending.

“Small Acres is a really fun one [this year]. They have loofah out there,” Gillis said. “I think people think that loofah sponges come from seed, but they actually come from a vegetable, and you see how that happens out at Small Acres farm.”

The farms will include hands-on learning activities, products for sale and areas that are open for exploration. The list includes animal farms, flower fields, basket weaving, food production and more.

“I encourage folks to put a cooler in their car just in case you want to pick up things along the way while you’re out for the day,” Gillis said. “Plan your trip in advance so you can make the most of that tour time from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 14.”

Sustainable Connections makes their events free for the public and hosts giveaways all month long. Individuals planning to attend any of this month’s Eat Local events can refer to the Sustainable Connections website for more information.