Harvest Festival: beautiful chickens, great pets, a world of vegetables and more
The Saturday Farmers Market turns into the Island Family Harvest from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. It will be a day of family fun at the Village Green.
The day will include music and stories all day, fun and games, free food, balloons, a straw bale maze, tractor rides, cider press, family soup fest and a lot of information families might find useful.
The day will also include the annual Chicken Beauty Contest, where the chickens must be caged — and beautiful, of course.
Winners are chosen by secret ballot and will be announced at 11:45 a.m.
Kids with pets that are not chickens are invited to bring them out for a pet show at 2:30 p.m. Dogs, cats, goats and rabbits are all welcome.
All pets must be on a collar or harness and leash and be calm around other animals.
Winning Categories are:
• Best presentation by handler in each pet category (dog, cat, goat, other)
• Best behaved in each pet category
• Best groomed in each pet category
• Best costume overall
• Best trick in each pet category
• Best hat to match handler’s hat
• Looks most like owner/handler
• Funniest pet in each pet category.
Entry forms are available online at www.vashonparkdistrict.org, the Vashon Park District office in Ober Park, or they will be at the Family Harvest.
Wednesday 17
WIC clinic
September’s WIC clinic is the last time this year it will be handing out Farmers Market vouchers. People who are eligible and have not received vouchers yet should stop in this month.
WIC provides free vouchers for nutritious foods as well as nutrition education for qualifying low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to age 5.
The clinic is held the third Wednesday of every month — this month from 9 a.m to noon and 1 to 2:30 p.m. today, Sept. 17. Access to a registered dietician, social worker and public health nurse is available through this program. There are also medical coupon applications available for children and pregnant women.
The clinic is located at the Vashon Methodist Church, 17928 Vashon Hwy. S.W. For appointments call 296-4822 or the day-of-clinic cell phone at 291-7336.
Wednesday market
The Wednesday Farmers Market will be open in the village Green from 2 to 6 p.m. today, Sept. 17. Farmers will be selling a wide variety of Island-grown produce including apples, plums, raspberries, melons and vegetables.
All the Wednesday farmers take WIC and senior checks as part of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
For more information, see www.vigavashon.org or call Market Manager Joanne Jewell at 267-8146.
Thursday 18
Audubon program
The September Vashon Audubon program will be presented by local Vashon birder and photographer Jack Dawdy based on his trip last winter to the Southwest. Four members of the Audubon chapter birded through parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
This program will focus on the birds of the Rio Grande Valley and the Texas coast, a mecca for species’ diversity.
The program is free, and all are welcome to attend. It will be held at the Land Trust Building located at 10014 S.W. Bank Rd. at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18.
Call Laura Bienen at 567-4613 or visit vashonaudubon.org for more information.
Book group meets
Vashon Bookshop’s book group will meet at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, to discuss “The World Without Us” by Alan Weisman. The book is a journalist’s look at how our planet would respond without the pressure of human presence.
Call the book shop at 463-2616 for more information.
Saturday 20
Dog and people walk
Vashon Island Pet Protectors’ (VIPP) Dog and People Walk will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 20, at Burton Acres Park.
Everyone is welcome, and no one needs to find sponsors. Donations are welcomed, and prizes will be awarded to the top three contributors. For more information, call VIPP at 389-1085.
Saturday market
The Vashon Farmers Market will be open in the Village Green from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Island Family Harvest will be going on (see above) and farmers will be selling Island-grown flowers, fruits and vegetables of late summer, including plums, tomatoes, fresh corn, the first fall squashes and pumpkins, apples, figs, herbs, eggs and wine.
Tiny’s Organic will have fruit from Eastern Washington. Sol Source will have spring rolls, miso soup, teas and other lunch specialties. Island artisans will be selling a wide variety of services and goods, including furniture, jewelry, art, tiles, soap, cards, cutting boards and knife sharpening.
For more information, see www.vigavashon.org or call market manager Joanne Jewell at 267-8146.
Adopt-a-cat day
Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP) will host an Adopt-A-Cat Day from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday at the new VIPP shelter, 12200 S.W. 243rd St. Please go to www.vipp.org for directions or call VIPP at 389-1085.
Sunday 21
Zen seminar
The fifth annual Vashon Island Seminar on Buddhism will be Sunday, Sept. 21. This year’s topic is Living Zen: Gratitude, Empowerment and Healing, with speaker Paula Arai. She is the professor of philosophy and religious studies at Louisiana State University and the author of “Healing Zen: Japanese Women’s Rituals of Transformation.”
There will be two optional sessions of meditation, including chanting, and a vegetarian lunch will be served.
The seminar will be on the north end of the Island at David Smith’s residence, which includes the Javanese Kudus House and the Chinese House.
The cost is $75 for Puget Sound Zen Center members and $90 for the general public. For more information, call the Zen center at 463-4332 or see www.pszen.org.
‘Electra’
The Vashon Library will host an opera preview of “Electra” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21.
Norm Hollingshead will preside.
Sophocles’ ancient tragedy is pushed to monumental extremes in this drama pulsing with heated currents of Strauss’ most voluptuous music. This work depicts Agamemnon’s daughter’s manic obsession with avenging his murder, unfolding as one crescendo from brooding resolve to bloody climax. The score features unearthly effects and lush harmonies throughout.
No registration is necessary. Call the library for more information at 463-2069.
Upcoming
Lodging tour
Vashon innkeepers are opening their doors for a one-day tour of Island lodgings on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
This is Islanders’ chance to view many of the accommodations available to their clients, friends and families. All owners of the accommodations on the tour are members of the Chamber of Commerce.
Accomodations south of Cemetery Road and on Maury Island will be open from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those north of Cemetery Road will be open from 2:30 to 6 p.m.
Maps and directions can be picked up the day of the event at the Chamber of Commerce, 19021 Vashon Hwy. S.W.
For more information, call the Chamber at 463-6217 or e-mail discover@vashonchamber.com.
Ongoing
Library story time
The Vashon Library will host story times for young children this month and next.
Toddler Story Time will meet from 10:40 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays until Oct. 14. Kids ages 18 months to 3 years with an adult caregiver are welcome for 20 minutes of stories and songs just right for toddlers.
Preschool Story Times will meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, until Oct. 14. Kids ages 3 to 5 are invited for 30 minutes of stories, songs and fun.
Lapsit Story Time will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesdays until Oct. 15.
Babies from newborn to 17 months and their caregivers can stop in for a 20-minute story time.
No registration is required.
Call the library for more information at 463-2069.
