#21: Rachel Pigott - Owner of Island Harvest Farms

Camano Voice

Links to Things Mentioned in this Episode:

• https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps
• http://ofco.wa.gov/
• https://www.cloudmountainfarmcenter.org/

Key Points of Interest:

• Where did Rachel grow up?
• Rachel started with Americorp in Boston
• From there, she moved into Office of the Family and Children as an ombudsman for 7 years
• She decided policy work wasn’t for her
• Upon moving to Boston, she wasn’t prepared for the humidity
• Rachel also make a bold claim about lobster vs crab
• How did Rachel get into farming?
• Took Horticulture classes at Edmonds Community College and loved them!
• She then took on an internship with Hogsback on Vashon Island
• Next, she continued on to Cloud Mountain Farm
• She purchased the land for Island Harvest Farm in August 2014
• How did she occupy herself throughout the first winter?
• Where did the farm stand idea come from?
• She also talks about the learning process of ordering seeds
• How big is her crew on the farm?
• Rachel also talks about what she has started to learn more about what this community likes
• Where did the credit program idea come from? What are the advantages of joining it?
• How did she get connected with Mike Nestor?
• What are the Farm to Table Dinners?
• Who did they get started?
• What does the future of Island Harvest Farms look like?

Camano Island Locations Mentioned in this Episode:

• Island Harvest Farms (https://camanoislandharvest.com/)
• Camano Commons Marketplace (https://camanocommons.com/)
• Camano Island State Park (https://parks.state.wa.us/408/Camano-Island-State-Park)
  • Howard Adams Trail
• Baked Cafe (https://www.thebakedcafe.com/)
• Tapped Camano (https://www.tappedpublichouse.com/)