The Time is Ripe to Eat Local – King County celebrates local harvest at Westlake Plaza

Passersby at Westlake Park found out today just how easy it is to get fresh, and eat healthy, as King County Executive Ron Sims recognized August 13-20 as Get Fresh Week.

Sims participated in the celebration of the local farm harvest and was joined by representatives from local retailers and restaurants along with members of the agricultural community to show support for local farms. Participants encouraged people to shop at grocery stores and dine at restaurants offering locally grown produce.

"This event offers all of us a reminder that we are surrounded by a rich diversity of locally grown food that offers healthy food choices," said Executive Sims. "We must work together to promote these local products and to maintain the viability of our farming community because it contributes to the quality of life we cherish in this region."

On site was a traditional farm truck loaded with a huge variety of locally-grown Puget Sound Fresh products and visitors were given a special Puget Sound Fresh recipe booklet to help them eat local and healthy.

The Executive proclaimed Get Fresh Week and recognized and thanked participants in the Puget Sound Fresh Program, local retailers and restaurants who have committed their firms to support local agriculture by actively buying and offering locally grown products to their customers.

Partners recognized this year for their contribution to the program were: Safeway Stores, Larry’s Markets, Haggen’s/Top Foods, The Herbfarm, Culinary Communion, Bambuza Bistro, New Roots Organics.

With these partners, Puget Sound Fresh products are available at more than 100 retail and restaurant locations throughout the region. Consumers are encouraged to look for the Puget Sound Fresh logo at these establishments, and to ask for local products at their grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets.

The Puget Sound Fresh program began in 1998 to help consumers identify products that are grown, raised or harvested in one of the 12 counties that touch Puget Sound. For more information about the program, visit the Puget Sound Fresh Web site: www.pugetsoundfresh.org. Puget Sound Fresh
is a program of the non-profit Cascade Harvest Coalition, supported by King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties.

In addition to the Puget Sound Fresh Partners program, Puget Sound Fresh publishes the annual Farm Guide to help consumers find local farms, including U-pick farms, organic products, recipes, agricultural activities and more. Complete information is available at: www.pugetsoundfresh.org.

For more information on Puget Sound Fresh, Cascade Harvest Coalition or local agriculture, call: 206-632-0606.