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Penn Cove Mussel Rafts
Gracing the waters of Penn Cove floats a particularly unique & quite famous feature of our island. Wood & rope intertwine to create seemingly countless rafts bobbing on the waves above and creating magic below… You may not know this, but Island county is home to the oldest & largest mussel farm in the United States. Penn Cove Mussels, Inc. began culturing mussels in 1975 with the desire to harness the cove’s naturally nutrient-rich water to harvest bigger and better mussels than the ones currently available on the market. The results were incredible! Penn Cove mussels grow at a remarkable rate, enabling the mussels to reach harvest size within one year. This rapid growth rate causes Penn Cove mussels to have a firmer texture, sweeter flavor, and a thinner shell with more meat. These crowd-pleasing mussels are a favorite of chefs all over the country and with only two hours separating Penn Cove from the Sea-Tac Airport; mussels harvested in the morning are easily on dinner plates in Houston by the evening. To read more about this local aquaculture visit our blog here.
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Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
The Price Sculpture Forest
After purchasing 15.1 acres in 2008 conservationist Scott Price and his family decided to develop their home elsewhere. After doing so they journeyed down a long road of determining what to do with the property before concluding a sanctuary where art and nature entangle as one. After years of dedicated time and development, they unveiled The Price Sculpture Forest to visitors on October 23, 2020.
Initially…
the community’s solution to the Prices issue was to clear cut the forest to create clear views of Penn Cove and Mount Baker then subdivide it for residential development. Price’s inner conscious could not allow that to happen. Price had other plans. Price wanted to conserve the property and protect it for years to come. While it would be a challenging road ahead Price rolled up his sleeves and got to work. After reaching out to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust who reached out to the US Navy to aid in preserving the property a creative plan had begun to make Price’s dreams a reality. Price purchased two smaller adjacent parcels bringing the total property to 16.3 acres.
The solution…
The Price Sculpture Forest. A place where visitors are welcomed to the property to experience a magical place where nature and art entangle as one. As you walk down the trails you encounter art exhibits, many of which play on the existing natural habitat. A prime example is Nature’s Keystone by Anthony Heinz May who used a fallen tree and cut up bits of one end into square blocks designing the fallen tree to look like a living masterpiece exploding right out of nature. 
Turn another corner and come face-to-face with Tyrannosaurus Rex a driftwood masterpiece by Joe Treat that might catch you off guard.
Feel in awe as you walk beneath the Flying Fish by Daniella Rubinovitz and wonder how they got the incredible piece of work up there.
The best part of the journey is that the park is still growing. You might find yourself lucky enough to meet an artist on your trip like we did.
Visitors and residents alike find continued joy from Prices’ selfless act as they return to the sanctuary to be close to nature and enjoy the local art exhibits. This is just one of the many gems that make Whidbey Island such a unique and wonderful place to live. If you enjoy this you might also enjoy visiting the Earth Sanctuary between Freeland and Langley.
Whidbey Farmers Markets
If you were given the task of describing this beautiful island, how would you respond? What would you say? Would you highlight the Navy community of Oak Harbor? Or maybe the vibrant artisan culture? What about the plethora of State Parks that help to preserve our island’s beauty?
We all know any one of these features would be a more than fair depiction of this wonderful oasis we call home, but there is one more description that is often glanced over.
Farms.
Did you know Whidbey Island is home to over 400 farms both large and small? Fresh fruit, vegetables, livestock, flora, honey – you name it. The agricultural life on this island is incredible and something to be admired.
That admiration is often reflected in the island’s farmers’ markets where you can purchase produce grown and harvested by these local farmers. Below is a list of the three main Whidbey Farmers’ Markets on the island.
Whidbey Island Farmer Market | Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor
Coming this summer, for the first year ever, is the Whidbey Island Farmers Market in Oak Harbor! After the dissolution of the Oak Harbor Farmers Market earlier this year, passionate farmers and vendors gathered together to create a new non-profit market for the people of Oak Harbor. They will be a great addition to the Whidbey Farmers Markets!
This year the market will be located in Windjammer park and feature vendors such as Maya Farm, The Case Family Farm, Flightline Franks, and so many more.
As of right now, the market is set to be every Sunday from 11 AM to 3 PM between June to September.
Stay up to date by following their Facebook Page.
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Coupeville Farmer Market | 788 NW Alexander St, Coupeville
Established and well-loved, the Coupeville Farmers Market has been selling local produce to islanders for over 40 years. With organizers focused on cultivating an appreciation for community, it’s not hard to see why it has lasted for such a long time.
Frequent vendors include Bell’s Farm, North Whidbey Farm, Arbia Pizza, Blanket Creations by Mary, Whidbey Kettlecorn, and many more.
The market is Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM, between April to October.
To learn more, you can visit their Website.
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Bayview Farmers Market | Bayview Rd, Langley
Undeniably the largest Whidbey Farmers Market on the island would be Bayview. With approximately 50 regular vendors a week including Blackberry Moon Farm, Lesedi Farm, Julie’s Lumpia Hut, and so many more; this market attracts visitors both on and off-island. You do not want to miss a chance to stroll through these stands!
Starting in mid-April and ending in mid-October, this market is 10 AM to 2 PM Every Saturday.
You can learn more and get the exact start and end dates on their Website.
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