Summer’s sweet treat: Watermelon

Daniel Schafer
Communications

Watermelon is one of the most beloved summer treats in the U.S. Americans eat more of it than any other melon — more than 14 pounds per person per year! In fact, we eat so much watermelon that domestic production can’t keep up with demand. The U.S. imported about 1.7 billion pounds of watermelon in 2019, which is about one-third of all the watermelon consumed here. 

Yes, it’s safe to say that we love watermelon. But because it typically grows in very warm climates, you may not think of it as a Washington crop. In this blog, we’ll share everything you need to know about Washington-grown watermelon and why it might be a good addition to your community or backyard garden.

Watermelon: A sweet treat packed with good stuff

There’s some debate as to whether watermelon is a fruit or a vegetable. The National Watermelon Promotion Board says that it could be considered either — or both! But regardless of whether we call them a fruit or a vegetable, one thing is undeniable: they’re really good for you. In fact, watermelon is a good source of Vitamin A, which contributes to eye and skin health. It also has Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, both of which help strengthen your immune system. Watermelon is also a good source of potassium. 

But beyond having plenty of vitamins, watermelon can also help you hydrate. In fact, watermelon are made up of over 90% water. This is probably one reason why it’s such a popular summer snack!

Washington-grown watermelons

While Washington is not one of the top producers of watermelons in the U.S., they do grow well here. In fact, two separate trials conducted by Washington State University’s Vegetable and Research Extension showed that over 130 varieties of watermelon can be grown in our state. And while you might assume the trials were conducted in hot, sunny Eastern Washington, they actually took place in Mt. Vernon and Vancouver.

Even though WSU's watermelon trials took place on the west side of the state, growing them there requires some extra special care  — and quite a bit of luck. Once your watermelons begin to grow, it’s a good idea to get them off the ground to keep the fruit from rotting. Even though they need a lot of water, watermelon don’t want to wallow in it. Once that’s done, you’ll need to hope for a string of hot, sunny days. Without them, your watermelons will probably not ripen. 

It’s a different story in central and south-eastern Washington, though, where summer holds on well into September. In this part of the state, gardeners and farmers will need to make sure their watermelons are getting plenty of water, but the sunshine probably won’t be in short supply. It’s thanks to this part of the state that Washington is able to produce some watermelon commercially. In fact, according to Oregon State University, Washington and Oregon cultivate nearly 2,000 acres of watermelon each year.

The end (of watermelon season) is near

Washington-grown watermelon are in season now. With summer winding down, don’t miss your last chance to get your hands on one of these locally-produced sweet treats. It’ll be sure to help brighten your day as we count down to autumn.

Taste Washington Day 2020 celebrates resilient farm to school connections

 Chris Iberle, Farm to School Lead

Common Threads Farm, Bellingham, school garden harvest.

The tenth annual Taste Washington Day may look a little different this year, but even with challenges associated with remote learning and COVID-19 precautions, it remains true to its mission of celebrating community, connecting students and farmers through school meals, and educating them about where their food comes from.

Across Washington State this year, schools, farms, children, families, school gardeners, agriculture educators, organizations and businesses have come together to support one another, showing strength and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges.

However school districts adapt their activities for Taste Washington Day, scheduled for Oct. 7, this special day highlights how they provide local food to students in school meals, learn in their schools’ gardens, and educate students about food and agriculture. 

Thirty-six school districts are signed up to participate so far, and working with dozens of Washington farmers and producers to buy food items and ingredients for their meals. School districts and farmers can still sign up online to be a part of the event and share their plans with WSDA.

School nutrition staff have showed heroic, creative, and inspiring efforts to overhaul their school meal programs since the COVID-19 pandemic turned school operations upside down. 

School nutrition programs continue to be a critical food access point providing millions of meals for many children, families and communities statewide, especially during the pandemic. School meals have also provided an opportunity for students to stay connected with their school. 

“Nutrition staff in our districts love greeting the kids when they pick up their meals,” said Janis Campbell-Aikens, Child Nutrition director at Auburn School District and president of the Washington School Nutrition Association. “They have been one constant for the kids, from before COVID-19, and through the spring and summer.”

Coupeville School District boxed pasta lunches with sauce
that includes Washington-raised meat.

New, unique meal needs

The Taste Washington Day theme this year is “What’s in the Bag or Box from Washington?” encouraging schools to feature at least one Washington-grown product in sack lunches or meal boxes distributed to students. 

Local Washington-grown foods have been filling schools’ new, unique needs, as farmers support schools with products that fit grab-and-go meals, such as lunchbox-sized apples or pears, individually wrapped hardboiled eggs, dried cherries, and snacking veggies for sack lunches. 

Schools offering multi-day “grocery box” or recipe kits have added local yogurt, cheese, potatoes, onions, rhubarb, broccoli, and bread to distribution boxes. Districts incorporating scratch cooking into new distribution models, such as prepared meals to heat and eat at home, have featured Washington-grown beef, vegetables, and other cooked ingredients.

Washington Apple Crunch goes virtual!

The Washington Apple Crunch will again be part of Taste Washington Day, albeit virtual this year. Teachers, students and parents are encouraged to participate in the Washington Apple Crunch, and bite into a Washington-grown apple at noon on Oct. 7, and make a statewide crunch to celebrate our state’s agriculture. 

WSDA partners with the Washington School Nutrition Association to organize Taste Washington Day, with support from Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Child Nutrition. Local nonprofits, parents, volunteers, and community partners also work to support Taste Washington Day. 

Together with schools and local farmers, we celebrate Washington agriculture and promote the nutritious foods being served in our schools.

WSDA planning meetings connected farmers and school buyers

Chris Iberle, WSDA Farm to School 

Seattle Public Schools nutrition staff meet with farmers and distributors
about supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to the district’s snack program.

Farmers and school nutrition staff have a lot in common. They have some of the busiest jobs, and do a lot of different things depending on the season. They also care about feeding kids nutritious foods, teaching students about agriculture and where food comes from, and supporting local farms in their communities.  

Back in January and February -- before the current pandemic imposed physical distancing restrictions -- WSDA Farm to School organized four meetings where farmers and school buyers could network and plan sales. These meetings in different parts of the state aimed to help farmers and nutrition staff collaborate on using more Washington-grown products in schools’ scratch-cooked meals.

Thirty-four farmers, food hubs, processors, or other local food suppliers met with 16 school districts. They built relationships, learned about school buyer needs, and relayed what products are available from Washington producers. Each school district shared information about products they’d be interested in purchasing, how much and how often, for farmers to use in market and production planning. 

All the meetings had great energy and enthusiasm as attendees worked together to support Washington agriculture and provide nutritious meals to students.

Supportive farm to school approach

This was the first time WSDA hosted farm to school meetings focused on networking and planning to increase schools’ purchases of Washington-grown foods. We worked with city, county, and nonprofit partners to co-host and provide outreach to farmers and schools interested in farm to school. 

Each meeting looked a bit different depending on the local needs and priorities.

• Seattle Public Schools met with four farms and two food hubs about supplying the district with fresh fruits and vegetables for a snack program. The program was developed with the support of City of Seattle and FEEST. It prioritized bringing in new vendors, particularly small businesses owned by women or people of color.
• In Walla Walla, the Sustainable Living Center’s Walla Walla Valley Farm to School Program helped farmers and school districts prepare for the meeting by assessing their needs and requirements for effective partnerships. Attendees also discussed the logistics of getting more food grown in Walla Walla Valley into school kitchens.
• Bethel School District hosted farmers and nutrition staff from nine districts in Puyallup. Producers attended with a wide array of Washington products to offer, including tree fruit, berries, vegetables, seafood, eggs, beef, pork, chicken, yogurt, flour and grains.
• In Grandview, four school districts met with tree fruit, vegetable, and pork farmers, and discussed topics ranging from food safety standards to planning purchases around the growing season.

School district nutrition staff from around Central Washington meet in
Grandview with farmers, distributors and processors.

From relationships and discussions coming out of the meetings, multiple school districts and producers reported new purchases and sources for Washington-grown products for their school meals.

Value of relationships

Furthermore, the momentum from the meetings has extended into the current COVID-19 response. WSDA helped organize a call on April 2 connecting an agency and non-profit team with farms, suppliers, distributors, and other industry partners. The call included many of the attendees from our February meetings.  

Our goal was to respond to immediate K-12 school and childcare food needs and fill shortages for certain items used in their new and evolving meal distribution models, such as grab-and-go, sack lunches, and weekly food boxes. 

To survey and respond to food-supply need, WSDA is working with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Child Nutrition, United Way King County, Department of Children, Youth and Families, and Childcare Aware.

For resources and tools to support ongoing farm to school efforts with your districts and farms, visit WSDA’s Farm to School Toolkit. Or contact me - Chris Iberle, WSDA Regional Markets’ Farm to School Lead, at ciberle@agr.wa.gov. I’d be happy to support starting, expanding, or growing farm to school in your community, and to find out about future activities.

First-ever fresh hop beer for Seoul

Chris McGann
Communications

A can of Amazing Brewing's fresh hop beer. The Seoul-based
 brewery used Washington hops fresh from the field to bring
Korea that unique, fresh hop flavor.

It took several acts of reckless optimism, and help from WSDA’s International Marketing and Plant Services programs, but an ambitious Eastern Washington hops company has succeeded in supplying the key ingredient to enable Korean brewers to produce the country’s first-ever fresh hop beer made with U.S. hops.

Capturing the bright complexities of fresh hops in beer is a lot like trying to catch a fall flash of lighting in a bottle. For a true “fresh hop” beer – a nectar bursting with the flavors of cut grass, flowers, citrus or even pine trees -- brewers must add the delicate green hops cones to the brew within 24 hours of harvest.

That’s a tall order even for craft brewers in Washington state, where they have close access to some of the world’s top hop farms and almost three quarters of the nation’s total hops production.

For breweries in Seoul, Korea, trying to catch real lightning may be more realistic.

That didn’t stop Yakima Chief Hops. When they got the idea late last summer, they approached their Korean distributor to see if he would be willing to give it a try and with his nod, the bold adventure began.

The grower-owned network of family hops farms already supplies premium hops to brewers around the world in dried and frozen forms, but it had never attempted to deliver fresh product to Korea for a fresh hop beer.

The challenge was great

Though it seemed impossible, the siren call of a juicy new batch of India pale ale that would be brewed on the other side of the globe was just too intoxicating to ignore.

To pull it off, Yakima Chief not only had to ship the fresh hops cones from a field in the Yakima Valley to a brewery on the other side of the world in one day, they would also have to undergo U.S. export inspections and pass rigorous Korean Customs Service phytosanitary requirements on the way.

The company enlisted the help of WSDA International Marketing and Plant Services staff to help whisk an aromatic and highly perishable shipment out of Washington and through Korea Customs Service (KCS) fast enough for breweries in Seoul to hop up their beer.

Danny Kim, WSDA's trade representative in
South Korea worked with Korean customs
officials to help bring in fresh hops. 

To make it all happen, Yakima Chief Sales Representative Jim Lambert reached out to Julie Johnson at WSDA’s International Marketing Program.

"I took this crazy idea to Julie a few months ago and with her help and a lot of other great people, it all lined up," Lambert said.

Johnson worked alongside Yakima Chief throughout the process and looped in WSDA’s trade representative in South Korea, Danny Kim, who worked with the Korean customs officials.  Johnson also connected the company with Sherry Lagerstam in WSDA’s Plant Services Program to find ways to streamline the domestic inspections process.

Lagerstam said she worked with Lambert and Yakima Chief warehouse staff to decide if it would be better to meet at the hops fields or the warehouse. In a seamless swoop, she double-checked the requirements, inspected the hops (at the warehouse) and issued the Phytosanitary Certificates.

A big win

Lambert acknowledged the challenges of sending fresh hops to the other side of the globe, through a strict inspection process, before they spoiled.

“A huge thanks to all for the quick responses and willingness to accommodate our tight timeline. Everyone’s help was deeply appreciated and we are so excited the fresh hops made it through Korean customs in a timely fashion,” Lambert said. “Shout-outs to you guys at Washington State Department of Agriculture for your major contributions to this effort – on the inspection here in the U.S. and with customs in Korea. We could not have done this without you.”

"It was a big win for all of us," he said.

Korean breweries and fresh hop beer

Yakima Chief's Korean Distributor, Brewsource, lined up three breweries to receive the hops.

Seoul Brewery was the first to brew with the fresh “Mosaic” hops. The brewery adjusted its entire week’s schedule and planned for a 3 a.m. brew day to make a fresh hop version of their signature Salinger Rye India Pale Ale. The beer was so popular, they sold out in about a week. Those lucky enough to taste it said it was: “Amazing, super juicy and drinkable with tropical flavors that really shine.”

Amazing Brewery also received the fresh Mosaic hops. They produced a wet-hop IPA called “Yakima Express.” This beer was scheduled to be released Oct. 25 and will also be available in cans that showcase the Yakima Chief Ranches logo.

Finally, Playground Brewery brewed a double IPA called “Big & Certain Hoppiness.” This beer is scheduled to be released on Nov. 1.

New Frontiers

Thanks to this year’s success, Mike Goettl, Yakima Chief CEO, said he has a few new challenges for fresh hop beer next year. He’s added Taiwan and Japan along with Korea as challenges for 2020 fresh hops.

Sharing the science of shellfish

Chris McGann
Communications

WSDA Aquaculture Coordinator Laura Butler is working to
support shellfish aquaculture in Washington. 

Aquatic science and problem-solving took center stage at the 26th Conference for Shellfish Growers this week, hosted by Washington Sea Grant.

Scientists, growers, and state and federal agency representatives came together to share research and their experiences surrounding the perplexing lives of shellfish.

Is toxic algae bloom the culprit behind summer shellfish die off?  How can we keep oyster herpes virus out of Northwest waters? Manage ghost shrimp? Cope with ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures?

These were some of the issues panelists explored during the two-day event that took place in the tiny coastal town of Union on lower Hood Canal.

Some answers were clearer than others, and some research findings seemed to raise as many questions as they answered. But for the 167 participants, the event was an opportunity to tap into the expertise of this close-knit, esoteric community to continue seeking solutions.

Where else could you entertain a question like: “Why do some oysters just stop eating?” or “Why do baby geoducks refuse to dig themselves into the sand?”

Biologist Nick Wenzel appreciates the
the opportunity to network with other
aquaculture enthusiasts.

Value of the network

Nick Wenzel is a shellfish biologist with a keen focus on geoducks, a freakishly large clam that boasts a neck more than three feet long and bodies almost double the size of their shells.

Wenzel shared his efforts to try to find out what caused a recent batch of juvenile geoducks to simply refuse to dig in.

He told the audience he wasn’t sure if the problem had to do with something in the water or if it was something more, motivational.

He said the conference and others like it are an important resource, because geoduck farming is such a young industry.

“The best part is the networking,” he said. “The people you meet here have a wealth of information and they are willing to share it.”

WSDA supports aquaculture

In 2018, estimates of Washington state
shellfish exports exceeded $126 million. 

WSDA Aquaculture Coordinator Laura Butler wants to help support that critical network of subject matter experts. She was among the panelists, raising awareness about our agency’s relatively new role in supporting the industry through outreach, marketing and networking.

She said it makes sense for WSDA to play a supporting role as a non-regulatory agency working with this industry.

"There is no doubt that shellfish farmers are farmers," she said. "They are just working in the unique environment of the intertidal zone."

A mystery in a shell

The shellfish industry is important to the economic vitality of many small coastal communities. In 2018, estimates of Washington state shellfish exports exceeded $126 million.

But the industry is built around a highly enigmatic animal.

“Oysters are like an alien life form, they are so different than other animals,” said Washington Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist Brent Vadopalas. "Genetically they are really bizarre. They are bizarre in almost every way."

For example, Vadopalas explains that the animal kingdom includes species that are male or female and species that are hermaphrodite.

“But the Olympia oyster, our native oyster, it will flip back and forth between male and female within a single season, the same individual,” he said. “Why would it do that? It makes no sense.”

That’s just one of the many mysteries these slippery creatures hold for Vadopalas and other shellfish researchers and growers.

Although there is so much still to learn, we can be certain that as long as clean waters rise and fall over Northwest tidelands, these farmers will be looking for ways to make sure the shellfish harvest continues for generations to come.

For more information about WSDA’s Aquaculture Coordinator activities contact: Laura Butler.

Washington Grown Season 5 premieres this weekend

Hannah Street
Communications

Washington Grown fans will be excited to learn its fifth season begins this weekend.

Anyone unfamiliar with the show is in for a pleasant surprise and a new world of award-winning, educational programming which this season will feature legumes, green beans, cabbage, carrots, and other specialty crops.

Washington apples, one of this
season's specialty crops, are harvested.

The first episode of the new season plays for Western Washington residents at 2:30 p.m., Oct. 1 on KOMO. While Eastern Washington residents normally have to wait until January or February to watch the latest season, the show will air on KIMA/KEPR/KLEW in the Yakima and Pasco regions at 5 p.m. on Saturdays beginning September 30.

Washington Grown connects consumers with the people who grow and process their food. Episodes often showcase local restaurants and businesses, tour farms large and small, interview growers, and walk viewers through recipes with the foods featured in the episode.

Sno-Valley Mushroom co-owners show off
their produce during a Washington Grown shoot.

A crew of adept camera operators and friendly hosts travel to every corner of Washington State, creating viewer-friendly narratives that explain how food gets from the farm to your table. It’s a chance for the state’s farmers to tell their story, explain their process, and be part of a conversation that includes all components of agriculture, including nutrition, food safety, best practices, and marketing.

If you miss an airing, all episodes of Washington Grown are uploaded to their YouTube channel, website and Facebook page the Monday after the program airs.

You can also visit www.wagrown.com for recipes, videos and more on Washington agriculture.

Washington Grown Season 5 Schedule*

Legumes - Sept. 30 and Oct. 1
Green beans - Oct. 7 and 8
Apples - Oct. 14 and 15
Who knew? - Oct. 21 and 22
Dessert - Oct. 28 and 29
Fingerling potatoes - Nov. 4 and 5
Grapes - Nov. 11 and 12
Cabbage - Nov. 18 and 19
Fresh greens - Nov. 25 and 26
Carrots - Dec. 2 and 3
Potatoes (french fries) - Dec. 9 and 10
Farmers market - Dec. 16 and 17
Beverages - Dec. 23 and 24

*This schedule is tentative and subject to change.

Washington Grown films local mushroom farm process

Hannah Street
Communications

On a sunny Monday morning, a white van pulled into the driveway of Sno-Valley Mushrooms, a family-owned farm nestled in the countryside of Duvall, Washington. Tomas Guzman, Kara Rowe and Kristi Gorenson emerged, taking in the picturesque surroundings and making introductions as they set up their camera equipment.

(From left to right) Kara Rowe, Kristi Gorenson, a Sno-Valley
employee,and Tomas Guzman prepare to film a
scene packing mushrooms.

The three Washington Grown crew members were at the farm to film an installment for its fifth season. The show, which tours various agricultural sites and provides recipe how-to’s, is part of an agricultural promotion initiative supported by the Washington Farmers and Ranchers (WFR).

Washington Grown has been airing since 2013, but already boasts several accolades. Kristi received a Northwest Chapter Emmy nomination in 2015, and the show received both a Silver and Bronze Telly Award. In addition, Washington Grown received an Emmy for its episode on sweet corn.


The team first completed a walk-through, coordinating their shooting plan and familiarizing themselves with the farm’s workflow.

“This is where the ‘shroom magic happens,” owner Will Lockmiller joked.

The crew met the workers bagging the nutrient-infused sawdust compound for Shiitake, Tree Oyster, and Lion’s Mane varieties, to name a few.

Sno-Valley depicts a classic shooting venue for Washington Grown. The program highlights Washington-based agriculture operations. In the past, it has aired episodes featuring Taylor Shellfish, Grace Harbor Farms, Mountain View Berries, and more. Operated by friends and co-owners Rowan Ledbetter and Will, Sno-Valley Mushrooms sells at local farmers markets and counts local retailers, food producers, restaurants, and independent chefs as clientele. They offer their mushrooms year-round and sell grow-your-own mushroom kits in addition to carefully-packed boxes of fungi ready to prepare.

Left: mushrooms are ready for the farmer's market. Right: mushrooms grow in bags in the farm's lab facility.

After head camera operator Tomas readied his equipment, producer Kara put a mic on host Kristi. Will and Rowan were also mic’d during the shoot, both of them guiding Kristi through different parts of their facility.

The Washington Grown crew had a lot of ground to cover and not much time to do so; the call sheet only allowed two hours for filming at this location. The Sno-Valley Mushroom shoot was one of two video shoots that day, not to mention one of many that would take place during the week.

But the day’s tightly-packed itinerary was not overestimated; the crew was on-schedule throughout the morning, and moved through scenes at a steady clip. Tomas zoomed around the farm with his camera, directing the owners as needed. Kristi guided the interviews, asking questions and letting the owners talk excitedly about their business model and mushroom-growing expertise.

Tomas directs Will and Kristi as they discuss the mushroom
growth process.

Kara mic’d interviewees as necessary and had a list of points to cover. She referred to it once, but between the owner’s engaged descriptions and Kristi’s questions, everything was covered. “She’s really a pro at this,” Kara said, tucking the list back into her pocket.

Shortly after noon and right on schedule, Tomas got one last shot of Kristi, Rowan, Will, and two of Will’s children, who piled onto a tractor and said goodbye to the audience. The camera and sound equipment was loaded back into the van, and the crew was off to their next location.

Will's son, Rowan, helped supervise the Washington Grown
crew during their shoot.

Visit Washington Grown’s website for more information, including recipes and the station schedules when you  can and how to watch the show.

Washington Grown's new season hits the air

Karla Salp
Communications

Host Kristi Gorenson gets up close and personal with cows.

If you’ve ever wondered where your food comes from, who is growing it, and how it gets to your table, Washington Grown is the show for you!

Season four of Washington’s one of a kind, Emmy-winning farm to table television show began airing last weekend with new planned each week through the end of the year. 

  

Tractor tires are no small potatoes

Washington Grown’s goal is to connect consumers with those who grow and process their food. Each episode features farmers, local restaurants with outstanding recipes, and nutritional information about Washington’s crops. There are also frequently bonus features such as an inside look at food processing facilities. 

Here are the themes for October’s episodes:

Co-host Tomas practices his lassoing skills

• October 1 & 2 – Party Time
• October 8 & 9 – Beef
• October 15 & 16 – Raspberries
• October 22 & 23 – Women in Agriculture
• October 29 & 30 – Olympia Peninsula Seafood

Washington Grown can be viewed this fall on Northwest Cable News on Saturdays at 5:30 pm and on Sundays at noon and 8:30 pm. If you don’t get Northwest Cable News or if you miss a show, episodes are posted on Washington Grown’s website after the first airing. Washington Grown can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.