Inspiring Works From Rural Farms, Forests, & Charming Villages on the Salish Sea

Makers Film: Island Grown in the San Juans

Celebrating San Juan Islands Farms and Foods

Agriculture on the San Juans doesn’t come easy. On remote islands, with exceedingly high land costs and limited water, transforming soils depleted from over grazing is more than a work of love to forge food from the land. It is a Heroic Act!

 

In 2022, the Makers Guild leveraged Food Heroes funding from San Juan County to begin telling this remarkable story to champion our Heroes – island farmers and food product developers who are passionate innovators yielding exceptional foods with high flavor and nutritional profiles. The result is a short documentary film (18 min) that tells a story we hope to see grow and flourish in the years to come: a resilient local island food system.

 

This lively short documentary released in 2024 highlights the accomplishments and challenges of farmers and food producers in the San Juan Islands. Conceived and produced by the San Juan Islands Makers Guild, the film is the result of generous video, still photos, drone photogrpahy, audio interviews, narration, script and editing creatives on three islands working together to tell our local ag story.

From foods essential to Native Foodways since time immemorial to heritage fruit orchards, to soil and water challenges faced today, the film traces the evolution of local foods in the islands. Featuring innovative food products unique to the San Juans and the climate impacts shaping the future of food, the film explores the real world experiences of farmers and producers keeping agriculture alive on the San Juans.

 

The film crew, Erin and Emily Bennett of Orcas Video, still photographers Satya Curcio and Julia Summers, and producer and script writer Marcy Montgomery, undertook multi-day adventures visiting the farms and small businesses, 2022-2024. Weaving together this story was our wonderful editor, Matteus Rabel who brought the collection of video interviews, island landscapes, and still photos together for a compelling story.

 

We hope you will enjoy the film and join us in celebrating Island Food Heroes.

Thank You to our Island Food Heroes!

Farms and Food Businesses featured in the video footage include:

 

Amanda Zee, Sweet Earth Farm, San Juan Island

 

Shaun Salamida, Madrone Cellars, San Juan Island

 

Brady Ryan, San Juan Island Sea Salt, San Juan Island

 

Joel Stewart and Annie McIntyre, Warm Valley Farm, Orcas Island

 

Orcas Community Participatory Agriculture, Orcas Island

 

Audra Lawlor, Girl Meets Dirt, Orcas Island

 

Andre Entermann, Sunnyfield Farm, Lopez Island

 

Henning Sehmsdorf, S&S Homestead, Lopez Island

 

Lori Ann David, Aurora Farm, San Juan Island

 

Hailey Averna, West Beach Farm, Orcas Island

 

Sarah Pope Green, San Juan Islands Food Hub, San Juan County

Farms and Agricultural Businesses featured in the still photos include:

 

Aurora Farm, San Juan Island

 

Barn Owl Bakery, Lopez Island

 

Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm, San Juan Island

 

Landsea Gomasio, Orcas Island

 

Mama Bird Farm, San Juan Island

 

Midnight’s Farm, Lopez Island

 

Morning Star Farm, Orcas Island

 

New Hannah Farm, San Juan Island

 

North Star Farm, Lopez Island

 

Orcas Farm, Orcas Island

 

San Juan Island Sea Salt

 

Sunnyfield Farm, Lopez Island

 

Watmough Bay Farm, Lopez Island

Funding and Support for film production provided by:

San Juan County LTAC Program

San Juan Islands Conservation District

San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild

Heritage Ranch, Inc.

Private donors

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