If you're looking for a truly special spring experience in the Pacific Northwest, Tulip Valley…read moreFarms is it. This gem of a family-run farm exceeded every expectation and left us not wanting to leave. One of the unexpected highlights was Farmer Andrew's Tulip Talk -- I honestly don't know why this isn't front and center in every piece of marketing, because it was absolutely wonderful. Andrew is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and his talk gave our visit so much more depth and meaning. Don't skip it! The u-pick experience was pure joy. We each got to hand-select 10 stems straight from the fields, wandering through row after row of stunning colors and varieties. The farm is beautifully laid out with so many gorgeous spots to sit, slow down, and just soak in the views of the tulips against the backdrop of the Cascades. We never felt rushed -- it truly felt like they wanted you to linger and enjoy every moment. The mini Highland cows are absolutely adorable and a total delight, especially for kids. The food vendors on site were a lovely bonus -- great options for both a meal and a snack, so you can easily make a full half-day of it. What also stood out was how relaxed the atmosphere felt. It wasn't overly crowded, and the whole vibe was welcoming and unhurried. You can tell this family pours real heart into everything they do. Tulip Valley Farms is the kind of place that reminds you to slow down and appreciate something beautiful. We'll be back every spring!

I cannot recommend Tulip Valley Farms enough!!! 1. It's a…read moreu-pick tulip farm, which elevates the tulip valley experience. 2. They have highland cows. I repeat you can pet and engage with fluffy adorable cows! Named Pepper, Pumpkin and Sugar. 3. The owners and all staff are incredible and kind. They will let you talk about tulips and baby animals. 4. They offer night events. 5. The farm is dog friendly This was my second year in a row visiting at the start of tulip season. I spent so much time wondering the field I missed the coffee truck. Joe shared his personal coffee supply with me and would not accept money. Seriously made an already amazing day even more incredible. They also have a front field for photo ops, and many u-pick fields Andrew and Holly do an incredible job caring for the farm and Holly makes beautiful jewelry available for purchase. This year they added a store with shirts, stickers and stuffed baby cows! Truly my favorite farm and I highly recommend you visit now!!!!

They are only open for a month so you have to get there quickly. Karen and Bruce have created a…read moremasterpiece and then included farm animals! They have a petting area with a pigmy goat, miniature cow, pig, and a donkey! She has bunnies, geese, ducks, sheep and chickens. The little store serves up homemade ice cream with lavender. There are soaps, lotions and potions all made with the lavender on the farm. You can pick your own bunch, buy a plant or just stop by and smell the Lavendar. Bring a picnic and enjoy the quiet beauty...well, until the animals get excited!

Beautiful lavender farm! & wonderful people. Lots of animals to see & pet, beautiful lavender…read moreproducts, wonderful scenery. Absolutely beautiful. Must visit!!

Loved this U-pick blueberry farm. The bushes were so full of berries that I could fill a bucket off…read moreone bush. The entrance is hard to see If you're heading south on SR 20 but it is in the field right next to the KR Farm Stand. They also have blackberries that they pick for you for $4/lb. I look forward to coming back the next time I am in the Coupeville area.

This place is amazing! BIG thank you to Sara for sharing the farms blueberries with us. They are so…read moredelicious and perfect! Definitely worth the detour to stop by and fall in love with berries!

Have you ever seen a miniature donkey up close? I hadn't and that's exactly why we made a quick pit…read morestop at JF Miniature Donkeys before diving into the tulip festivities. Now, to be clear, this isn't some official petting zoo or farm tour it's more like a local gem hidden in plain sight. The owners must know their donkeys are the stars of the area because they made a small parking area behind one of the nearby buildings with a sign marked parking with a donkey icon. Visitors come and go, snapping photos and saying hi to these little four-legged celebrities. When we arrived, a few of the donkeys trotted right up to greet us clearly veterans at charming visitors. They seemed to expect treats or maybe just wanted attention and each one had a bit of personality. We brought our dogs along and, surprisingly, everyone got along just fine. While I personally wouldn't recommend petting them (always better safe than sorry) others were giving gentle scritches and the donkeys didn't seem to mind. If you're en route to the tulip fields and want to add a smile-worthy memory to your day, this unexpected donkey stop is 100% worth it especially if you have kids, animal lovers, or just need a quick serotonin boost.

I'm originally from the Midwest and apple picking is a big fall activity there. I was a bit…read moresurprised to see that it doesn't seem to be as popular of an activity near Seattle. After some research, & even though it's a bit of a drive, I decided to check out Jones Creek Farms. When we arrived there was a small parking lot but luckily, there weren't too many people so we found a spot towards the back. When you walk near the entrance, there is a worker next to a sign that says that all the workers are vaccinated and still choose to wear mask. Big thumbs up for that! In addition, it lists all the apple types and which rows they are in. There was even a section for Asian pears. The worker walked us toward the orchard and explained where we could pick apples (the trees with ribbons on them.) As we walked we realized many of the rows are very long, so I guess you should decide which apples you want unless you don't mind walking a lot (which we didn't mind doing.) There weren't a lot of trees with ribbons, but enough. The orchard was quiet with beautiful scenery of big hills/ mountains nearby. I took some nice photos. However, it was a bit too quiet for me. I like when it's a bit livelier. Apple picking was great, but there was no cute little market store (or at least it wasn't open when we went on a Saturday afternoon,) which I was hoping would be available to peruse. Also, no hayrides, no games, no corn maze, no cider or snacks... just apple/Asian pear or pumpkin picking. The pumpkin patch was small & very cute. The apple prices were decent and we were happy to leave with a small bag. If you would like a quiet peaceful apple picking experience, stop by at Jones Creek Farms!

No frills U-pick apple farm! Just rows and rows and rows of apple trees! And SO SO SO many types of…read moredelicious apples! I didn't even know apples could taste so different! The staff was also so sweet and informative, the greeted us when we walked in and explained how it worked. $1.50 per pound, 20+ pounds is $1.25 per pound. They also have pumpkins and garlic. We ended up getting garlic, a pumpkin, and 15 pounds if apples for $27.50. Worth the drive from Seattle. It was crowded on a Saturday but the farm is so large it doesn't matter much. Thank you Jones Creek Farms!

About Well Fed Farms:…read more "Ecological balance is one of the most important principals on a farm that strives to be truly sustainable. At Well Fed Farms, rotational cropping and grazing, composting, and nutrient cycling are all employed to care for the soil and water resources that support the continued productivity of the land. Well-managed, healthy land enables the production of high quality, delicious food, which provides the nourishment needed to sustain us and complete the cycle, keeping land, animals, and people all Well Fed. Well Fed Farms embodies these values. Animals are raised outdoors on pasture, where they can scratch, root, play, and forage. Their diets are completed with high quality, GMO free grain rations sourced from independently owned, local mills. Excellent feed, supplemented with abundant forage, results in delicious, nutrient-rich meat and eggs. An open, low stress environment where they are free to exercise their natural instincts results in healthy, contented animals. You can see and taste the difference." As owner of Well Fed Farms, Erik Olson has been providing organic vegetables, eggs, and pasture raised meats to Skagit Valley and beyond for many years. His new farm stand on Sam Bell Road is the cleanest, most organized farm stand I've ever seen. During farmers market season you can find his goods in Anacortes and Lake Forest Park. Keep up with Erik's current offerings and see what's on the farm stand board his Facebook page.

I was looking for some less common cuts of pork and lamb. I always buy pasture raised or grass-fed…read moremeats. I love the flavor, texture, and heathy life for the animals. I have high expectations, and the Mesman's exceeded them. We picked up some hamburger patties for connivence and ate those first. That was some of the best hamburger I ever had. In a lifetime of eating grass-fed beef those hamburgers stood out for intense, rich flavor. Ordering was easy. They have their common cuts listed on their website. You email in your order. (If you want something that's not listed, just ask). I was hoping for same-day pickup to take advantage of a rare sunny day. I left my phone number and they called me back within an hour to confirm they had everything I wanted except the lamb. One beautiful drive up, it was all ready to go. I gave them my card and off I went. Easy as pie. The place is attractive, easy to find with navigation, clean, and everyone's friendly. Even the sweet old dog resting in the sun came over to say 'hi' before we left.

Staying in the area, we bought some beef and pork, both fantastic, delicious and of course…read morebeautifully cut. I try to buy direct from ranchers whenever I can, so I've have some good meat, but this truly stands out. We've already been back once and will probably make a third trip back, because it's good and for the quality of the product, reasonably priced. Highly recommend.

We tried Matheson Farms for the first time last week. We were looking for a lower fat red meat and…read morelearned about yak. I was happy to find a local source at Matheson Farms. I checked out the offerings on line and decided to try the yak ribeye and ground yak, one pound of each. The farm stand wasn't quite open for the season (it is now open on Saturdays), so I simply sent them an email with my request. I received a prompt response and was able to set up a time to meet Sandra Matheson at the farm stand to pay for and pick up my meat. Both are items were nicely packaged and frozen. The yak ribeye was flavorful, but was tougher than we expected. We didn't do anything to it but add pepper. I think we will try marinating it next time and see if that helps. The ground yak was very good - we cooked patties and served it on a grilled portobello Mushroom cap. In addition to yak, Matheson also sells grass fed beef, which we also intend to try.