From its informal beginnings in the 1980s to its nonprofit incorporation in 1999, and for every year since, VIGA volunteers have worked to build a vital and sustainable agricultural economy here on Vashon-Maury Island.

From its miraculous purchase of the Village Green back in 1999, with $300,000 raised in a matter of weeks to guarantee a home for the Farmers Market in perpetuity, to its current partnership with Mukai Farm and Gardens to establish a local food hub and community commercial kitchen in the historic Mukai Barreling Plant, VIGA has raised money, secured funding, and consistently invested it back into our farming, growing, and food producing community.

Meanwhile, VIGA’s Food Access Partnership program, which is self-sustaining, ensures all islanders regardless of economic status have access to the beautiful food grown here. What began as an effort to establish a permanent home for a farmers market has grown into a serious effort to increase food security, reduce food waste, make local food accessible to all, and establish a robust local food economy that pays farmers a living wage and attracts new farmers every year.

Here are a few examples of the more recent strides VIGA has made in that direction.

In 2021, through grant funds, VIGA purchased food preservation equipment including two commercial grade freeze dryers that are available for community use. Last year, VIGA volunteers dried over 200 lbs. of food for distribution through our partners at the “Oasis Program.” Also in 2023, VIGA successfully obtained a grant to purchase grain processing equipment. Vashon now has the capacity to mill its own grain.

And in 2023, VIGA’s Food Access Partnership distributed $64,000 in VIGA Farm Bucks (an alternative currency) to islanders so they could purchase locally grown food at island farm stands or the Farmers Market. Just last month, with support from Friends of Mukai, VIGA was awarded a $57,000 WSDA Grant to begin purchasing commercial kitchen equipment.

There are so many other small ways VIGA supports our local farmers, growers, and producers, through bulk orders of cover crop, soil amendments, and seed, through access to community-use agricultural tools and equipment, and an occasional small grant for infrastructure improvements.

So let’s celebrate VIGA, and celebrate with VIGA! On August 2, which is also a First Friday, drop by the Village Green at 17505 Vashon Hwy SW, where board members will be serving free cake and ice cream. There will be handcrafted refreshments for sale, live music, as well as interactive storytelling and live drawing. Feel free to bring something to share for a dessert potluck!

Fruit season is here. Let’s celebrate.

Catherine Johnson is a writer, farmer and long time VIGA volunteer.