Vashon has long been an agrarian community. This history speaks through historical sites such as Matsuda and Mukai farms, the Beall Greenhouses, and all of the old orchards left behind.

The busy Village Green at the final farmer’s market of the year showed that while farming isn’t as dominant as it once was, it remains central to our island’s identity.

Having a connection to the land and those who grow our food on it is a wonderful privilege. For 25 years, the Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) has helped keep this history alive by supporting local agriculture and our farmers, growers and producers.

Why is supporting locally grown food important? Locally grown food is just better; it’s fresher, tastier, and more nutritious. Local food has a lower environmental impact because it doesn’t require long-distance transportation or harmful preservative chemicals.

Buying locally grown food invests in our community, builds relationships and strengthens our interdependence. A thriving agricultural community builds a more secure food system, which makes our community less reliant on supply chains and other systems that are at times out of our control.

So how do we ensure that enough food is produced? How do we make our local food accessible for all? And how do we make sure our farmers make a living wage? While farming can be an incredibly rewarding path, it’s also an incredibly difficult one which often operates on razor-thin profit margins. How can we reduce their costs and increase their wages?

While VIGA doesn’t claim to know all the answers to these questions, we are working hard to address them in meaningful ways. So come celebrate 25 years of supporting local growers with the fun of a harvest party from 2:30-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Flat Branch Farm.

You’ll get to enjoy music, hay rides, yard games, farm animals, apple pressing, and dinner with locally sourced ingredients, all included with an admission of $25 ($15 for kids under 12, free for kids under 3). No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

It will also be a great opportunity to learn more about what VIGA is currently doing in our community.

Tickets and more information are available at www.vigavashon.org/events/harvest-party.

Terah Ratheheart is the current director of development for VIGA and former volunteer, and has been eating food all her life.