Technically, we still have a few weeks left in summer, but for many of us, Labor Day signals the unofficial end of summer fun. No need to be melancholy, though, as fall (official or not) brings with it the delicious bounty of the autumn harvest (and attendant harvest celebrations).

As noted in our last post on neighbor chapter events, we’re working to finalize our Slow Food Seattle fall programs. We should have those for you in the next week or so!

In the meantime, there are many excellent events happening around our area; here’s a quick round-up of those. They include events focused on fall produce like apples, several free community activities (including a free fermenting class, and a nature walk with beer brewers!), opportunities to learn more about native food systems and sites, celebrations of locally-made products like cider and cheese, and more!

Of special note for Slow Food Seattle members: check out this weekend’s Seattle Tilth Harvest Fest. Local authors Kim O’Donnel and Becky Selengut will be signing at the Readers to Eaters pop-up bookstore. Tell Philip at Readers to Eaters you’re a member when buying one of their books, and he will give 10% of those proceeds to Slow Food Seattle!

And don’t forget to check our last post for some additional events from our neighboring chapters.

Thu, Sep 4, 11am-1pm: FREE! Seattle Public Library Presents Seattle Cooks at South Lake Union Pike Place Express Market. “Watch Seattle Culinary Academy students demonstrate various recipes, then taste the results and get answers to your questions. The Seattle Public Library will have a range of books, available for check out right in the market, to inspire both novice and experienced cooks.” (Repeats weekly through at least Sep 18. Keep an eye on the SPL calendar for more dates as they are added.)

Thu, Sep 4 through Sun, Sep 14: Washington Cider Week. Check out the site at the link for the full calendar of events to celebrate local cider.

Fri, Sep 5, 7:30-8:45pm: Rowan Jacobsen and Clare Barboza with Langdon Cook: "The Apples You Never Knew About" at Town Hall. Our book club read American Terroir by Jacobsen, and as part of our meeting, sampled some apple jelly made with apples from Harmony Orchards, the Tieton orchard Jacobsen mentions in Terroir. Based on how good those apples are, we suspect he is a good person to listen to when it comes to this fruit. Sure to be a fascinating talk!

Sat, Sep 6, 10am-4pm: FREE! Seattle Tilth Harvest Fair at Meridian Park. “Participate in this fun, lively hands-on community festival with workshops, cooking demonstrations and fun activities for all ages. Eat tasty food and enjoy live music with friends and family. Harvest season is a time to celebrate! Bring your friends and family for a seed swap, cider pressing and DIY herb crowns. Kids can participate in crafts in the children's garden, see a puppet show and take part in the parade at noon (arrive by 11 am) with a marching band!” Below are the times for the Readers to Eaters signings mentioned above!

11am-12pm: Kim O'Donnel (MEAT LOVER'S MEATLESS COOKBOOK, MEAT LOVER'S MEATLESS CELEBRATION)
12-1pm: Becky Selengut (SHROOM: Mind-bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms)

Sun, Sep 7

1:15pm: Gathering to Protect the Sacredness of the Salish Sea at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center. “The purpose of this historic gathering is to address the challenges we are facing from the proposed expansion of the Kinder Morgan Alberta Tar Sands pipelines, tankers, and other fossil fuel threats on Coast Salish territories and waters. We will also enjoy a great Salmon Bake with fresh Sockeye, corn and salad.”
7pm: FREE! Fremont Brewing’s Beer Education & Engagement Resource Program. Learn more about the brewing process from this local brewer. “September 7 is about Mash, October 5 is Boil, November 2 is Ferment, and December 7 is Drink.” Bring a chair.

Wed, Sep 10, 2-5pm: FREE! Beers Made By Walking Hike at Cougar Mountain. “Beers Made By Walking invites brewers to make new beer inspired by plants found on nature walks. We are partnering with the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed for a public hike at Cougar Mountain. Hikers will learn about water issues in the region, and about the edible and medicinal plants that grow along the trail. These plants will later inspire a series of beers that will serve as drinkable, landscape portraits of the trails that we walk. The walk will be attended by brewers from Big Al Brewing, Schilling Cider, and Hi-Fi Brewing.”

Sat, Sep 13, 3-7pm: Farm Faire and Pig Roast at Jubilee Farm. “Join us for fun farm games, face painting, and an authentic barbecue with all the trimmings. Sip a glass of wine or a cold beer, take a tractor-pulled wagon ride to tour the farm, and sit back and enjoy live music!”

Thu, Sep 18, 5-6:30pm: FREE! Easy Fermenting: Why, How & Where to Begin at the Lake City Library. “Fermented foods are pungent, probiotic powerhouses, and are quick and easy to prepare. A Seattle Tilth-certified instructor, Ellie Cohan will demonstrate how immensely fun, satisfying and safe it is to create fermented veggies in your own kitchen.”

Tue, Sep 23, 6:30-8pm: Puget Sound Food Hub: Entrepreneurial Connections in the Local Food World at 21 Acres. “We will be talking about local food systems -- the challenges and opportunities of sourcing food from local, sustainable producers. The benefits of doing so for the local economy, farm land preservation and for the environment. As part of our efforts to foster stronger relationships between small food businesses and farmers who are using the best practices as stewards of the land, we'll explore ways to remove barriers for buyers related to logistics and costs of Organic Food. If you are interested in purchasing local, sustainably produced food for yourself or a business or know others who might be, this Tuesday at 21 is for you.”

Sat & Sun, Sep 26 & 27: “The Living Breath of Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ: Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge” at Center for Urban Horticulture. “The University of Washington’s American Indian Studies Department invites you to their second annual two-day symposium…[it] will bring together individuals to share their knowledge and expertise on topics such as tribal food sovereignty initiatives, food justice and security, traditional foods and health, indigenous foods systems and global climate change, and treaty water and fishing rights. Sessions include a plant walk with Valerie Segrest, traditional foods from a chef’s perspective with Ramon Shiloh, creating a traditional foods cookbook with Clarita Begay, living off the grid with Nitanis Desjarlais.”

Sat, Sep 27 1-5pm: Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival. “The Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival showcases a wide array of artisan and farmstead cheeses made in Washington. We invite you to meet the cheesemakers, learn about their products and philosophy, and sample some of the finest cheeses made in Washington. The festival also features other artisan foods and beverages from local producers. Washington State is home to nearly 60 artisan cheesemakers. Download the Washington Artisan Cheese Map and explore the thriving Washington artisan cheese industry.”

Sun, Oct 5, 6-9pm: An Incredible Feast Benefiting Seattle Farmers Markets at Swansons Nursery. “Hobnob with two dozen of Seattle’s best chefs – plus two dozen amazing local farmers - and enjoy a cornucopia of local and seasonal flavors. Each chef creates a signature dish for the event, with raw ingredients supplied by local farmers and fishers. All proceeds support the Good Farmer Fund and the Neighborhood Farmers Markets.”

Celebrate Fall with Local Food Events