CON-DAD-ULATIONS GRADUATES
Hello Chimacum Corner Community!
By all accounts, the local area farm fields are exploding with growth. The first stirrings of early summer crops are percolating in from Quilcene, Chimacum, and Port Townsend. Gorgeous blooms like ranunculus and peonies have made their triumphant arrivals to the flower rack. And there is enough salad mix available to feed King County it would seem. Perfectly timed abundance for the dual-celebration of fathers and the conclusion of the academic year. As we inch so close to that special celestial day, Summer Solstice, remember that as so many lean toward vacations and pleasure, farmers are buried deep in the trenches of their own crop plans, straining in 5th gear to stay ahead of the task curve. Celebrate your loved ones and the hard work of the local farm crew by joining in to the abundance of early summer in Jefferson County. Follow along through these digital scrolls to earn your diploma in Locavorics!
DADS GARDEN TOO OK
For all the green thumb dad’s out there, the Corner Nursery is a veritable wonderland. Nothing is more charming than a father-son duo, so why not gift your dad an upright hardy fuchsia hand-sculpted by Westen of Egg & I Fuschia (& all-star closer on the CCF produce team), under the tutelage of the fuchsia grandmaster Doyle Yancey? Stunning and unique varieties are on-hand in the entry tunnel, and more where that came from in the greenhouse at Egg & I. If pops is more of a soil nerd, why not treat him to a box of premium OMRI-listed soil amendment in various flavors from Down To Earth? Summer side dressings of amendments keep landscapes lush and verdant throughout the summer and into fall. We have all the favorites, like Acid Mix and Vegetable Garden, available in the handy 5lb box format on the racks next to the Nursery register. A perfect gift for the homesteadin’ dad.
MAKE YOUR PARTY PLATTERS “FROM HERE”
The immediate future is bright for all you grads out there, because bowls full of Washington grown organic red cherries landed just in time for the weekend! These babies are plump and eating well, so well that we sold 75 lbs on their opening day on Monday. Pair them with a local cheese as well as some local crudite featuring Red Dog Farm bunched carrots and open pint strawberries, as well as Midori Farm mini cucumbers and snap peas! The local farm fresh sheets are exploding with new product, so each week from here through September, expect some new local delights out on the Produce Porch!
SANDO DADDYO
In honor of all our dad’s out there, we return to highlight the grand-daddy of all Corner Kitchen sandwiches: the Meaty Italian! Loaded with tapenade, tomato slices, and multiple cold cut cured meats, all encased in a fresh wedge of house made focaccia, this sandwich is ample fuel for tough days on the grind and in the heat. The focaccia stands up deliciously on its own, which is why we reserve some cuts from every batch to sell a la carte at the Farmstand. The Corner Kitchen sandwich has had many an era, and is now entering a golden age, in no small part due to the decision to commit to making our own bread for it. Take a pic with your favorite sando and tag @chimacumcorner! We love to see where all the food winds up once it leaves the double doors.
GOING WITH THE GRAIN
We are thrilled to be a new account for Chimacum Valley Grainery’s line of tall can beers! It has been said that Keith has always preferred beer to cider ironically, and his dedication to the craft is evident in every style of beer they are putting out. We are proud to carry the whole line-up of brews in our beer section, and a staff fave is definitely the “Hazy & Harrowing” IPA. This beer is truly “of the village,” a completely vertically integrated small-scale farm product using in-house floor malted grains and water from the fields and watershed of Chimacum. Cans are selling like hot cakes, grab the whole lineup as a tasting flight for Dad!
CRACKERS GALORE
No party platter comprised of local produce would be complete without a good bargain on some choice crackers! We have low prices on all of the Back to Nature brand crackers, like the classic round, crispy wheat, or gluten-free multi-seed rice thins, as well as good deals on Maine Crisp savory fig & thyme crackers, and Better Buckwheat sea salt crackers as well. No shortage of options for all your cheeses and dips!
KNOW YOUR ROOTS
It occurred to us that there are many new faces in and around the Corner these days, so in honor of celebrating dad’s, teachers, and graduating folks, we thought a bit of a history lesson was in order. Check out this article from when the Corner turned 10, as written by the plucky pen of owner Katy McCoy (CCF turns 15 this Thanksgiving, how the time flies!). It catalogues the founding years at CCF, with many tender details and charming footnotes. Trivia question: who was the first ever customer at the Corner Store? Click the link to follow along with the storied saga of this once-abandoned auto-parts store!
PDN BEST OF 2025 - NOMINATE THE CORNER!
The nomination period for the Peninsula Daily News’ annual “Best-of” contest is open, and we would love to be nominated for “Best Grocery” in addition to the usuals like “Best Produce” and “Best Employer.” If you are a die-hard Corner person, please consider picking up a PDN and giving us a shout in the nomination process! Every little bit helps.
“Eating with the fullest pleasure—pleasure, that is, that does not depend on ignorance—is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our connection with the world. In this pleasure we experience and celebrate our dependence and our gratitude, for we are living from mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers we cannot comprehend.”
- Wendell Berry, from The Pleasures of Eating
