Lummi Island- Wild Foods of the Salish Sea

Lummi Island, near the San Juan archipelago off the coast of Washington, is a locavores fantasy land with abundant and diverse seaweed, along with salmon, crab, and spot prawn-rich waters. A pioneer of the sustainable, local food movement here is Riley Starks, a lifelong fisherman, and co-founder of Lummi Island Seafood, a salmon reef net fleet that operates on solar power; Patagonia Provisions purchases the bulk of Lummi Island salmon. He has recently started a seaweed farm and a non-profit, Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing, to support not just the salmon but all the other creatures of the Puget Sound that rely on them.  Riley also started the renowned Willows Inn and sold it to the chef Blaine Wetzel. He now owns and operates Nettles Farm Bed & Breakfast, where along with raising chickens and growing food, he finds truffles with the help of his truffle dog, Stella. He’s made this place not just a destination for great, food, but for hands-on culinary experiences and learning about stewardship of the natural world.

Chef Ona Lee is a 5th-generation Washingtonian. She's a private chef focusing on hyper-local ingredients and scratch preparations.  Ona was born and raised on Pacific Northwest seafood and local produce. She trained at the Michelin starred Spotted Pig under April Bloomfield in New York City.

Prices include eight chef-prepared meals, three nights at Nettles Farm, a full day of kayaking, a day on Clark Island eating wild salmon, and a donation to the Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing.

Farmhouse Suites:

Master bedroom with queen size bed, private deck, and a walk-in double shower with full steam. $1685 per person based on double occupancy

Farmhouse suite with queen bed, private bathroom and steam shower  $1685 based on double occupancy.

Bedrooms with Queen Size Beds in Farmhouse 

(One room with Twin beds available) $1625 based on double occupancy.

Camping: $1495 per person.

Itinerary

Thursday: Arrive at Nettles Farm and check-in between 3:00-6:00 pm

6:00 Local oysters, welcome drinks, and introductions

6:30 Local bi-valve and shellfish dinner in outdoor kitchen by Chef Ona Lee

Steamers in natural white wine from Siefert & Jones, with herbs from Nettles farm, local young garlic, Clara's scratch-made butter, and some with dried local chilies from Slanted Sun Farm.

Fire-grilled clams served as is with a saucy gremolata to spoon on to

Both ways served with Rufous Sourdough, naturally leavened made with local grains in Bellingham

Sides:

Local skillet roasted potato wedges seasoned with salt from Full Bloom Farm on Lummi Island

Sweet pea salad with scallion, sesame, and mint

Full Bloom Farm greens and flowers salad with charred onion vinaigrette

After dinner bonfire and fishing stories

Friday morning: Breakfast by Chef Ona Lee

Including eggs from Nettles, fresh pastries, fruits, Clara's butter, scratch-made jams & hot sauces

Kayaking and seaweed foraging. Lunch in the field

Friday Dinner: Chef Ona Lee

Scratch-made pasta made with Nettles Eggs & Shepard's Grain semolina, tossed in Clara's Butter, coal-roasted seaweed, tomato confit

Nettle's Farm chickens, brined and roasted over fire

Salad of local greens from Full Bloom Farm and wild edibles foraged on sight

Rufous Sourdough, for sopping sauce and chicken juices

Saturday: Breakfast at Nettles Farm

Including eggs from Nettles, fresh pastries, fruits, Clara's butter, scratch-made jams & hot sauces

Tour Lummi Island Wild salmon reefnetting site. Learn about how vital wild salmon are to the ecosystem, economy and culture of the region.

Take a boat to Clark Island for a wild salmon cookout on the beach with life-long commercial fisherman and sustainability pioneer Riley Starks.

Boat back to Lummi Island

Sauna stoked

Saturday night: Dinner at Nettles Farm by Chef Ona Lee

If Available: Spot Prawns served 3 ways:

• Shrimp boil fashion, with potatoes and artichokes
• Sashimi with harmonious soy and salmon caviar
• Aguachile style, dressed in mild peppers, with cucumber and cilantro served with a steamed corn tamale made with Fairhaven Mills dent corn, nixtamalized and ground on site mixed with stock made from Riley's chickens, and Clara's butter.
• Served with assorted salad

Sauna and bonfire

Sunday: Breakfast at Nettles Farm

Depart: 11am

Farmhouse rooms are double occupancy only but camping is available to all.

Contact Maria to reserve your spot at finn.maria1@gmail.com or (415) 306-2773.

Prices include eight chef-prepared meals, three nights at Nettles Farm, a full day of kayaking, a day on Clark Island eating wild salmon and a donation to the Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing.