Category Archives: Agriculture

Poll: Where will you get your Christmas tree?

Kitsap residents have a bounty of options when it comes to picking a Christmas tree.

There are, of course, no shortage of stores and tree lots offering pre-cut firs, pines and spruces.

For families who want to harvest their own, the county home to more than 500 acres of planted Christmas trees, with U-cut farms dotted across the peninsula.

More adventurous tree hunters can buy a $5 permit from the Forest Service and make a foray into the Olympics.

So if a tree is part of your holiday tradition, where do you plan to get yours this this year? (Or where did you already grab one?)

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If you need help finding a tree this year, the Kitsap Sun has a handy guide to u-cut farms and lots on the peninsula.

Photo by Larry Steagall. See a gallery of Larry’s Christmas tree shots here.

BridgeCare Finance wins Edg3 Fund prize

Tad Sooter

Mount Vernon-based BridgeCare Finance won Kitsap Bank’s $20,000 Edg3 Fund small business prize Thursday, according to a news release.

BridgeCare offers short-term loans to help working families afford childcare.

The Smithshyre farm in Poulsbo earned the $5,000 Community Edg3 Award, recognizing the entrant that “best embodies the spirit of community.”

The farm specializes in rearing organic, pasture-raised poultry.

Edg3 Fund winners were selected by a panel of judges during a live event at Kitsap Conference Center.

ChocMo, High Spirits plan move to new Poulsbo building

Tad Sooter

Poulsbo’s ChocMo restaurant and High Spirits liquor store plan to move to a new building and expand next year.

The businesses will set up shop in a 28,000-square-foot commercial facility planned by the Crabtree and Ryan families on Eighth Avenue.

The building is expected to open in the fall of 2017, according to a news release.

ChocMo and High Spirits will be joined in the facility by a 180-seat restaurant called Crabtree kitchen + bar and a shared workspace center called Vibe Coworks.

The move will allow High Spirits to grow from 4,000 to 10,000 square feet.The store will add a growler-filling station, “beer cave,” and wine cellar, and plans to host classes and tastings.

A delivery service is being considered, according to the release.

ChocMo, which began as a chocolate shop in 2005, will offer breakfast, lunch, espresso and chocolate drinks. With added space to work in, ChocMo staff will start making chocolate from raw cocao beans.

Upstairs, Crabtree kitchen + bar will focus on connecting diners with locally-grown food, including fruits and vegetables cultivated onsite. Beef for the restaurant will be raised at the family’s Silver Creek Angus farm in Kingston, which currently supplies ChocMo.

Local business vies for $20k prize on Thursday

Tad Sooter

A Kingston farm is one of five finalists that will vie for a $20,000 award Thursday during the live finale for Kitsap Bank’s Edg3 fund competition.

Silver Creek Angus was the only Kitsap-based contestant to earn a spot in the finals for the Edg3 Fund, which honors businesses dedicated to growing their communities “economically, socially and environmentally.”

The finale is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton. The keynote speaker will be Combat Flip Flops CEO Matthew Griffin, a former Edg3 Fund finalist who appeared on the ABC show Shark Tank.

A panel of judges will select the winner of this year’s $20,000 top prize, and a $5,000 prize for the contestant that best embodies “the spirit of community.”

The Edg3 Fund finale is part of a slate of events marking Global Entrepreneurship Week in Kitsap.

See the flyer below for additional events:

Marijuana grow approved in Bremerton; SK retailers on the move

Tad Sooter

The state approved a marijuana grow Wednesday off Auto Center Boulevard in Bremerton.

Producer and processor United Western Green will be located in a warehouse at 111 Bruenn Ave., according to Liquor and Cannabis Board records.

United Western Green is the 16th producer/processor licensed in Kitsap County.

Retailers on the move

Marijuana retailers originally licensed in South Kitsap are shuffling locations this fall, perhaps seeking less crowded markets.

po-pot_-stores — Eight marijuana retailers were approved in the Port Orchard area. Now some are moving out. Click to enlarge.

The board recently approved an address change allowing 21+ Recreational Marijuana to hop from Bethel Road in Port Orchard to 3062 SW Hwy. 16, Suite A in Gorst.

Two other South Kitsap marijuana stores have applied to relocate to Silverdale.

Fillabong, which also operates a shop in Silverdale, already shifted its license from Mile Hill Drive to 3249 Perry Ave., just outside Bremerton limits.

Here’s my map of Kitsap marijuana businesses. I’ll update the new retail locations once they’re approved by the board:

Kingston farm named finalist for $20k prize

Tad Sooter

A Kingston cattle farm is the last Kitsap company left in the running for the $20,000 edg3 FUND small business prize.

Silver Creek Angus was one of five finalists Kitsap Bank announced for the prize last week.

The longtime family farm raises Black Angus cattle and sells beef. You can learn more about their operation in the video above.

The edg3 FUND competition, now in its third year, promotes entrepreneurs “dedicated to growing our local community economically, socially and environmentally.”

This year’s $20,000 winner will be selected by a panel of judges during a live event Nov. 17 at Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton.

An additional $5,000 will be awarded to the entrant that best embodies “the spirit of community.”

Genuine Burgers calls it quits in Silverdale

Tad Sooter

b0012681623-683837 Silverdale’s Genuine Burgers was a bold culinary experiment.

The restaurant served traditional fast-food fare with a slow-food philosophy, making nearly everything on its menu — the burgers, buns, milkshakes, fries, even ketchup — from scratch each day.

b0012681629-651327 The staff ground grass-fed beef each morning for the fresh burger patties, which were cooked a full 15 minutes on lower heat to avoid drying out the meat.

“We do things a little bit differently here,” owner Stephen Foster-Shaner told the Kitsap Sun’s Terri Gleich in an interview earlier this year.

The experiment didn’t work out in the end.

Foster-Shaner closed Genuine Burgers on Sunday citing a multitude of factors:

You can read our February profile of Genuine Burgers here.

Local food market adding Kingston location

Tad Sooter

kitsapfreshlogo Kitsap Fresh is adding a Kingston location, just in time for the fall harvest.

The local food co-op, which allows members to order online from local farms and pickup produce from a central distribution hub, will celebrate the launch of a new pickup site at Downpour Brewing in Kingston from 4-7 p.m. on Sept. 28.

Prospective members can learn more about Kitsap Fresh at the event, which will also feature live music and specials on beer growlers.

Kingston is the third location for Kitsap Fresh, which also has pickup spots in Poulsbo and Bremerton. More are planned.

Downpour is located at 10991 NE State Hwy 104, next to The Cup & Muffin.

Four Kitsap companies in running for $20k prize

Tad Sooter

IMG_20150103_143133 Four Kitsap County based businesses were among 11 semifinalists announced Friday for Kitsap Bank’s $20,000 edg3 FUND prize.

The Kitsap competitors left standing are Bushel & Barrel Ciderhouse of Poulsbo, Silver Creek Angus, LLC. of Kingston, The Smithshyre of Poulsbo and Unique and Chic Event Rentals and Design of Port Orchard. Brett Marlo Design Build of Gig Harbor was also a semifinalists.

A public vote will help determine five finalists, who will compete in a live finale Nov. 17 at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton. A panel of judges will pick the winner.

Now in its third year, the edg3 FUND contest recognizes businesses that contribute to their communities economically, socially and environmentally.

Click here for more info.

Fifth marijuana grow approved in North Kitsap; retailer relocating

Tad Sooter

The state approved a fifth marijuana grow in North Kitsap this week.

The Liquor and Cannabis Board issued licenses to recreational marijuana producer and processor Americanna Naturals on Tuesday. The company will be located at 26420 Pioneer Way NW, near Twelve Trees Business Park.

Americanna Naturals is the 15th producer/processor licensed in the county. A grow was approved in Kingston just last week.

In other marijuana business news, a retail store that had been licensed in Port Orchard has successfully changed its location to East Bremerton.

Fillabong, which also operates a shop in Silverdale, was originally approved for 4978 Mile Hill Drive. The store will now be located at 3249 Perry Ave.

Here’s an updated map of marijuana business licenses in Kitsap: