The minutes for the August 2010 meeting are posted here. August 2010 Minutes

Calling all lovers of local food! Don’t miss Skagit Valley’s new homegrown cookbook, Serving the Skagit Harvest, available now. This unique book includes over 100 seasonally-organized recipes and “must-have” growing and food storage tips, profiles of local gardeners, a harvest calendar, and a resource section showcasing the bounty grown right here at home.

Books are $20 from Eat Your Yard and selected local outlets, including  Skagit Valley Co-op in Mount Vernon, Calico Cupboard in La Conner, Ace Hardware, Watermark Books, and Pelican Bay Books in Anacortes, and Anderson’s Store on Guemes Island. All proceeds benefit Eat Your Yard to help our community achieve a more resilient food system.

To order, mail $20 plus $4.95 for shipping and handling for the first book, $1.00 s/h for any additional books, to Skagit Beat the Heat, PO Box 1122, Anacortes, WA 98221. Thank you for your support!

Questions about the book?  Find answers here Cookbook

Order form here Cookbook order form

The minutes for the July 14, 2010 meeting are here: July 2010 Minutes

Kudos to councilman Bill Turner for arranging a special presentation for the Anacortes City Council on the local impacts of climate change Monday, July 12, 7:30PM.  Lara Whitley Binder of the U.W. Climate Impacts Group, will discuss climate change in the Northwest.  Jon Reidel, a geologist with North Cascades National Park, will share the global perspective.   Ed Knight of the Swinomish Tribe will speak to the climate effects we can expect in our own backyard.

At the council chambers at City Hall (6th & Q Ave).  We encourage you to attend and bring a friend!

The minutes for the June 2010 meeting are here:June 2010 Minutes

Solar-powered homes in and around Anacortes will be showcased during the Anacortes Summer Solar Tour on Saturday, June 12th.  This event will focus on how solar and other renewable energy systems work, through educational workshops and the display of solar, wind, and solar hot water systems in action.

The tour kicks off at 10 am at the Anacortes Senior Activity Center at 1701 22nd St.  At the kick-off tour participants can attend solar workshops and pick up tour maps and other information.  Tour sites will be open from 11 am – 3 pm.  There will be 13 tour sites on Fidalgo and Guemes Islands featuring solar PV systems for generating electricity, solar thermal or solar hot water systems, and wind technologies.  All tour sites will be staffed by system owners to answer questions.

The event is co-sponsored by Skagit Beat the Heat, Power Trip Energy of Port Townsend, and Whidbey Sun & Wind of Coupeville.

“The goal of the solar tour is to show how home and business owners on Fidalgo and Guemes Islands are investing in renewable energy and saving money on their electric bills at the same time,” says Jeff Randall of Power Trip Energy.   “The tour will be a great way to have fun and learn a great deal about renewable energy in a short period of time.”

The tour will also feature a Solar Scavenger Hunt with free prizes awarded to participants.  Scavenger hunt forms will be available at the tour kick-off event and prizes donated by local businesses will be awarded at the end of the day.

The solar tour and all educational workshops are free and open to the public.  All workshops will occur at the Anacortes Fidalgo Center and are  scheduled for 11 am – 1 pm, repeating at 3 pm – 5 pm.  Spread the word – bring a friend!!

To learn more about the Anacortes Solar Tour, please call Jeff at 360-643-3080 or visit www.solarwashington.org.