When Gourds Are Art: Gordon Skagit Farms

Last year, when I saw the gorgeous photos about family-run Gordon Skagit Farms that were published in the September issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine, I wrote "Gordon Skagit Farm Oct 1-31" in the sidebar of my calendar for October 2022. 

Do you ever do that? Make yourself notes so you don't miss the good stuff? Then I color copied the article and mailed it to my GardenComm friend who writes for the Seattle Times with a Post It saying, "We're going!" I like to let people know when I'm making big plans.

We went on a weekday afternoon to be able to take photos without the crowds. The selection is staggering. It's a wonderful to buy every color of unique gourd, squash and pumpkin right from the farm that grew them. We were told that they are experimenting with breeding too, so you may see some exclusive varieties when you visit. 

All of the displays are photo ready and I loved it. Why wouldn't you display your medium to its advantage? Honor the product. 

The specimens were beautiful and there were plenty of open areas to let your mind wander. There's room to think about what you really want in different displays at your home or business. It's terrific. And there are different color stories everywhere so you can consider everything. Here is a master list of pumpkin varieties to help you identify some favorites.

And bird house gourds! My mom and Dan have successfully converted a bird house gourd into a birdhouse - you can see it here. I bought my mom 2 gourds on this trip because I just couldn't decide.

There were other displays that made me want to question everything. The paintings (I assume created by Eddie because he mentioned sketching the large owl on Instagram) are incredible. This vignette (above) is worth the drive north to the Skagit Valley. To see the colors of the squash echoed up onto the canvas and then the trees and changing leaves reflecting down, with a false perspective of the farm going far into the distance blew my mind. I stood there thinking about how the squash, which Eddie grew, were as important to this painting as the paint. I wondered about a lot of things and none of it had to do with a pumpkin farm, which was weird. I was blown away and I didn't tell Eddie either, which is wrong. 

But I was in a family business, and I respect that the season to sell is S-H-O-R-T. He was busy with the day to day, and I could see that the gourds, squash and pumpkins the family had grown were the focus. There will be time to talk about art later. But holy cow, the art on site that supports the farm is stunning.

This year the farm opened to the public September 27 and was open through Halloween. We had a glorious day to walk around and explore. You must get out a pen and write "Gordon Skagit Farm" in the margin of your October 2023 calendar, ok?

I'd like to bring a large group of friends here for an afternoon next Fall. Wouldn't that be neat? Shopping the local nurseries and gift shops, having coffee and pie and then stopping here for heirloom pumpkins?

It's easy to make it sound good.

They have a small farm stand that sells local produce and honey too. I loved it and I am so pleased to have visited. I will be back again and again. Happy Fall everyone. And be sure to tell others when you find a treasure.