This lush, alluvial plain we call home, the Skagit Valley, is the site of the 19th Festival of Family Farms this weekend. A dozen farms are participating.

Cows, blueberries, shellfish, pumpkins, apples, alpacas, cheese, gardening demonstrations, and flowers – it couldn’t be more diverse. But they have one thing in common: they are farms; farms run by families.

Each year, rain or shine, more and more people line up for hayrides, harvesting, music, food, animal exhibits, and more. They are connecting with farmers.

Mary Hedlin, whose brother Dave runs Hedlin Farms, notes, “It’s jus...