September 25th Harvest Dinner & Auction Features Local Food, Chefs and FUN!

Don't miss the chance to dine on a delicious dinner of local foods from the Skagit Valley, bid on fantastic auction items, and help protect Skagit agriculture at Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland’s 12th Annual Celebrate Skagit Harvest Dinner & Auction on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at St. Joseph Center, 215 N. 15th St., Mount Vernon.The evening of "Diamonds & Denim" begins at 5:30 pm with appetizers and champagne, two silent auctions, entertainment and the opportunity to go Digging for Diamonds. Guests will have a chance to win a 1/2 carat diamond pendant, custom designed and donated by Burton Jewelers, valued at $2,000, or equivalent shopping spree at Burton's.As the live auction gets underway with Emcee Rebecca Stevenson, chief meteorologist at KIRO TV, a distinctive four-course dinner will be served featuring the fall bounty from the Skagit Valley, prepared by guest chefs Thomas Palmer, Palmer's on the Waterfront in LaConner and Oyster Creek Inn in Bow; Martin Hahn, Culinary Arts Program, Skagit Valley College and former co-owner of the Black Swan in LaConner; and Greg Atkinson, cookbook author, chef instructor at Seattle Culinary Academy and former executive chef at Canlis in Seattle.Many local farms, businesses, restaurants and community members are contributing to the annual dinner and auction, which celebrates the fall harvest and the bounty of fresh local foods from the Skagit Valley. Proceeds will benefit the work of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland to protect and enhance Skagit agriculture and the responsible stewardship of farmland.Call today to reserve your seat for $70, which includes a champagne welcome, appetizers, dinner and wine. Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland: 360-336-3974. Live auction preview will be posted on the website after September 17 at www.skagitonians.org.Special thanks to SPF's generous 2010 sponsors: Aztec Self-Storage; Bellingham Cold Storage; Charlie’s Produce; Concrete Nor’west; Darigold; Dunlap Towing; Fisher & Sons, Inc., a division of Fisher Companies; Frontier Bank – Union Bank; HKP Architects; Land Title & Escrow Company; Osborne Seed Company, LLC; Pat Rimmer’s Les Schwab Tire Centers Burlington; Peoples Bank; Skagit Farmers Supply; Skagit River Steel & Recycling, Inc.; Skagit Transportation, Inc.; Washington Bulb Company, Inc.; Washington Red Raspberry Commission; Whidbey Island Bank; and Windermere Skagit Valley.Visit Link