Woodinville, Wash. — On Saturday, October 21st, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Slow Food Seattle and Columbia Winery will celebrate Washington State’s ecologically sound farmers with the first annual Fall Heritage Fare. The winery will open its doors to the community and welcome guests to experience an autumn farmers market and educational luncheon, featuring several keynote speakers. Proceeds from the Fall Heritage Fare event will benefit Ecotrust, a Pacific Northwest–based organization whose mission is to make “Salmon Nation,” the area spanning northern California to Alaska, a place where both people and nature thrive.

Event: First Annual Fall Heritage Fare hosted by Slow Food Seattle and Columbia Winery
Date: Saturday – October 21, 2006
Time: Farmers Market 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. / Educational Luncheon 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Columbia Winery – 14030 NE 145th Street – Woodinville, WA 98072
Cost: Ticket price is $125 – tickets available for purchase at www.slowfoodseattle.org

The farmers market will feature fresh, sustainable Washington State produce and edible goods including fine Washington cheeses, artisan breads, and a bountiful bevy of other foods of autumn. The educational luncheon menu, organized by Slow Food Seattle and Schwartz Brothers Catering, will spotlight foods cultivated and crafted by these local farmers paired with Columbia Winery’s award-winning wines. Luncheon keynote speakers include Julie Wuesthoff, President of Slow Food Seattle, Lauren Johnson, Vice President Development and Communications of Ecotrust and Washington State ecologically sound farmers.

“Putting seasonal, locally grown food on your table is not only good for your personal health, it’s also good for the economic and ecological health of your community,” says Julie Wuesthoff, president of Slow Food Seattle. “We love to get people out to visit farms in their area, and with this event, we’re bringing the farmers to them.”

Tickets are available for purchase for $125 at www.slowfoodseattle.org. Ticket price includes entrance into the farmers market and attendance at the Fall Heritage Fare educational luncheon. Please log on to www.columbiawinery.com for driving directions and appropriate maps.

About Columbia Winery
Founded in 1962 as Washington’s first premium winery, Columbia Winery has been a leader in winemaking and viticultural innovation in Washington State for over 40-years, pioneering experimentation with new varietals and producing the first series of vineyard-designated wines in Washington. The winery in Woodinville, just 45 minutes outside Seattle, is a destination for wine appreciation and tastings that highlight some of the State’s most awarded wines. For more information, log onto www.columbiawinery.com.

About Slow Food Seattle
Slow Food Seattle is a local convivium of Slow Food USA, a national non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting, sustaining and celebrating the food traditions of North America. Slow Food International, with its birthplace in Bra, Italy does the same work, but on an international level. For more information, log onto www.slowfoodseattle.org.

About Ecotrust
Ecotrust’s mission is to build Salmon Nation — a place where people and wild salmon thrive. Since 1991, Ecotrust has worked with native peoples and others in the fisheries, forestry and farming sectors to build a regional economy in the northwest based on social equity and ecological integrity. For more information, log onto www.ecotrust.org and/or www.salmonnation.com.