Located in the cozy Samish River Valley, Coriander Creek Farm is a repurposing of a farm with a long established local history. Also known as the Daniels Farm or the Doolittle Farm, two long time prior owners in the early 1900s and the mid 1900s respectively, the farm was a dairy farm until the 1990s. Across several owners since, the farm has only been tended for hay, but is now being converted over to organically grown vegetables and herbs.
In June of 2018, our 1910 loft barn was accepted into the Washington State Heritage Barn Register as the first step in working to preserve the historical and structural integrity of our magnificent barn. Being placed on the Heritage Barn Register allows us to begin the process of applying for state grant funds to incrementally replace critical structural elements to ensure the barn's long term stability and survival.
We have also been collecting stories and excerpts about our farm to piece together as much of the history of our farm as possible, which will be available in an exhibit located in our barn as it becomes structurally sound and accessible to our guests and customers. Some of the stories we have discovered so far include:
In the 1890s there was a shingle mill located on the opposite side of the valley from our farm, and it is likely that our fields were cleared to supply lumber for that mill prior to being set up as a farm
The earliest public record of our farm records that the loft barn was built in 1910
The owner of the farm at the time was a Mr Daniels, who either currently owned or came to own over 500 acres of farms in the Samish River valley, 5 farms in total.
We had the fortunate opportunity to meet the daughter of Mr. Daniels, who remembers the farm well, having been born there and remained a resident until her marriage in her early 20s.
A later owner, Allen Doolittle, was well known in the community and at one point owned the restaurant which is now Blue Mountain Grill several miles north on Highway 9
Interesting annecdotes:
A friend of Amy's mother once helped Allen Doolittle's son put out a barn fire at the farm which Amy's mother now owns.
John Sandifer, a KOMO and KING broadcaster and book author, recalls visiting our farm regularly as a young man.