Agricultural photography exhibit opens at Skagit County Historical Museum

LA CONNER - About 240 people attended the opening Friday of the Skagit County Historical Museum's newest exhibit, "Where Our Food Comes From."

The exhibit coincides with the release of the agricultural photography book "Where Our Food Comes From: The Magic of Skagit Valley," featuring photos and written accounts by photographer Craig J. Barber.

"Without (farmers and farmworkers), we would not eat," Barber said at the exhibit opening. "I know people think food is expensive, and it is, but it's not expensive enough, because they need to make a living, and they work in weather that most of us would not go out in. So, I thank all the farmers tremendously for trusting me to tell their story."

In putting together his book, Barber spent four years getting to know the workers at seven farms throughout Skagit County. To gain their trust, he took the time to build relationships, obscured some workers' faces, and gave prints of photos as thank-yous.

"They were all tolerant of me asking a lot of questions like a 3-year-old," Barber said about his interactions with farmers and farmworkers.

Along with the photos, the book includes interviews and in-depth explanations.

Barber's process for the book was further explained by John Seibert Farnsworth, who read the foreword he wrote for the book during the exhibit opening.

"Craig (Barber) isn't merely documenting the act of farming; he is highlighting the care, struggle, and artistry that takes place in the fields and barns," Farnsworth read. "... These reflections read like oral histories, capturing this particular moment in the evolution of American agriculture."

The exhibit - located in a room overlooking one of the book's featured locations, Hedlin's Family Farms - is divided into three sections.

Upon entering, a wall to the left features Barber's photos and explanations of the book's creation.

In the center of the exhibit, environmental and agricultural concepts are explained, along with an overview of how the county's tribal communities contribute to agriculture.

To the right, county organizations and nonprofits that work with the agricultural sector are featured and explained.

Barber's photos are hung in white frames that Barber also created.

The exhibit layout was put together by Skagit County Historical Museum Collection Manager Laynie Moran, who has worked with Barber on the exhibit for the past year.

Moran came up with the idea of expanding the exhibit beyond the book's content.

"I am overwhelmed. I'm very grateful and excited that all of these people are here and want to support the farmers and the farmworkers," Moran said about the exhibit opening. "It's very rewarding. I've worked with a lot of these people over time, like interviewing them, but yeah, it is always fun because I get to meet them in person and see everybody, so I'm happy."

The exhibit will run until Oct. 25. For more information, visit skagitcounty.net/Departments/HistoricalSociety.

The book is currently sold out at the museum but is available online for about $40 at Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and BookShop.org.

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