Enjoy Bountiful Farm-Fresh Food in Puyallup and Sumner

Patrick Hagerty

While the phrase “farm-to-fork” might seem like a buzzword since it’s risen in popularity over the years, it actually suggests a return to ancient practices. 

“In the simplest terms, it means how can I get food from the farm to the fork with the least amount of stops and touches along the way,” says Aaron Welch, food and beverage director for Farm 12, a Puyallup restaurant. 

Today, food grown all over the world is shipped thousands of miles to hungry consumers. When you look back through history, however, people grew their own food, meaning it actually traveled from farm to fork, and this movement is seeking to bring a version of that back. Thankfully, you don’t have to travel far to find fabulous farm-fresh food in Puyallup and Sumner.

Plenty of Fresh Food in Puyallup and Sumner 

“Many people are surprised to learn that there are more than 300 indigenous ingredients within the city of Puyallup,” says Shawn Manley, CEO of the Puyallup Food Bank. “The Puyallup Tribe harvested berries, meat, tubers and much more. The unique combination of our climate and soil make this valley a naturally bountiful place.” 

Surrounded by farmland with mountains, forests and the Puget Sound nearby, high-quality commodities never have to travel far to reach the Puyallup/Sumner region. 

“Washington state has one of the most diverse food industries on the planet,” says Alexander Anton, chef/owner of Sumner’s Oxbow Urban Kitchen. “We are the largest producer of rhubarb, apples and one of the largest producers of grapes and hops.” 

Welch agrees. “I would say we probably have the best well-rounded local food scene in the country,” he says. “We get oysters less than 12 hours after harvest and mushrooms that were foraged today.” 

Sumner Main Street Association

Respect for Agriculture in the Region

The region’s connection to the land encompasses local restaurants, large and small farms, markets and even the food bank. 

“We are passionate about meeting the urgent needs of our neighbors and partnering to assist them, believing food is the first step on their journey to a more hopeful future,” Manley says. “I love salvaging freight that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.” 

Respect for agriculture is so significant here that a group launched the Washington State Fair, which is the largest fair in the Pacific Northwest today, in 1900. 

“My family was deeply rooted in the Puyallup fair for many years. We operated a number of concessions,” Anton says. “I think being a part of that had a huge impact on me personally. There are lots of these events that remind us of how deeply rooted this community is in the food scene that keep us connected to where we came from.” 

While Oxbow Urban Kitchen is elegant and modern and specializes in upscale Pacific Northwest fare, Anton’s philosophy is down to earth. 

“For me as a chef and restaurateur, farm-to-fork is a commitment to our community to provide locally sourced products from our neighbors,” Anton says. “It is a commitment to quality, and it is a commitment to help support other small businesses.” 

Collaboration & Celebration 

The state fair has inspired other annual events, too. “Many of the brewers at the Brewallup (a craft beer festival in Puyallup) pay special attention to sourcing, which comes with equal parts quality and history,” Manley says. “Brewallup helps consumers get one step closer to what they are eating and drinking.” 

Welch adds that events are a great platform to show people the quality of what the region produces, from hops to wine. 

“They also create an opportunity to collaborate,” he says.” Last year, we got to use local rhubarb from Knutson Farms, and our bakery team turned it into delicious rhubarb pie for Rhubarb Days (a festival held in Sumner).” 

More than just a full-service restaurant, Farm 12 is part of Step By Step, a Puyallup nonprofit that provides professional counseling and educational programs for at-risk mothers and their families. 

“I came to Farm 12 because it has a purpose,” Welch says. “I have always believed food was a way to help people heal, celebrate and provide love and comfort.”