The Edison Granary lies in the heart of scenic Skagit Valley, about 2 hours south of Vancouver, BC and 1 1/2 hours north of Seattle. Originally built in the 1930’s, it’s one of the few remaining agricultural buildings in the tiny township of Edison. Overlooking 119 acres of organic farmland, the Granary boasts stunning views of Mt. Baker and the North Cascades. The Edison Granary is managed by Colin, a Skagit Valley native.

The history of this iconic Skagit Valley location really is a story in itself. The property along with much of Edison was originally platted by Colin’s great (x4) grandfather Colonel Granville Haller in the late 1800’s where it remained farmland for much of its existence. In the 1930’s the granary building was built on the property as well as the farmhouse and some of the other farm buildings.

During the 1950’s-1990’s the farm was leased by the Leonard Lee family and was a working dairy, later becoming subleased to other local farmers, while the Granary Building, which; at one point housed feed and grain for cattle, was used as an antique market during Leonard’s retirement years. After Leonard’s passing in 2012, some of the barns and buildings began blowing down and collapsing due to age and lack of use. For much of the 2010’s and afterward, the remaining buildings and Granary had light use, being rented on occasion, and eventually hosting the Edison Farmer’s Market.

In 2015, Colin’s father began remodeling the Granary building, with hopes to create an income by offering event space for people to rent. As the renovations progressed, several events were able to take place. However, with the global pandemic starting during this time, many events were put on hold. It was at that point when Colin decided to come back to Edison and work on the Edison Granary event rental project. Colin arrived back in the United States and got to work in late 2021, reassembling the pieces and taking the lead on The Edison Granary business. It took over a year to get things in order with planning, permitting, and other various projects that needed to be addressed before business could restart.

In early 2023, Colin was finally able to reopen The Edison Granary for business and since then the word has spread about community events. Some of The Edison Granary’s hosted events include a Zentangle art class with Sara Harlan, a past Garth Stevenson concert, a special showing of the Haitian documentary film, El Violinista, with a live Q & A discussion with the film’s director and lead actor, weddings, dances, and baby showers. Colin says he would love to see some yoga or meditation classes offered or perhaps some art shows if the opportunities present themselves. With more events happening this spring and summer, be sure to follow The Edison Granary’s website, Facebook, and Instagram pages for the latest news.

The building itself was respectfully renovated to accommodate a variety of functions, including weddings, community events, classes and more. Renovating to modern standards while also preserving the barn’s original aesthetic. Colin believes this is the greatest asset of the building as well as the beautiful view of the Edison farmland here in the Skagit Valley. The Edison Granary property allows for a unique agricultural perspective of the Skagit Valley along with an ever changing view of the sky, wildlife, and weather. The building allows for a balanced mix of covered space, with the warmth of a historic building that is available year-round.

The Edison Granary strives to emphasize sustainable practices in all levels of the business from environmentally friendly product choices, to utilizing waste management systems that include composting and recycling, as well as natural landscaping, responsible building materials, high energy efficiency, and the extensive use of repurposed materials that have come right from the property itself. For example, the plaster walls in the building were dyed gray with blackberry juice from berries grown right on the property and the deck was made from old barn wood. A current project includes building a flower garden using old, used vegetable crates from local farms, repurposed as raised beds for a lavender garden. Some future plans include implementing solar as well as native plant landscaping and preservation.

We recently caught up with Colin to find out what his favorite Skagit grown crop is. Here’s what he had to say:

“I think blueberries might be one of my favorite crops grown here in the Valley. I know Skagit Valley is often known for tulips and cabbage, but I think the Skagit Valley blueberries are woefully underrated.”

We’re proud to see such a piece of Skagit County history continue life into the next generation and are grateful to have the support of The Edison Granary for the Genuine Skagit Valley program. To find out more about reserving The Edison Granary fo your next event, please fill out the contact form on their website. Thank you for being our #GSVMemberMonday feature, The Edison Granary!