Crop ID Program

Identifying Our Skagit Delta’s Crops

The Crop Identification Sign Program began in 1995 when Anacortes resident Bob Knowles set out to solve a simple everyday mystery for people driving through the Skagit Valley: what exactly is growing in all those fields? What started as a small personal project quickly grew into a recognizable feature of the valley’s landscape.

In 2004, Bob partnered with Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland (SPF) so the project could continue with organized volunteer support. Five years later, in 2009, SPF teamed up with Lisa and Tom Derrer of Eddyline Kayaks to completely redesign the sign system. Their updated brackets and sign structure made seasonal change-outs far safer and far more efficient for the volunteers who manage them.

The modern program now spans more than 70 crop signs placed along four routes, covering some of the busiest roadways in the Skagit Delta. Volunteers are coordinated today by dedicated community champion Bob Raymond to stay in regular contact with local farmers to learn what’s planted, track seasonal changes, and keep every sign accurate and up to date.

Nearly three decades later, the program remains a collaborative effort between farmers, volunteers, and SPF, offering thousands of daily drivers a simple but powerful way to understand and appreciate the diversity of Skagit Valley agriculture.