id you know that Washington State grows over 300 different crops and is second only to California for the diversity and number of agricultural crops grown ? I certainly didn ’ t . But what , you may ask , does this have to do with art or creativity ? The answer to that , according to the creators of North by Northwest Digital Studios hit show “ Washington Grown ,” is — everything .
Spokane company North by Northwest Digital Productions is well known in the Pacific Northwest . Founded in 1990 they started out creating corporate videos and TV commercials working with some of the largest ad agencies in Seattle , Portland , and Montana . In 1999 they put forth their first film ,
“ The Basket ” starring Karen Allen and Peter Coyote . Since then , they ’ ve been involved with many well-known films , and television series such as “ Z Nation .” Recently , however , their television show , “ Washington Grown ” won its second Emmy award .
A blend of “ How It ’ s Made ,” “ Dirty Jobs ,” and the “ Rachael Ray Show ,” the award-winning series is as entertaining as it is educational . Telling the story of our regional farmers , the crops they grow , and how they end up being used in factories and restaurants is a big part of their format . At its heart though , “ Washington Grown ” is a food show .
I had the pleasure of speaking with the show ’ s Producers , Dave Tanner and Kara Rowe . When asked about how the show came into being , Dave replied , “ The initial idea was to get the people of Washington State to understand more of the issues farmers face today in growing their food . We figured we couldn ’ t make the show solely about famers or farming because nobody would probably watch it and we are an entertainment company . We want to entertain people , right ?
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