Co-op Farm Fund - Community Food Co-op

Transcription

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A monthly publication with your good health in mind
Co-op Community
NEWS
April 2011
Co-op Farm Fund
In This Issue
Co-op Seed Choices—Page 3
2011 Local CSA Farms—Page 10
COMMUNITY FOOD CO-OP
Selects 2011 Projects
Jean Rogers, Board and Farm Fund Administrator
Spring is well under way and farmers are sowing the seeds of the food that we look forward
to stocking on Co-op shelves throughout the
season. While it’s great to leave winter behind, local
growers also face the financial challenge of covering
start-up costs before income can be generated from
fields, orchards, and livestock.
The Farm Fund tries to ease some of
this burden by providing low-interest
loans to local farmers. As loans are repaid, another farm receives the benefit
of the fund, which we hope will keep
growing in the years to come. Additionally, $5,300 will be distributed this
year in grants to local food and farming
projects working to increase access to
local food, and to strengthen Whatcom
County agriculture.
This is your money and support of
local food and farming in action! Your
choice to shop at the Co-op or donate
directly to the Farm Fund has grown
the fund for more than a decade. We
are excited to share some highlights of
this year’s projects with you, and will
feature stories about each farm or project over the course of the season.
Misty Meadows Farm is the recip-
ient of a Farm Fund loan to expand its
poultry and egg operation. If you are a
fan of its high quality, local eggs, you
know that they sell out almost as fast
as we stock them in the Co-op cooler
shelves. The loan will allow the farm to
triple the number of eggs it can bring
to the Co-op by April 2012, and you
will see more eggs every month. Misty
Meadows Farm was the Cornucopia
Institute’s top-rated farm for the entire
state of Washington for humane animal
husbandry standards. As well as offering eggs, Misty Meadows is taking
pre-orders for broiler chickens on their
website. The broilers are going fast, so
order now at www.mistymeadowsfarm.
com.
Neighborhood Harvest Farm
received a Farm Fund loan to cover
material start-up costs. Neighborhood
Harvest utilizes both rural and urban
garden plots, and grows diversified
vegetables and herbs. Owner and
young farmer Mary von Krusenstiern
will market to the public through a
Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA) program and farm stands at
her garden plots on Henry Street and
Rural Avenue. Mary says,
“My planning and preparations are coming along
great! Hoop houses are up,
the deer fence is up, and
my first plantings are well
on their way. Seedlings are
sprouting in the greenhouse
and we look forward to
starting our first season.”
She also plans to sell specialty salad greens and herbs
to downtown restaurants.
Food to Bank On (FTBO), a Sustainable Connections Food and Farming project, will use a Farm Fund grant
to cover expenses for a Cultivating
Success Agriculture Entrepreneurship
course and a QuickBooks short course
for farmers participating in the FTBO
program. These courses represent a
first-time collaboration with WSU
Whatcom County Extension in response to surveys indicating a need by
new farmers for deeper understanding
of financial management tools. Started
by the Co-op’s Farm Fund and administered by Sustainable Connections
since 2005, FTBO provides resources
and mentorship to support the success
of new farmers while providing fresh,
local food to area food banks.
Common Threads Farm is the
recipient of a Farm Fund grant for the
Youth Garden Corps project, providing
garden-based job training and leadership development to middle and high
school students, with a focus on serving low-income youth. Participants
will grow food in partnership with
local farmers and work at an EBT
(Food Stamp)-approved mobile farm
stand serving local, low-income communities. The project will make its
debut this spring, with plans to include
on-site cooking demos, tastings, and
recipes.
Local Food Works is devoted to
promoting food equity, self-sufficiency,
and sustainable living practices through
the cultivation and sharing of knowledge, skills, and resources within the
Foothills community. The program will
use their Farm Fund grant to produce
200 Liberty Garden Kits for Foothills
area food banks, deliver bean tipi kits
to three elementary schools, and print
Share the Bounty brochures. The grant
also supports a coordinated effort with
East County farmers and gardeners
to increase local fruits and vegetables
donated to area food banks. Local
Food Works offers workshops, seed
exchanges, and has initiated a “Start
Growing” program with the Mt. Baker
High School horticulture program.
The Food Bank Farm was
awarded a Farm Fund grant toward
supporting a farm intern. The Food
Bank Farm is producing more than 10
tons of fresh, local produce annually
for the food bank. Five percent of food
bank clients are under three years of
age, 32 percent are three to 17 years
of age, and 15 percent are seniors. The
intern’s efforts will allow hundreds of
community members to volunteer at
the farm experiencing the local food
system firsthand while increasing access to healthy, locally grown food for
low-income families.
The Backyard Beans and
Grains Project (BBGP) is the re-
cipient of a Farm Fund grant for seed
trials of dry legumes, grains, and seed
crops to determine their suitability
for the small-scale Whatcom County
grower. BBGP seeks to regain local
knowledge that has been lost and to
discover new crops and varieties that
are well suited to our climate. The project also aims to teach small-scale farmers and gardeners how to grow beans
and grains using low-tech methods and
to share seed for varieties that have
proved successful.
You can donate to the Farm Fund
at any Co-op register. For more information about the Farm Fund, contact
Jean Rogers at 360-734-8158, jeanr@
communityfood.coop.
1220 N. Forest St., Bellingham WA • 315 Westerly Rd., Bellingham WA • 360-734-8158 • www.communityfood.coop
Co-op Community News
is a monthly publication
produced by the
Community Food Co-op
1220 N. Forest St.
Bellingham, WA 98226
315 Westerly Rd.
Bellingham WA 98225
360-734-8158
(for both locations)
is published as a service
for members. Letters from
members are welcome
(see guidelines below).
The deadline for submissions of letters is 8 pm on
the 5th of the month
preceding publication.
Editor:
Diana Campbell
Design/Production:
Joanne Plucy
Opinions expressed in
the Co-op Community
News are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the
Co-op Board, management, staff or members.
Nutrition and health information is provided for
informational purposes
only and is not meant as a
substitute for a consultation with a licensed health
or dietary practitioner.
Acceptance of advertising
does not indicate endorsement by the Co-op of the
product or service offered.
March 9, 2011
Board of Directors Meeting Summary
Jean Rogers, Board Administrator
Staff member Beau Hilty-Jones informed
the group about a new co-op, The Farm
Implement Co-op. Information is available
on the Bellingham Urban Garden Syndicate
(BUGS) website. Monica de Leon of Community-to-Community Development (C2C)
spoke about building connections between
the Co-op and C2C’s Healthy Kitchen program. She offered some suggestions for
ways the Co-op could be more accessible
to shoppers who speak English as a second
language.
The group then heard a presentation about
other co-ops in Whatcom County as part of
the Board’s Study and Engagement topic
series. Directors talked about ways local coops could support each other, in particular
through joint marketing efforts and collaborating to help fledgling co-ops get established. The Board also discussed ways to
highlight local co-ops during Co-op Month
in October, and agreed to start planning for
the 2012 International Year of Co-ops.
The Board then evaluated the recent Annual
Meeting and Party. The food and entertainment
Hello Gardeners & fellow Co-op members,
were great, the onsite voting went without
a hitch, and the flow of the event was very
smooth. It was a good addition to have the
tabling area for local vendors downstairs,
and to show the meeting on
video so more people could watch the presentations. The Board will continue to review and
fine-tune the format of the meeting. The group
will aim for a shorter meeting next year, ideally an hour to an hour and a half.
The meeting concluded with an executive
session to conduct the annual evaluation of
the general manager.
Complete minutes for this, and all Board
meetings, and a complete copy of the governing policies are available at the service
desk. You can also find complete minutes
of the Board meetings posted on the Co-op
website at www.communityfood.coop.
The first 10 minutes of every Board meeting are reserved for member input. Our next
meeting will be held April 13 at 7 pm in the
Co-op Connection Building at the Downtown store. Hope to see you there.
Letters
Gardening season will soon be here. We need to be very aware of
some of the changes that have come about with the ownership of seed
companies. Territorial Seeds, which has been considered a Northwest
favorite, has been purchased by GMO/chemical giant Monsanto.
Monsanto, as you may know, has one focus: to genetically modify seeds.
There is a movement afoot to take over the regular seed companies so that people will
have to purchase fresh seeds each year and not be able to save and plant heirloom seeds. I
have also heard that some of the Ed Hume Seeds are modified, but I’m not certain of this.
What can we do? Other than purchasing organic seeds and plant starts. I do not know how to
stem this sickening situation.
S. Gilfillan
[Editor note: Our research indicates that one of Territorial Seed’s suppliers, Seminis, was
purchased by Monsanto—Territorial was not bought by Monsanto.]
Questions raised by this member spurred the Co-op Garden Center/Produce staff to write
an article addressing these issues. See page 3 for details.
The Co-op Board of Directors
Meetings are on the
second Wednesday of every month.
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, April 13 at 7 pm
Co-op Connection Building, Downtown
1220 N. Forest St.
Members are welcome to attend.
If there is something you want to discuss
at the meeting, contact Jim Ashby,
General Manager (360-734-8158)
by the first Monday of the month so your item
can be included on the agenda.
General Manager:
Jim Ashby
360-734-8158
Board of Directors:
Steven Harper, Vice-Chair
360-441-2728
Brent Harrison
360-398-7509
Brooks Dimmick
360-758-7610
Matt McBeath
360-510-6908
Deborah Craig
360-738-9015
Megan Westgate
360-592-5325
Michael Elkins
360-305-4952
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Store hours:
Open 7 days a week
Cordata—7 am to 9 pm
Downtown—7 am to 10 pm
Swan Café & Deli hours:
Cordata—7 am to 8 pm
Downtown—7 am to 9 pm
Visit us on the Web at
www.communityfood.coop
Cooperative
Principles
Letters to the Editor
Guidelines
Please send your letters to:
Newsletter Editor
1220 N. Forest St.
Bellingham WA 98225
[email protected]
Book donations at
Cordata
The Cordata store is now collecting
book donations for Friends of the Bellingham Public Library (FOBPL). Look
for their donation collection box inside
the store, located alongside the library
book return. All donations to FOBPL
directly benefit our local libraries, so
please be generous and support our local library system. This new collection
box replaces the big blue “Books for
Charity” bin previously located outside
the store.
Packing Peanuts
Need packing materials? Both Co-op
stores collect all the styrofoam packing
peanuts we receive in product shipments so they don’t wind up in landfills.
We often have regulars who pick up and
reuse these, but sometimes we have an
excess. If you’re looking for reusable
packing materials, just stop by the service desk and let us know.
Farm Fund
Third Thursday Local Music Series
Who benefits from the
Co-op Farm Fund?
Thursday, April 21, 6–8 pm
Downtown Co-op Swan Café
We all do!
Donations accepted at all
registers, by mail, or phone.
For more information, contact
Farm Fund administrator Jean
Rogers at 360-734-8158 ext. 217 or
[email protected].
Special thanks to UNFI, America’s premier certified-organic distributor, for donating to the Farm Fund.
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• Democratic member control
Co-op Community News, April 2011
• Member economic
participation
• Autonomy and independence
• Education, training, and
information
• Cooperation among
cooperatives
• Concern for the community
Lindsay Street
This quasi-Celtic quartet sings in two languages, stomps on the ground, and rocks the
unexpected chord. Lindsay Street has been
playing gigs in our community since 2004. The
band members play guitar, accordion, violin,
and bodhran/bones. Their repertoire includes tunes from Scandinavia, Quebec, the British
Isles, France, Bellingham, and other lands. Lindsay Street brings creative arrangements,
warm harmonies, and a delightful group rapport to their live shows. Hope to see you there.
Photo courtesy of Lindsay Street
Letters must include your
name, address, and a
daytime phone number.
Please respect a maximum
of 150 words. Due to
space considerations, we
regret that we may not be
able to publish all letters.
• Voluntary and open
membership
Co-op Seed Choices for Your Garden
David Sands, Downtown Co-op Produce Manager
Picking out the seed you want to
grow is one of the best parts of planning
a garden. Does it seem that you’re confronted with endless options? Are you
wondering what the terms on the seed
packages mean? What is the difference
between an heirloom and a hybrid? And
what’s the deal with GMOs in seeds
and that seemingly ubiquitous company
Monsanto? Looking for some answers?
Here’s a rundown of what it all means.
Open pollinated seeds
Throughout history, farmers and
home gardeners alike have followed
the tradition of letting some of their
crop mature to save the seed of a
“cultivar” (a cultivated variety). The
next year the cultivar seed would be
re-grown and produce the same variety
anew. In other words, each generation
would look and produce just like its
parent plant. This is known as openpollinated, which is pollination by insect, bird, wind, or other natural means.
In some varieties, isolation is necessary to ensure that the seed will return
true to type. Many squash and brassicas (kales, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflowers, mustards, etc.) will cross breed
with each other and produce unwanted
varieties the next year. To avoid this,
you should plant these varieties away
from each other and in different areas
than the original planting.
Heirloom seeds
The debate on the definition of heirloom seeds continues. The only thing
everyone agrees on is that an heirloom
must be open-pollinated. Some say an
heirloom is a cultivar that has been handed down for at least three family generations, shared between a family, or within
a small geographical community. Some
say heirloom vegetables are those introduced before 1951, which is when the
first hybrid vegetables were introduced.
Heirloom varieties offer exquisite flavor
and abounding uniqueness. Unlike a
hybrid, no person or company can own a
variety of heirloom seed, which is indeed
part of their beauty.
F1 (first generation) Hybrid seed
To clarify, hybrids are not genetically
modified organisms (GMOs). The first
hybrids came out in 1951 with the advent
of large-scale modern agriculture. They
are created by cross-pollinating varieties to produce a new variety. Many F1
varieties are owned in patent form by
the person or company who bred them.
Varieties used to make the hybrid are
proprietary information and kept secret.
Hybrids are produced for a certain trait,
such as increased vigor, better yield,
or a particular growing region. Unlike
open-pollinated varieties, seeds saved
from F1 hybrid seeds cannot be saved
to grow “true to type” reproductions
of the original plant. They likely will
revert to the parentage or grand parentage of that F1 seed.
So where do our seeds come from?
Walk into either of our Co-op garden
centers and you will find seeds offered
by companies that share our vision of
a genetically diverse ecosystem.
• Uprising Seeds, owned by Crystine and Brian Goldberg, is located
in Whatcom County. They offer
100-percent certified organic openpollinated heirloom seeds. Pick up a
booklet at our display for a detailed
list of where their seeds are grown.
• GreenHeart Gardens is located on
Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands,
and offers 100-percent certified
organic hand-harvested seeds from
land that they hand till.
• Ed Hume is a family-owned Washington company based in Puyallup.
Ed Hume seeds are untreated and not
genetically modified.
• Seeds of Change is based in Santa
Fe NM. Their seeds are produced
through a network of certified organic farms. We sell 100-percent
organically grown seeds from Seeds
of Change.
• High Mowing Seeds (Cordata Co-op
only). Based in Vermont, High Mowing is a 100-percent organic seed
company.
You can rest assured there are no GMO
seeds to be found in the Co-op. GMO
giant Monsanto has been scooping up
seed companies left and right, and some
of them serve as wholesale suppliers to
many smaller seed companies. The Coop produce and gardening staff did our
homework and we learned that Monsanto
is not a supplier to any of our suppliers.
The choices we make in the seeds
we buy have an impact. The entire seed
industry is undergoing a giant upheaval
where Monsanto and DuPont have become the number one and number two
largest seed companies. The biodiversity
of our vegetable kingdom is at stake as
these “profit-above-all-else” companies
now control a large portion of the seed
industry. By choosing to support the
fine seed companies that strive to keep
certified organic, open-pollinated, and
heirloom varieties in the food supply, we
keep our world more vibrant.
A Co-op in the Making—
The Bellingham Arts Center
Deborah Craig, Co-op Board Member
Gabriel and Kirsten quickly followed
up the survey by scheduling two informational sessions—one at the Connection Building of the Downtown Community Food Co-op and one at the Cordata
Co-op. This gave the two an opportunity
to directly interact with people interested
in forming an artist co-op and to build
on what they learned from the survey
results. Getting others to join in the planning stage is what really pushes a co-op’s
development to the next level.
When asked, “Why a co-op structure?” Kirsten and Gabriel are quick to
list off all the benefits to be reaped by
forming an artist co-op—benefits to the
artists, the art lovers, and to the larger
community. “Art is important to our
humanity and is important to our community. And art is important to a wellrounded education because art inspires
creative problem solving,” said Gabriel.
An artists co-op can also play a role
in revitalizing downtown Bellingham,
attracting patrons with an art gallery
and performance space, and contributing to the local economy. A downtown
location, they believe, is vital to the coop’s success. “We know we want to be
downtown. We want to be accessible to
pedestrians and bicyclists and we would
want to be a part of the downtown gallery walk,” said Kirsten.
Another aspect of the cooperative business model that appeals to both Kirsten
and Gabriel is a democratic management
structure. “We like the idea of having
more than just a couple people sharing
ideas and making decisions,” said Kirsten. Both Kirsten and Gabriel know that
having a strong, dedicated member base
is important for growing the co-op. They
also recognize that the best solutions surface when they bring multiple ideas and
perspectives to the table. The artist co-op
hopes to provide artists with training in
Volunteer Thanks
Kirsten Lew, jewelry artist,
at work in her studio.
Photo by Kirsten Lew
Like a snowball heading downhill, the
idea for an artist co-op in Bellingham is
gaining momentum. And, like any good
idea, there’s a measure of passion pushing it forward. Kirsten Lew and Gabriel
Miles, both Bellingham artists, met in
October of 2010 and almost immediately
fell into a conversation about creating an
artist co-op. Their vision includes a large
space with individual art studio space for
rent to all kinds of artists—painters, dancers, sculptors, performance artists—and a
gallery to promote and sell their art.
Gabriel, a sculptor and painter, and
Kirsten, a jewelry artist, had each been
looking for studio space in Bellingham
and weren’t having much luck. During
their search they both came to recognize
the need for adequate, affordable studio
and gallery space downtown. Inspired by
a shared need, an idea was sparked. “We
started talking about this in October and
it’s already taken on a life of its own. The
momentum is clearly there,” says Kirsten.
The two artists, both familiar with the
idea of an artist co-op and strong supporters of co-ops in general, wondered,
“Would Bellingham support an artist
co-op?” While their own passion for the
project was palatable, would they find
that same passion in other local artists?
To begin to answer that question, the
duo sent out a survey in December 2010
to local artists and other community
members to test the water. The survey,
sent to more than 100 people, asked
questions like “Are you in need of studio
space?” “Would you be interested in being a part of a governing body?” and “Do
you think there’s a need in Bellingham
for an artist co-op?” After getting a pretty
good return on the surveys and reviewing
the information, Kirsten and Gabriel say
their hunch was confirmed. “There really
seems to be a need and a desire for an artist co-op here,” said Kirsten.
the consensus process, meeting procedures, and group decision-making.
The artist co-op, named the Bellingham Art Center, hopes to offer art classes,
a community studio space, and opportunities for aspiring artists. Gabriel, an art
educator, is excited about the idea of offering classes for many different audiences—kids, seniors, and the many cultural
communities in Whatcom County. Both
Kirsten and Gabriel see the Bellingham
Art Center using art as a way to reach
out to disadvantaged and at-risk youth to
help them discover something wonderful about themselves—and perhaps to
change their path from one of self-destruction to one filled with potential.
The next step for the Bellingham Art
Center is to find a space (either donated,
partially donated, or at least affordable)
large enough to house 10 to 15 artist
studios, a couple of classrooms, and a
gallery. Once found, the two believe
they will have no problem renting out
the spaces. Gabriel says, “I’ve heard
somewhere that Bellingham is second
only to Santa Fe NM in terms of artists
per capita.” If that’s true, then we have
a lot of artists who can benefit from the
work of the Bellingham Art Center. Being
involved in the making of a co-op from
the grass-roots level can be exciting and
rewarding. Kirsten and Gabriel encourage all interested artists to contact them to
find out how they too can be part of this
exciting project.
For more information, see their website
www.bellinghamartscenter.com, or email
[email protected].
We want to express our gratitude
to our volunteers. These folks
helped out with various tasks in
the stores, newsletter distribution,
a new member mailing, and participated in the Member Affairs
Committee. We appreciate you.
Adam Garman
Carol Waugh
Carolyn Miklavic
Carrie Rolfe
Chris Wolf
Cynthia Ripke-Kutsagoitz
Daniel Levine
Eleanore Ross
Edith Dahl
Elizabeth Thielicke
Ellen Murphy
Erika Jett
Erin Thompson
Ginger Oppenheimer
Joanne Kearney
John Lawler
Kate Birr
Katie Chugg
Lynn Marek
Nancy Steele
Nathan Chapman
Sara Charette
Sharon Souders
Shirley Jacobson
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April 2011 Community Shopping Day Organization
Northwest Indian College
“Sometimes the cooks would prepare something, and when
the Elders would taste it, they would instantly remember it from
when they were children. It would be something they had learned
from their parents and had forgotten the taste. But it would come
back to them when they put it in their mouths.”
—Vanessa Cooper
Traditional Plants and Foods Program Coordinator
Northwest Indian College
This month’s CSD organization
serves as a reminder that sometimes
the answer to a problem isn’t something you go search for, but a reconnection to what you already know.
Vanessa Cooper directs the Northwest Indian College Cooperative Extension’s Traditional Foods and Plants
Program (TFPP). The TFPP began as
a drive to reduce the incidence of diabetes, a disease that strikes hard in native communities across the U.S. The
program emphasizes lifestyle changes
based on the cultivation and harvest of
traditional plants and foods (and their
locally grown equivalents) and the return to more traditionally healthy diets
and lifestyles. Vanessa told me that
returning to more traditional whole
foods and local or wild ingredients
is effective in reducing diabetes in a
community.
“We started the program in 2005,”
Vanessa said. “Originally, we were focused on diabetes prevention through
traditional plants. But because we
know that our traditional foods are
medicine, we began to expand the
program to include healthy and traditional foods.”
TFPP recently piloted a two-year
lifestyle intervention research project
with 15 Lummi families called Lummi
Traditional Foods Project. Participating families receive a combination
of learning opportunities, hands-on
classes, and a share in a Traditional
Plant and Food CSA. Last year, spring
and summer classes included Spring
Foods, Wild Edible Berries, and
Herbal Healing. The upcoming season will likely feature a workshop on
canning salmon as well as Shopping
for Healthy Foods on a Fixed Budget,
Nutritional Foods Systems, and a CSA
Holiday Potluck.
Vanessa, the Northwest Indian College (NWIC), and the 20 families
currently participating in the program
have explored several kinds of information: academic, traditional, practical, and experiential. “The Burke
Museum in Seattle did some research
on foods that were eaten before European contact,” Vanessa explained.
“They have good information about
foods and tools used at that time, but
most of those foods are extinct and no
longer accessible. So we spent time
with tribal members discussing ways
to break down barriers to accessing
healthy, local, and traditional foods.”
Participants also spoke with elders
about family recipes and traditions,
revitalizing and sharing knowledge
about the history of foods local to
the Lummi Nation. Some traditional
ingredients were also missing, so participants researched recipes and foods
that have the nutritional equivalent of
things that are extinct, expensive, or
no longer available.
After these preparations, 18 cooks
from several tribes converged for a
three-day Cook Camp, where recipes
and ingredients were tried, substitutions were explored, and good food
was eaten. About 30 great recipes
resulted, and are included in a cookbook produced for the participating
families.
“We want to do it again!” Vanessa
exclaimed. “We’re trying to get funding for another Cook Camp, because
everybody wants it. We’d like to attract more Lummi Nation cooks to
the next one, and we’d love to include
local food caterers, Head Start and
school cooks, and other providers.”
The Traditional Foods and Plants
Program is a project of NWIC, and
began at Lummi. Vanessa described
how, as the first tribal community to
try this, they are sharing the program
with other Northwest tribes. Currently, they are working with 18 other
tribal communities, providing trainthe-trainer workshops and classes.
In the future, they plan to continue
their research, increase the number
of participating families, and offer a
growing number of classes, including
gardening projects, and shellfish- and
salmon-preservation classes.
What are Community Shopping Days?
Each year the Co-op invites organizations to apply for a Community
Shopping Day (CSD). This year
organizations were selected for
their service to our community in
the following areas: Community
Health and Social Justice, Ecological Issues, Education, Food &
Sustainable Agriculture, Health and
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Well-Being, and Peace and Human
Rights. The Co-op’s Member Affairs Committee (MAC) reviews
and recommends 12 organizations,
and the Board of Directors gives final approval. For more information,
contact Laura Steiger at 360-7348158, [email protected].
Photos courtesy of NW Indian College
Robin Elwood, CCN Staff
Canning offers communal learning, sharing of ideas and experience, and results in
good, nutritious food for participants.
Traditional Recipes
For this recipe,
Vanessa Cooper’s
son harvested
wild onions on
Portage Island.
Smoked Salmon, Cattail, and
Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is a nutty-tasting grain
that is high in protein and low in
carbohydrates. This recipe can be
adapted with a variety of seasonal
veggies and is delicious served
hot or cold.
From field to frying pan—wild greens
offer a plentiful bounty for
foragers.
Wild Greens Sauté
• 1 small bag of spring greens
(nettles, dandelion leaf, fiddlehead ferns, or lamb’s quarter)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or
lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
* optional ½ cup feta cheese
Gather fresh greens, wash and
chop into large pieces. In a medium-sized sauté pan, sauté garlic
and onions in olive oil until onions
are translucent. Add vinegar or
lemon juice and greens. Sauté
until greens are tender. Add salt
and pepper to taste. Sprinkle
with fresh feta and serve. Cook
time: 10 minutes. Serves: 4–6
• 1 c. quinoa
• 2 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium-sized onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 c. spring cattail shoots, peeled
salmonberry sprouts, or leeks,
chopped
• 2 Tbsp. wild onion tops
or 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 c. smoked salmon, cubed
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse quinoa. Boil water in a
medium-sized pan, add quinoa.
Turn down to simmer and cover
until cooked, about 15 minutes.
Add olive oil to a medium-sized
sauté pan and heat on medium.
Add onions, garlic, and carrots
and sauté until the onions are
translucent. Add cattails and
onion tops and sauté until tender. Toss in smoked salmon and
lemon juice. Add salt and pepper
to taste.
Recipes courtesy of Vanessa
Cooper, Traditional Plants and
Foods Program Coordinator at
Northwest Indian College.
2011 Community Shopping Day Schedule
January 15
February 19
March 19
April 16
May 21
June 18
July 16
August 20
September 17
October 15
November 19
December 17
Amy’s Place (Old Town Christian Ministries)
River Farm of the Evergreen Land Trust
Rainbow Recovery Center
Traditional Foods and Plants Program (Northwest Indian College)
Appliance Depot (ReUse Works)
People For Puget Sound
Food To Bank On (Sustainable Connections)
Hearing Loss Association of Whatcom County
Whatcom County Library Foundation
United Blind of Whatcom County
Local Food Works!
Transition Whatcom
Domestic Fair Trade Association Makes Strides
Most Co-op members know about
fair trade in the international arena,
but soon shoppers will spot new
labels for domestic fair trade. In
recognition of domestic injustices,
the movement for sustainability and
fairness to farmers and farm workers
has expanded to include agriculture
in the U.S. and Canada.
When the owners at Farmer Direct
Co-operative (FDC) in Canada realized cheap organic grain was being
imported from large international
mono-crop farms, they knew their
farmers were going to take a hit with
lowered prices. They decided that
they needed to get certified to fair
trade standards to differentiate themselves from mass-produced crops.
However, when they made this decision seven years ago, there was no
certifying organization. So they met
with Organic Valley Co-op, Equal
Exchange, and the Agricultural Justice Project (AJP). These organizations had similar goals.
Organic Valley, like Farmer Direct
Co-operative, is a co-op of family
farmers committed to organic agriculture. Equal Exchange is known
for empowering consumers and small
farmer co-ops using sustainable
farming methods. AJP was started
in 1999 as a collaborative effort between farmers, farm workers, and
NGOs to preserve the original intention of organic food to include a social justice component. The outcome
of that meeting was the creation of
the Domestic Fair Trade Association
(DFTA). And the farmers at FDC, after four years of effort with AJP, got
AJP’s social justice certification. See
related story on FDC, below.
The purpose of the DFTA is to
create a sustainable food system by
bringing all the stakeholders to the
table to create a workable set of standards with third-party certification.
According the DFTA website (www.
thedfta.org), stakeholders include
farmers, farmworkers, food system
workers, retailers, manufacturers,
processors, and non-governmental
organizations. They want domestic
fair trade to redistribute the food dollar rather than increase the cost of
the products to organic consumers.
Locally, Community to Community Development (C2C) is a member
of the DFTA. Erin Thompson, Director of Food Sovereignty Programs
for C2C, has been involved with the
DFTA for three years and was voted
DFTA board member-at-large. She
said her role is to be a “regional advocate on the national stage.”
“The DFTA is a membership organization that brings all the stakeholders in the food system together,” Erin
explained. “It supports the dialogue
needed to create a more equitable
system.” She believes as the community builds a local food system that
the DFTA will be a part of it.
“We want small farmers to be successful. We also want them to be able to
pay workers a living wage, and we want
workers to be seen
as stakeholders in
the food system,”
Erin said. Agricultural workers
are particularly
vulnerable because labor laws
do not protect
them. For example, an organic
lettuce worker can be required to
work fourteen hours a day. For farm
workers, workplace exploitation is
the rule—not the exception—according to a study of farm workers by the
Southern Poverty Law Center (www.
splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/injustice-on-our-plates).
In addition to the social justice
component, another goal of the DFTA
is to be transparent and accountable.
They encourage a full-scale thirdparty certification program with peer
review for the food supply chain
from farms to retail.
Erin emphasized that DFTA labeling is forthcoming as a way for
consumers and buyers to recognize a
product that is produced in a fair and
sustainable way.
Kate Nichols is a freelance writer
who is passionate about food and
community. She strives to eat organically and locally, but sometimes eats
chocolate, bananas, and drinks coffee that is not grown locally—but is
Fair Trade.
Representatives of farmworkers’ organizations at the DFTA annual meeting in Santa
Cruz in December 2010.
Principles of
Domestic Fair Trade
• Family-scale farming
• Capacity building for producers
and workers
• Democratic and participatory ownership and control
• Rights of labor
• Equality and opportunity
• Direct trade
• Fair and stable pricing
• Shared risk and affordable credit
• Long-term trade relationships
• Sustainable agriculture
• Appropriate technology
• Indigenous peoples’ rights
• Transparency and accountability
• Education and advocacy
—From the Domestic Fair Trade
Association (www.thedfta.org)
Smart Phone Users
Organic Co-op Launches Farmer-owned,
Fair-trade Food Brand
Farmer Direct Co-operative Ltd.
(FDC), a farmer-owned co-operative
of 63 certified organic family farms is
launching the first (FOFTO) FarmerOwned, Certified Fair Trade, Certified
Organic food brand in North America.
“People usually associate fair trade
with coffee, sugar, bananas and other
crops from the global south, but fair
wages to farm workers and fair prices
to family farmers are just as much a
concern in industrialized nations like
Canada and the United States,” explains Murray Horkoff a Farmer Direct
Co-op farmer-owner from Kamsack,
Saskatchewan, Canada.
“Now organic consumers can purchase farmer-owned, fairly traded,
milled flaxseed, pancake mix, hempseed oil, bulk-bin split peas, lentils, and
other crops and food products grown
and processed in the Northern Hemisphere from a farmer-owned business that is certified fair trade,” adds
Horkoff. “Conscious Citizen Partners
(consumers) no longer need to choose
between organics and fair trade. With
Farmer Direct Co-op they receive food
products that are both, plus the addition
of farmer-ownership.”
The Farmer Direct Co-operative
brand is owned by farmers, is certified
organic, certified fair trade and uses
only whole grains. No refined sugars,
corn syrup/sugar, refined flour, refined
grains, synthetic preservatives, additives, or fillers are used in Farmer Direct Co-op branded food products.
The Farmer Direct Co-op brand also
focuses on bulk products to reduce
excess packaging and uses only highquality crops produced from member
Volunteer Opportunities
Members who volunteer for Co-op
activities or events receive one $5 coupon each time they volunteer for 1/2
hour or longer. We don’t have openings
for ongoing volunteer jobs at the present time, but sign up for volunteer email
alerts, look for volunteer sign-up sheets
for special events, or stop by the service
desk to fill out a volunteer application.
Cordata reusable containers
Tidy the reusable container area at the
Cordata store every-other-week. This
job involves accessing some very low
shelves—no heavy lifting, but some
flexibility is a must! The task is simple,
but important and promotes reuse.
farmer owners. Farmer Direct Co-op
does not import and repackage goods.
Another innovation of the Farmer
Direct Co-op brand is adherence to
Co-op Principle 6, Co-operation among
Co-operatives. To that end, Farmer
Direct Co-op food products are being
sold exclusively to co-ops and independently owned organic retailers through
co-op, independent, or family-owned
distributors. “We wanted to connect
with the core organic and fair trade
customer. You’ll find them at your
local co-op grocery or independent
organic retailer. So far it’s working out
very well,” adds Mark Bologna, Farmer Direct Co-op Sales Coordinator.
Have you seen these funny symbols popping up in magazines, business cards, brochures, store signage,
and elsewhere? Quick Response
(QR) codes are the newest things
for smart phones users. Using
your smart phone, you can scan or
read the codes and be immediately
connected to a website, an email
address, or other online resource.
Below are the first QR codes for the
Co-op.
Link to the Co-op website:
Link to the Co-op Facebook page:
For more information, see www.
farmerdirect.coop or contact Jason
Freeman, General Manager, jason@
farmerdirect.coop.
Backup crew for
newsletter distribution
Get on the list for on-call newsletter
distributors, in case of sickness or vacations. Getting the newsletter out in the
community is a vital job as it is our most
effective communication and education
tool. Help spread the word…Co-op!
Get on our volunteer email list
If you’re not already on the volunteer email list, please send your
preferred email address to lauras@
communityfood.coop. You’ll get an occasional update on volunteer activities.
It’s a great way to get involved with
your Co-op and meet other members.
Join the MAC
The Member Affairs Committee
(MAC) meets every month, usually
on the last Wednesday from 5:15–7:15
pm, to consider questions raised by our
members and to work on board and
community-based activities. If you are
interested in joining the MAC, please
call Jean Rogers at 360-734-8158.
Mailing party list
If visiting with other interesting Coop members while stuffing envelopes
sounds like a fun way to spend a few
hours, contact Laura to add your name
to the mailing party email list. We
get together once every two to three
months at the Cordata store, usually on
a weekday.
Volunteer in the community
Co-op members who volunteer
with the Bellingham Food Bank,
Small Potatoes Gleaning Project,
Whatcom Land Trust, Nooksack
Salmon Enhancement Association, or
The Food Bank Farm are eligible for
a $5 Co-op coupon. These organizations determine how to distribute the
set amount of coupons they receive
each month. Check directly with the
organization you’re interested in before volunteering.
Contact Laura Steiger at 360-7348158, ext. 129 or [email protected].
5
Photo by Lisa Sass Zaragoza
Kate Nichols
Bellingham Students Explore
Daniel Kirkpatrick, Director, Explorations Academy
The young people from Bellingham
helped unload huge flats of lettuce
starts from the wheeled cart. Then the
flats were distributed down the long
garden bed to be planted, six rows
across, in the rich reddish soil. The furrows had been primed with a powdered
spore mix to help the little roots build
mycorrhizal relationships to enhance
growth, and each row had marigolds at
the ends to deter pests. By the end of
the day, this group of ten young people
had carefully transferred nearly seven
thousand little lettuces from flats into
the earth.
This scene took place in Havana in
mid-January. The site was the Vivero
Alamar Agroponico, or organic truck
farm, in the eastern part of the city.
From this amazingly well-run farm,
people across Havana get their organic
produce and the productivity of the
place is legendary: On the day these
lettuces were planted, visiting groups
from three different continents were
touring the farm to learn about their innovative techniques.
The individuals planting lettuce
were students at Belllingham-based
Explorations Academy, who traveled
to Cuba for four weeks this winter to
conduct research about sustainability
and education. Along with three adults,
the ten young researchers explored
Havana, including this visit to Vivero
Alamar, as well as Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and rural areas in the Pinar Del
Rio, Matanzas, and Havana provinces.
Specifically, the group was investigating how this island nation has emerged
from an oil crisis to become the only
country in the world recognized as being truly sustainable.
Another portion of this fascinating
journey involved visiting the intentional
Students enjoyed
a journey filled
with interviews,
field notes, new
discoveries, and
encounters with
warm and gracious people
(left). Studying
approaches to
Cuban sustainability, students
plant lettuce at an
organic farm in
Havana (above).
Cuba
community of Las Terrazas in the hills
of Pinar Del Rio. This village uses
sustainable forestry, farming, art and
craft studios, and ecotourism in their
effort to become a fully self-sustaining
community. The Explorations group
conducted video interviews of several
citizens of Las Terrazas, including a biologist developing an ecological master
plan for the town and its surrounding
countryside. A visit to survey students
in the local high school about their
education rounded out the visit, and
the discovery of what is perhaps
Cuba’s best vegetarian restaurant
made the stay in this pork-loving
country far more pleasant.
Cuba is partly recognized for its
sustainability because of its preservation of wild lands. This journey
included exploring Cienaga de Zapata, a vast and carefully preserved
swampland where the group saw
egrets, herons, ducks, spoonbills,
and flamingoes in the wild. They
also visited a crocodile hatchery,
where thousands of baby crocodiles are being raised for reintroduction into the wild.
The aesthetics of Cuba are remarkable. The cool, antique, pre-revolutionary cars are not just great examples
of built-to-endure technology, but also of
the love and great resourcefulness with
which they have been preserved. The
buildings, too, often reflect the architecture of another era, displaying a grandeur
and glory to which this nation may one
day return. And creativity is everywhere,
in street murals, artisan-vendors, and the
ever-present Afro-Cuban rhythms.
The research findings of this expedition are still being compiled, but will be
available in the near future in the form of
written articles, a booklet of images and
A worker in Las Terrazas.
Photos by Daniel Kirkpatrick
reflections, and a video featuring ways
Cubans practice and perceive sustainability. Visit the Explorations Academy
website (www.explorationsacademy.org)
to learn more. While this was a powerful
learning experience for all participants,
a key goal of the expedition was to bring
information back to the U.S. to help
Americans better understand Cuba and
its positive response to oil shortages.
Everywhere the Explorations Academy group traveled, they encountered
warm, friendly, helpful people. While
the government of this country is
understandably not very trusting of
Americans, the people could not have
been more welcoming. It was an honor for these young people to return to
the U.S. as citizen diplomats, ready
to tell their stories and to help their
fellow citizens understand how Cubans have found pathways to sustainability from which we can all learn.
Supplementing Good Health
for the World’s Children
Our Community Food Co-op vitamins are generated by Vitamer Labs,
a private (pharmaceutically certified)
labeling company. They provide the
highest quality Good Manufacturing
Policy (GMP) certified products available. GMP-certified means that when
raw manufactured goods are purchased, they are laboratory inspected
for authenticity and toxicity. Then
they are encapsulated or tabletized
in sterile facilities, inspected, and
shipped to us.
In late 2010, Vitamer Labs became
“Vitamin Angels” when they manufactured 11 million children’s vitamins
using donated ingredients from DSM,
Alpha Packaging, Mold Rite Plastics,
Domino Foods Specialty Ingredients,
and Batony Foods. This group has
worked together to donate millions of
6
children’s multivitamins for
nutrition projects in
Honduras, Dominican Republic, Laos,
and now throughout
the world in Vitamin
Angels Thrive to Five
program. Vitamer has
donated more than 40
million tablets since it
began participating in
this program.
Vitamin Angels is a 501(c)3 taxexempt organization headquartered in
Santa Barbara, California. President
Howard Schiffer founded Vitamin
Angels in response to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Since then, the organization has expanded distributions
to children in developing countries in
recognition that essential nutrients can
A baby in Peru (top left) and young girls in Ethiopia (lower left) hold
vitamins they received as part of Vitamin Angels Thrive to Five program.
School children in Laos line up to receive vitamins (above right).
Photos courtesy of Vitamer Labs
save lives. With the support of manufacturers, retailers, corporations, and
individuals, Vitamin Angels continues
to reach children and mothers in need
of vital nutrients domestically and
around the world.
Through their Thrive to Five program they distribute 100 million doses
of multivitamins annually to children
and mothers in need in about 20 countries on four continents, including the
United States.
For more information about the
Vitamin Angel’s Thrive to Five program, see www.vitaminangels.org/
programs/thrive-five.
Wine Notes
Touring the World of Pinot Noir
Vic Hubbard, Downtown Co-op Wine Buyer
Our free weekly in-store wine tastings (Fridays, Downtown Co-op 4–6
pm, Cordata Co-op 5–7 pm) have been
very successful. And, not just for our
customers. Tim and I have both appreciated the reactions, comments and
suggestions from customers. Hopefully, customers have come away with
a new appreciation for wines that they
are familiar with, and maybe even
some that are a bit beyond their comfort zone, not just in terms of price but
in terms of flavor profile.
One thing we enjoy doing at these
tastings is sampling the same varietal
from different regions; for instance
a chardonnay from Burgundy with a
California version and maybe a Washington version. Often we get comments
like, “I thought I didn’t like chardonnay until trying this.” Grouping wines
together by varietal often misses the
point. The unique soils, climates, and
winemaking traditions of various
winegrowing regions have a profound
effect on the finished product—often
more evocative of the region than the
varietal. This is why many wines, especially Old World wines, are identified
by their regions rather than by varietal.
Think of Chianti, Rioja, or Bordeaux,
for example.
For this month we would like to
highlight that most subtle and nuanced
of varietals—pinot noir. We feature the
following pinots from diverse regions
of the world. Each shows a slightly different face of pinot noir, reflecting the
unique qualities of its origin.
Bonterra Pinot Noir 2009, made
with organic grapes, Mendocino
County, California, $14.95
Bonterra has been working with organic and biodynamic viticulture for
as long as anybody. Their wines have
been a fixture on the Co-op shelves for
many years. This pinot noir, crafted
by long-time Bonterra winemaker
Bob Blue, is a new addition to their
lineup. Blended from several different
vineyards in Mendocino and nearby
Anderson Valley, this is a straight-ahead
very middle-of-the-road style that highlights pinot noir’s fruit aspects, and, at
least at this point in its life (it
would easily cellar for several
more years), doesn’t show a
lot of more earthy tones. It has
plenty of ripe aromas of red
berries and spice, flavors are
warm and nicely integrated, and
it is smooth and elegant. Aged
in French oak barrels, this is a
quality red that is extremely well
balanced and satisfying.
R. Dubois & Fils Bourgogne
Rouge Pinot Noir 2009, Burgundy region, France, $13.95
This reasonably priced, good quality
French pinot noir from the Burgundy
region contrasts with more warm and
lush style pinots in that it comes across
thinner and sparser. Light in color and
body, moderate in alcohol, it doesn’t
show big ripe fruit quality. Tart berry,
cherry aromas lead to brambly elements, slight smoky quality and dry
finish. A terrific accompaniment to
food, this wine is versatile for anything
from white meat like chicken or fish, to
roasted meats and stews. Oak influence
is minimal, allowing the nature of the
grape to shine through.
Joseph Hofstatter “Meczan” Pinot
Nero-Blaubergunder 2009, Alto
Adige region, Italy, $16.95
This top-quality Italian estate producer is located in the Tyrol region
spanning portions of the Alps in Austria and Northern Italy. Hence, both the
Italian and Austrian names for pinot
noir are noted on the label.
Pinot noirs made from gnarly old
vines coming from Hofstatter’s 120
acres of steep hillside vineyards along
the River Adige are considered some of
Italy’s finest. This one, Meczan for the
name of the vineyard it comes from, is
actually the least expensive of Hofstatter’s pinots. But does it deliver. Fans of
terroir will not want to miss this one.
It represents the baser, earthy side of
pinot noir. Not a fruity style, it does
show dried cherries, almost a tarry
quality, plenty of loamy forest notes,
rhubarb, and green coffee bean aspects.
It is complex and integrated, with just
Meatless Monday at the Co-op Deli
We are pleased to announce that
both locations of the Swan Café and
Deli are now participating in Meatless Monday, a campaign that includes not only schools, universities,
restaurants, and more across the U.S.,
but has also gone global. Yup, people
across the world are skipping meat
one day a week for improved health;
for themselves, and for our planet.
Starting in April, every Monday all
of our deli specials at both stores will
be meatless, and there will be at least
one meatless soup option. Join this
fast-growing movement and stop by
for a delicious vegetarian breakfast,
lunch, or dinner on Mondays. Our
deli cooks know how to rock a meatless entrée that is both delicious and
healthful.
For more information and recipes,
videos, nutritional information, and
links to media coverage, see meatlessmonday.com.
It’s good for you. It’s good for us.
It’s good for the planet.
Vineyards stretch across the beautiful rolling hills of the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
the right balance of acidity and concentration. This wine is made to order with
the local cuisine of this alpine region:
wild game, roasted meats, pasta with
meat sauce, and the local specialty—
barley soup.
Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir
2008, Willamette Valley, Oregon,
$21.95
Chehalem’s roots go back to Willamette Valley vineyards they planted
in 1980 during the early days of the
Oregon wine industry; their first release was in 1990. The original owners
and winemaker are still at the helm and
today Chehalem is considered one of
the valley’s iconic producers. There is
an abundance of new vineyards and
winemakers in Willamette, many making some pretty good wines (pinot noir
continues to be the dominant varietal).
But with prices going out of sight for
Oregon pinot noir, it is nice to be able
to buy a bottle with the pedigree of
Chehalem, considering their prime
vineyard locations, mature vines, and
the expertise they bring with many
years of experience.
This wine almost seems to be the
synthesis of the previous three wines.
On the one hand it is dark and purple
colored and offers plenty of fruit
notes like pomegranate and cranberry. Layered underneath are more base
flavors of black tea, spice, and loamy
notes. The wine has tremendous acidity and structure (try aging for several more years), and finishes dry, not
lush or thick (alcohol is a moderate
13 percent).
Skillful blending has produced this
wine with a profile similar to more
premium single-vineyard bottlings, yet
it is considerably less expensive. It is
all estate-grown from Chehalem’s three
vineyards located in the Valley, and
receives the same care in the cellar
as higher priced offerings, including
aging in the best oak barrels. If that’s
not enough, considering the 2008
vintage, by some ratings as good as
any in the history of the Oregon wine
country—it may be worth putting a
few bottles in the cellar.
Photos by Tim Johnson
In-store Tastings of
Pinot Noirs
These pinot noirs will be available
for sampling at our weekly in-store
tastings on April 8—at the Downtown Co-op from 4–6 pm and the
Cordata Co-op from 5–7 pm.
Whatcom Food & Farm
Finder
Want to know where to pick your
favorite berries this summer? Where
to go to find local veggies, milk,
eggs, meat, and more? What restaurants carry delicious foods from local
farms?
Look for the new 2011–2012
Whatcom Food & Farm Finder, the
region’s comprehensive guide to local food and agriculture that helps
connect eaters hungry for fresh food
and good grub to local providers. It
will be released on April 2, the opening day of the Bellingham Farmers
Market. Every year the cover features
local artwork, this year with beautiful
watercolor paintings by local artist
Candace Buethorn.
The free Whatcom Food & Farm
Finder is produced and published by
Sustainable Connections, with support from Whatcom Farm Friends,
and with the vital contributions of
lead sponsors the Community Food
Co-op and Haggen, Inc. The Food &
Farm Finder is available county-wide
at more than 200 locations, including both Co-op stores and other local
businesses, and online at www.sustainableconnections.org.
7
Healthy Connections
Cooking, health, and well-being classes
offered by the Community Food Co-op
All classes (unless noted) are held at either the Downtown Co-op’s Connection Building (on the south side of the parking lot on Forest Street) or the Local Roots Room, which is upstairs at the Cordata Co-op. Registration requires payment in full. Some classes are
co-sponsored with Whatcom Community College. To register for these classes, call 360-383-3200 or go online to www.
whatcomcommunityed.com For all other classes stop by the service desk at either store location, or call
360-734-8158 (credit card payment only). See each class listing for location and registration. For any other class
information, contact Kevin Murphy at 360-734-8158 or email [email protected].
Daily Detox
with Jessica Van Dusen, ND
Monday, April 4, 6:30–8 pm
Daily detoxification is a safe and
gentle way to prevent toxic build-up in
your tissues and to provide relief from
any toxic burden that it may already be
carrying. Learn about the body’s natural
routes of elimination as well as effective
treatments that you can do at home including hydrotherapy, skin care, exercise,
nutrition, and herbal medicine. Jess Van
Dusen practices naturopathic medicine at
Vital Source Natural Medicine.
$5 members, $6 non-members/Downtown
Co-op/register at Co-op
Holistic Yoga
with Bryan Givens
Four Thursdays, April 7–28,
10–11:15 am
Holistic yoga is yoga for the health of
the whole body and mind. Balance your
muscles and nervous system, realign
and strengthen your bones, increase lung
capacity, and more. Bryan Givens is certified from the White Lotus Foundation
and has been practicing mixed styles for
five years. Take the whole series or individual classes. This class is suitable for
students of any level of yoga experience.
$8 members, $9 non-members per class;
$28 members, $32 non-members for all four
classes/Downtown Co-op/register at Co-op
Intestinal Health
with Jim Ehmke, CN
Thursday, April 7, 6:30–8:30 pm
Take control of your own intestinal
health. This class will cover all the
major organs of the digestive system as
well as strategies and holistic therapies
for digestive health. We’ll discuss acid
reflux, Crohn’s, IBS, colitis, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, ulcers, and more.
Certified Nutritionist Jim Ehmke specializes in identifying the causes of difficult conditions and applying effective
therapies.
Pasta Italiana
with Gavin Rappé
Monday, April 11 and Wednesday,
April 13, 6–8:30 pm
Just back from six months of culinary
study in Italy, Chef Gavin Rappé demonstrates how to make great sauces and
fresh pasta. In this two-session course,
we’ll make creamy Alfredo sauce and
two versions of classic tomato sauce—a
Bolognese and a vegetarian sauce. We’ll
then learn the pasta-making process, creating linguini, fettuccini, and maltagliati from scratch. Session two
concludes with a pasta feast! For
an optional $7 fee, sample perfectly
matched wine pairings.
$59 members, non-members/Cordata
Co-op/register at WCC (360-383-3200)
Gluten Demystified
with Jum Funk, ND
Tuesday, April 12,
6:30–8:30 pm
Come join Dr. Jum Funk, ND, as
she discusses the nitty-gritty facts about
gluten and its effect on your immune, gut,
and neurological health. She will also set
out to debunk the myths about gluten and
discuss the factors contributing to the
8
rapid rise in gluten intolerance. Dr. Funk
will provide information on diagnostic
testing and hidden sources.
Fermented Foods
with Daravan Marith, Carla Witham, and Tanja Kanoa
Thursday, April 14, 6:30–8:30 pm
Learn all about enzyme-rich fermented
foods and their health-promoting properties. The class will include a demonstration on how to make sauerkraut, kim chi,
and other pickled veggies. Traditional
diets all over the world have featured a
high content of food enzymes and beneficial bacteria developed through fermentation. The instructors are members of
the local chapter of the Weston A. Price
Foundation.
Mexican Kitchen:
Almuerzo Mexicano
with Ana Jackson
Monday, April 18, 6–9 pm
Enjoy an authentic Mexican spring
brunch featuring chilaquiles verdes, chilaquiles rojos, huevos ahogados (poached
eggs “drowned” in tomato sauce), rajas
con crema (chile strips with cream), and
a refreshing fresh fruit drink. Ana Jackson will describe regional variations on
these Mexican favorites. Learn how to
produce homestyle Mexican favorites in
your own kitchen.
$39 members and non-members/Cordata
Great Food, Tasty Wines
with Robert Fong
Tuesday, April 19, 6–8:30 pm
Sample five special dishes paired with
complementary wines. You’ll get recipes
and expert tips on food and wine pairing.
Here’s the menu: lemon grass prawns
and riesling, Alaskan halibut and semillion, stir-fried chicken and malbec, roast
pork loin and pinot noir, and rack of
lamb and Bordeaux. Come hungry! Cordata Co-op Wine Steward Tim Johnson
will be on hand as a special guest. The
cost of the wine is included in the course
price. You must be 21 years old or older
to take this class.
Gluten-free Spring
with Jean Layton, ND
Wednesday, April 20, 6–8:30 pm
Celebrate spring with festive seasonal
treats. We’ll make
tender pull-apart
hot cross buns
with candied
fruits, flaky rhubarb tartlets, and
vegan carrot cake
bunny cupcakes—
all gluten free, of
course. Class is
Jean Layton
taught by Dr. Jean
Layton, naturopathic physician
and chef who specializes in gluten-free
recipe development.
Immune Health
Ana Jackson
with
Jim Ehmke, CN
Thursday, April 21,
6:30–8:30 pm
Learn all about the
immune system. We’ll
discuss flu, swine flu,
vaccines, and alternatives, bacterial/viral/
yeast/parasites, antibiotics and alternatives, chronic fatigue,
fibromyalgia, dental
infections, and more.
Certified Nutritionist Jim Ehmke has
been a practitioner of diverse alternative
therapies since 1976.
Ethiopian Cuisine
with Mulu Belay
Monday, April 25, 6–9 pm
Mulu Belay is back to share classic
Ethiopian dishes: kay wat (spicy beef),
gomen (stewed kale), ibe (cottage cheese
made from buttermilk), and, of course,
injera—the sourdough flatbread that accompanies traditional Ethiopian menus.
Razzle Dazzle in the Kitchen
with Robert Fong
Tuesday, April 26, 6:30–9 pm
Inspirational cooking without recipes. Robert will improvise dishes using
organic vegetables, fresh fish, seasonal
shellfish, and grass-fed beef. Great olive
oils, different salts, and hand-ground
roasted spices will enhance the fun creative dishes. It’s magic in the kitchen.
Optional $8 wine fee is payable at class.
$45 members and non-members/Downtown
Natural Sleep Restoration
with Trina Doerfler, ND
Wednesday, April 27, 6:30–8:30 pm
Learn how the insights of Quantum
Neurocare can be applied to insomnia
and sleeping disorders. Sleep is one of
the most important elements of health
and vitality, and is frequently the first
casualty of “modern life disease” stress,
anxiety, hormone imbalances, or a mind
that just keeps going. Quantum Neurocare is a practice that combines EEG
neuro-feedback, rapid eye motion, and
hormone balancing (if needed) to allow
your natural sleep to reestablish itself
without pharmaceutical drugs.
Free class—Registration Requested/Cordata Co-op/register at Co-op
Spring Brunch
with Cindy McKinney
Thursday, April 28, 6–8:30 pm
Get ready for Mother’s Day, graduations, and festive spring weekends with
this elegant yet simple brunch menu.
Cindy McKinney presents shrimp and
crab cakes with fruit salsa, asparagus
frittata, crepes with berries and cream,
Caprese salad, and carrot cake muffins.
Optional $7 champagne fee is payable at
class.
Mexican Kitchen:
Tacos Tacos Tacos
with Ana Jackson
Monday, May 2, 6–9 pm
Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, it’s a
taco party! Ana shows how to make three
main types of taco, with variations: tacos
de machaca (tacos with shredded beef),
tacos de canasta (soft steamed tacos typically sold on the street stacked in a clothcovered basket), and tacos de guisado
(tacos filled with stewed meats and/or
vegetables). Optional $5 beer fee is payable at class.
Spring Soups
with Karina Davidson
Tuesday, May 3, 6:30–9 pm
Karina Davidson shows off four favorite soups that are perfect for spring.
The menu includes Fire-roasted Tomato
and Barley (a lighter style of barley
soup with tomato broth), Lemony Lentil
with Rainbow Chard and fragrant herbs,
Moroccan Carrot Soup (with cumin and
a touch of honey) and Thai Chicken Coconut soup with spring vegetables, lemongrass, and lime accents. Soothing and
satisfying, these soups are winners any
time of year.
Helping Aging Friends and
Family
with Eden Alexander and Jean La
Valley
Wednesday, May 4, 7–8:30 pm
Nearly 80 percent of adults (elders or
those with disabilities) who receive care
at home rely exclusively on unpaid help
from family and friends. Jean La Valley
RN and Eden Alexander LICSW, Geriatric Care Managers at the Elder Law Offices of Meyers and Avery, will discuss
issues, decisions, and resources related
to care. This class is for anyone planning
for their own aging or is concerned about
the care of an aging family member or
friend.
Free event—Registration Requested/
Downtown Co-op/register at Co-op
Hormonal Health
with Jim Ehmke
Thursday, May 5, 6:30–8:30 pm
This class is designed to give you the
knowledge you need to take control of
your hormonal health. Learn all about
the body’s endocrine system. Topics include thyroid health, the hypothalamus,
the pineal gland, pituitary, the pancreas,
adrenals, how hormones interact, as well
as hormonal therapies, fertility options,
Healthy Connections
Continued from page 8
PMS, and more. Certified Nutritionist
Jim Ehmke has been a practitioner of diverse alternative therapies since 1976.
Sausage Making 101
with Chris and Anna Adams
Saturday, May 7, 1–3:30 pm
Spend a Saturday afternoon learning
the basics of sausage making with Chris
and Anna Adams of Old World Deli.
We’ll make an Italian sausage with fennel, red wine, oregano, garlic, and chili
flakes; and a classic Bratwurst. Taste
both varieties and take home a few samples of your work.
Neotropical Songbirds
with David Drummond
Monday, May 9, 7–9 pm
Learn about the neo-tropical songbirds
which migrate to Whatcom County during the warm months including members
of the flycatcher, vireo, thrush, warbler,
swift, swallow, and martin families. This
class is a great primer for the songbird
Robert Fong
field trip on Saturday June 11 (details
to be announced). David Drummond is
a longtime ornithologist/naturalist and
lives for and with the birds. He leads
avian explorations around the world, as
well as in our shared backyard.
Co-op/Register at Co-op
Alaskan Halibut
with Robert Fong
Tuesday, May 10, 6:30–9 pm
Learn three ways of cooking halibut:
pan-seared with Dungeness crab, lightly
fried with Thai basil coconut curry, and
a halibut corn and clam chowder. Come
hungry and learn how to handle Alaska’s
famous big fish. Optional $8 wine fee is
payable at class.
Improving Cardiovascular
Health Naturally
with Kim Sandstrom, ND
Wednesday, May 11, 6:30–8:30 pm
High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and atherosclerosis increase
the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Through nutrition, physical activity, and
stress management, we can prevent and
reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular
problems. In this class we will discuss
the roles of sodium, potassium, different
types of fats and oils, fiber, and more.
Specific recommendations for aerobic
exercise and stress-management will also
be covered.
Springtime in Paris
with Karina Davidson
Thursday, May 12, 6–8:30 pm
Karina Davidson demonstrates a menu
worthy of a Parisian bistro including
Vichyssoise (chilled leek and potato
soup), a classic Salad Lyonnaise featuring frisée, bacon, a poached egg, and
vinaigrette; and poule au pot—literally “chicken in a pot” —a fricassee of
chicken and spring vegetables served
in delicious rich broth. As in Paris, this
will be paired with egg noodles. We’ll
finish with a Parisian staple, mousse au
chocolat. Optional $7 wine fee is payable
at class.
Mark
Solomon
Make Your Own Soft Cheese
with Mark Solomon
Saturday, May 14, 1–4 pm
Join Seattle cheese-maker Mark Solomon for a hands-on class. We’ll make
yogurt cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, and
burrata in class. We’ll also discuss how
to make at least three other cheeses:
chevre, quark, and cream cheese. You’ll
learn the basics and be introduced to
simple soft-cheese-making equipment,
troubleshoot common mistakes, and discuss how to get the best results in your
own kitchen. Samples of all varieties will
be served.
Mexican Raw
with Bruce Horowitz
Monday, May 16, 6–8:30 pm
Get ready for a live food feast southof-the-border style. Culinary artist
Bruce Horowitz demonstrates how to
create the living enchilada: a spicy nutand-seed-pate stuffed soft dehydrated
“tortilla,” bathed in rich enchilada sauce,
and topped with macadamia nut “sour
cream,” and creamy guacamole on the
side. Plus Mango Bliss for dessert. Bruce
Horowitz is the author of The Sun Kitchen Un-Cookbook and has taught raw
food cuisine around the world.
$34 members, $38 non-members/Cordata
Cambodian Cuisine
with Mary Ellen Carter
Tuesday, May 17, 6–8 pm
Sample the fabulous cuisine of Cambodia, as Mary Ellen Carter prepares
amok (fish baked with coconut, lemongrass, and chili in a banana leaf); kyteow
(a rice noodle dish); and laap (a “salad”
of minced beef and vegetables with coriander, mint, and lemongrass). Optional
$7 wine fee is payable at class.
Mexican Kitchen: Mariscos
with Ana Jackson
Thursday, May 19, 6–9 pm
Enjoy seafood with a Mexican accent.
Ana shows different ways of making
ceviche (raw seafood marinated in citrus
and chili) served both as a cocktail and
with tostadas, as well as the spectacular
camarones en pipian (shrimp with pumpkin sauce) served with rice and freshly
made tortillas.
The World According to Monsanto Review
Chris Keefe
Why, you might ask, would they
show a film about agribusiness giant
Monsanto at the Bellingham Human
Rights Film Festival? The answer, unfortunately, lies partly in Monsanto’s
long history of human health and environmental abuses, and more significantly in Monsanto’s strategy for the
future: a future in which a few major
multinational corporations hope to own
the rights to the world’s food supply.
Monsanto has its roots not in farming, but in chemical manufacturing. As
far back as 1935, Monsanto Industrial
Chemical Company was working on the
manufacture of PCBs. Over the course
of decades, these chemicals, containing
dioxin, spread into the environment, and
into the bodies of people living around
Monsanto’s Anniston AL factory, spiking rates of cancer, hepatitis, and reproductive abnormalities. The people of
Anniston later won a class action suit
against the corporation for knowingly
dumping PCBs in West Anniston. Unfortunately, this all took years to come
to public attention.
The 1960s took Monsanto in a new
direction: still in chemicals, but with an
expansion into herbicide production.
The Vietnam War was fought, in part,
with massive quantities of Monsantoproduced Agent Orange, also linked to
increased cancer incidence. The 1970s
brought the invention and marketing of
Roundup as a biodegradable herbicide.
The herbicide sold tremendously, but
was later stripped of its biodegradable
title, after a suit found the claim to be
false advertising.
1996 brought the introduction of
Roundup-ready soybeans, Monsanto’s
first biotech crop. These bean plants
were engineered to resist Monsanto’s
own Roundup herbicide, allowing farmers to spray this dangerous herbicide
over an entire field, instead of weeding.
Between 1994 and 2005, USDA data
shows a more than 15-fold increase in
use of Roundup, also associated with
increased incidence of cancer.
What, then, spurred the transformation from a straightforward chemical
company into the Monsanto we know
today—the Monsanto whose website
declares, “If there were one word to explain what Monsanto is about, it would
have to be farmers”?
The answer, obscure as it might seem,
lies in part in U.S. patent law. Unlike
most traditionally bred varieties of
seed, genetically modified seed can be
patented. What does that mean to you?
Not too much, but to a farmer, it means
that Monsanto’s seed can be grown for
one season, and one season only. Saving
seed is illegal, and the farmer must buy
new seed from Monsanto every year, if
they hope to keep growing it.
When Monsanto sponsors U.S. aid
programs in impoverished countries,
or when the U.S. government pushes
third-world countries to lift trade barriers on Monsanto’s GMO seed, the same
impoverished farmers who grew it have
to pay Monsanto for more. Monsanto’s
GM cotton has spurred a drastic increase
in farmer suicides in India. Seed saving
is sustainable agriculture, and without it,
many farmers are without hope.
Monsanto, throughout its history, has
been remarkably good at making money
at the expense of human well-being.
And there is a lot of money, and a lot of
power, in taking food production, our
agricultural heritage, and all of the seed
and stock thousands of years of human
farming has developed, and turning it
into a subscription service.
There are few human rights issues
that go deeper than the right of a people
to keep their own seed, to grow their
own food, and to sustain themselves,
their families, and their cultures. At the
heart of Monsanto’s campaign to capitalize on crop patents lies a desire to
strip people of these rights.
This film demonstrates the degree to
which Monsanto has already captured
key resources in its work to control the
world’s food. With voices in American
government as far up as the Supreme
Court, a heartless strategy of suing and
bullying farmers whose crops have been
contaminated, and a truly Orwellian
marketing department, our food sovereignty is under threat at many levels. It
is crucial that we act now on this issue.
First, stop supporting Monsanto.
Choose products that do not contain
corn, soy, canola, cotton, or sugar from
sugar beets. These products are all
highly at risk of being GM. Buy heirloom vegetables, support local farmers,
and ask them to grow open-pollinated
varieties. Look for and ask for the NonGMO-Project-Verified seal on products
at the Co-op.
Second, write to your government. The Organic Trade Association
is sponsoring a crucial letter-writing
campaign, and will help you to tell the
President that you don’t support GMOs.
Find it at ota.capwiz.com/ota/issues/
alert/?alertid=24747501.
Third, support the Center for Food
Safety and the Non-GMO Project. Both
non-profits are doing crucial work in the
courts and in the marketplace. For more
information, see www.nongmoproject.
org and www.centerforfoodsafety.org.
Chris Keefe works at the Community
Food Co-op and with the Non-GMO
Project, a non-profit organization working to provide consumers with realiable
non-GMO choices. He also agrees with
your mother—it’s time you learned to
eat your vegetables.
9
2011 Whatcom County CSA Farms
The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement came to life in the U.S. in the mid-1980s, and since then
has grown to more than 2,500 farms nationally—with more than 15 in Whatcom County. This program directly links
farmers and consumers in a relationship that benefits both: farmers are better able to plan their season based on
share subscriptions, and consumers are provided with fresh, locally grown seasonal products, and an opportunity to
know the people who grow their food. Purchasing a CSA share is a way to support local farms, local workers, and
our local economy. Thanks to the Food & Farming staff at Sustainable Connections for their contributions to this
list. For more information on CSAs, see www.localharvest.org/csa.
*= Farm offers a workplace CSA
Aaron Luke
4991 Chuckanut Drive, Bow WA 98232
360-820-0143
[email protected]
http://aslans-how-organics.com
Season July 17–October 2
Certified organic 10-week CSA. EBT/SNAP (food stamps) accepted. Freshly
harvested organic produce for two adults available for Sunday farm pick up. We also
have fresh free range organic eggs from our happy chickens. Seasonal roadside farm
stand on scenic Chuckanut Drive. CSA application on our website.
Bellingham Country Gardens
The Grubbs Family
2838 E. Kelly Road, Bellingham WA 98226
360-223-3724
[email protected]
www.bellinghamcountrygardens.com
10-week plus $60 farm credit $250 or u-pick
July–October 31
(strawberries start in June)
Bellingham Country Gardens is a sustainable no-spray family farm. Vegetable, flowers,
and everbearing strawberries available for U-pick or CSAs (deliveries arranged). Shares
available Wednesdays and Saturdays 9–6.
*Cedarville Farm
Mike and Kimberly Finger
3081 Goshen Road, Bellingham WA 98226
360-592-5594
[email protected]
www.cedarvillefarm.com
Main Season: Full $412,
Half $199
Fall Season: Full $238, Half $133
Farmers Market Share: $75 minimum
Cedarville Farm is one of Whatcom County’s oldest and largest CSAs, serving more than
180 families in 2011. Our shares vary according to the season, with each box comprised of
a variety of fresh, organically grown vegetables, fruit, herbs, eggs, and flowers. On-farm
events, website, and weekly newsletter enhance the share experience. Vacation credits allow
shareholders to skip a box without a financial penalty. We distribute shares to five pick up
sites in Bellingham, Ferndale, and the farm. Farmers Market Shares allow you to choose
from a wide variety of crops on our table at the Saturday Bellingham Market. Pastured
chicken for pick up at our farm is also available by subscription. Shares can be paid in full or
by monthly installments. We love growing delicious and wholesome food for our friends and
neighbors.
*Workplace CSA option: Minimum of 5 to 10 shares depending on location.
*Drayton Harbor Community Oyster Farm CSA
A project of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Geoff Menzies, Manager
360-384-9135 or 360-303-9100 (cell)
Weekly March–early June
[email protected]
Shares from $100 to $500
www.restorationfund.org
The Drayton Harbor Oyster CSA produces 2-inch extra small and 3-inch small Pacific
oysters live in the shell. They are grown in the intertidal zone of Drayton Harbor using
off-bottom techniques that minimize impacts to native eel grass and make harvesting
efficient. We deliver to shareholders directly from the boat at the bottom of the ramp at
Gate 3 in Blaine Harbor. Shareholders get weekly email alerts to place their order for
the following Saturday morning. Oysters are bagged and tagged on Friday and delivered
fresh Saturday morning to the dock for pick up 9–10 am.
Shareholders determine the number of oysters they want and when they want delivery.
Every $100 invested returns 12 dozen oysters. Shareholders allow the Puget Sound
Restoration Fund to maintain an oyster-farming venture in Drayton Harbor and contribute
to pollution control projects in the Drayton Harbor watershed.
*Workplace CSA option: Minimum workplace order is ten $100 shares or a total of
$1,000.
F.A. Farm
Walter Haugen and Toni Lyons
5890 Barr Road, Ferndale WA 98248
360-312-0335
www.fafarm.org
18-week Full Share $450–500
9-week Half Share $275
Multi-tiered pricing—
call for details
F.A. Farm is a small five-acre farm using sustainable practices and specializing in fruit
and vegetable production. Our motto is “Food with Full Attention—Fresh Absolutely—
Flexible Always.” We offer CSA shares and custom-harvesting to order. In addition to selling
produce, we teach those involved with our farm sustainable farming practices using smallscale technology. Our desire is to utilize the calorie-efficient human brain and hand, rather
than conventional petrol-intensive practices, and we are experimenting with low-impact
efficiencies, such as sheet mulching and hay-bale culture. Vacations are not a problem with
our CSA program—we just extend your season. You may also prepay for vegetables with
our Farm Bucks program and receive a 10 percent bonus. Farm tours by appointment. Call
first to make sure Walter is available.
*Growing Whatcom CSA
Jay Dennison
360-927-4845
[email protected]
Now in our fifth year, the Growing Whatcom CSA
is more than just great food: it’s families getting
reconnected with local farms while reducing their
impact on the environment; it’s local farmers growing
fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs for the
families in our community; and it’s a project
Summer season June 16–October 13
that ties local farms together as one team to
Late fall share until Christmas
provide consumers with the best that Whatcom
Shares start at $250, with lots of County has to offer. Our CSA is a collaborative
options
effort of several farms throughout the county.
See growingwashington.org for Each farm adds in its own unique assortment of
share details
crops, making this a diverse and delicious way to
support your local growers. You’re investing in a
share of the harvests from not one, but more than a dozen small farms. Customers can count
on absolutely fabulous food and a wondrous variety throughout the season. Also new this
year, an opportunity to select what will be in your box each week.
*Workplace CSA option: Minimum of 5 shares for workplace delivery. Schedule and
content can be individually arranged.
Moondance Farm
Billy and Nicole Tate
360-595-0155
[email protected]
Photos by Joanne Plucy
Aslan’s How Organics
20 weeks June–October
Full Season Share $400
Half Share $250
Moondance Farm is a family farm nestled in the foothills of Mount Baker. The farm’s
focus is to grow nutritious organic food in unison with family and community. Our
vegetables, sunflower greens, fruits, herbs, and flowers are grown organically and offered
seasonally, including ethnic specialties and heirloom varieties. Our CSA program is an
important link in our farm’s vision of connecting with our local community and cultivating
relationships between the farm and the table. The weekly boxes of organic produce vary
with the growing season. Recipes and stories accompany each weekly delivery. We deliver
the boxes on Monday, or they can be picked up at the farm in Acme. Early in the season we
speak with each member directly to discuss preferences. Payment and a limited number of
work-trade options are available.
*Neighborhood Harvest
Mary von Krusenstiern
Bellingham WA
360-393-1413
[email protected]
http://neighborhoodharvest.csasignup.com
20 weeks late May—early
June
Full Share $550
Half Share $275
2011 marks Neighborhood Harvest’s first season. With five years of farming experience
under her belt, owner/operator and enthusiastic young farmer Mary von Krusenstiern is
excited to be running her own farm in her hometown of Bellingham. Neighborhood Harvest
grows diversified vegetables and herbs on three plots within 15 miles of Bellingham.
Maintaining sustainable farming practices that encourage diverse, healthy farm ecosystems
while producing and marketing high quality produce close to town are Neighborhood
Harvest’s top priorities. The farm’s two urban gardens have a seed germination house and
perennial herbs while the bulk of the mixed vegetables are grown on one acre just outside of
town. Shares are delivered to convenient neighborhood pick up locations or a home delivery
option. Payments are accepted in one to three installments. Sign up for a CSA share on our
website.
*Workplace CSA option: Minimum five shares. Need a contact person and payment
method. Each employee completes the CSA sign-up process online.
*Osprey Hill Farm
Geoff and Anna Martin
Acme WA
360-595-9134
[email protected]
www.ospreyhillfarm.com
Winter Season only 10 weeks
November–January
Full Share $250
Farmers Market Credit $100 minimum
Poultry & Egg shares available
From the reliable standards to the heirlooms of yesterday, Osprey Hill Farm CSA shares
offer a wide spectrum of delicious, high-quality products to inspire your next meal. While
we are taking a hiatus from our main season share, our 2011 sign up includes options for
Winter Season produce and preserves as well as pastured poultry and egg shares. Choose
from our mid-week pick up site in Bellingham or the South Fork Valley. We invite you to
stay connected and inspired with our online newsletters and recipe collection. If you’d rather
make your own food selections, try our Farmers Market Credit Program and leverage your
purchasing power by 5 to 10 percent. For more information about our programs, see our
website. To learn about our farming practices, see www.naturallygrown.org.
*Workplace CSA option (winter season): Minimum of 5 shares, Max winter share
capacity: 25 (smaller businesses and individuals). Signup forms will be available on our
website in May.
(continued top of page 11)
10
2011 Whatcom County CSA Farms
(continued from page 10)
*Rabbit Fields Farm
Roslyn McNicholl
P.O. Box 821, Everson WA 98247
360-393-8747
[email protected]
20 weeks June–October
Full Season Share $400
Bunny Bucks Farm Account
April–December
Rabbit Fields is a small organic farm situated on the fertile soil of the Nooksack River.
Driven by young enthusiastic energy and a passion for sustainable living practices, Rabbit
Fields is dedicated to providing fresh, local, organic produce to Whatcom County while
preserving and maintaining its farm land. CSA shareholders receive an abundant box of
seasonal mixed vegetables and recipes each week. Monthly newsletters brief you on what
is happening in the fields and keep you connected with the surrounding farm community.
CSA shares are available for pick up at either the Wednesday or Saturday Farmers Markets.
If a CSA share does not fit your family, try our farm account program, Bunny Bucks. This
prepaid system gives customers 10 percent more purchasing power, and allows you to
choose products directly from the market table Wednesday and Saturday. Visit our booth at
the Farmers Market starting in April. Fresh, local and organic...Rabbit Fields is a hop in the
right direction.
Spring Frog Farm
Gretchen Woody
5709 Putnam Road, Everson WA 98247
360-303-3711
[email protected]
www.holistichomestead.net
$400 for 20 weeks from June–
October
$25 per week, start or stop any time from April–December
Farm Account Options: $100, $200, or $300
Spring Frog Farm at the Holistic Homestead is delighted to provide local produce for
Whatcom County. The farmer’s practice of sustainable agriculture intends “to restore
the health of the soil to restore the health of the plants, animals, and humans as a health
preventative method for all life.” The certified organic farm is steadily expanding production
and services through their farm stand, CSA, farm accounts, farmers markets, local
grocers, fine restaurants, and catering businesses. The farm specializes in fresh salad mix,
strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin patch, flowers, eggs and veggie
starts.
Deliveries are Tuesday and Wednesday at the Putnam Road Farm Stand, the Northfork
Brewery, and Fairhaven Market on Wednesdays. The Farm Account is recommended for
those who prefer to buy fresh from the farmer. The account system gives you the freedom
to choose your week’s supply of produce. Deposit funds into your farm account at any time
during the season and have an additional 10 percent added to your farm account. You
can use your farm account at the Putnam Road Farm Stand and at the Wednesday and
Saturday markets.
Sumas River Farm
Helen Solem
360-927-9736
26 weeks May—October
Single-person size $250
Two-person size $350
Four-person size $450
Sumas River Farm, a certified organic farm, cultivates vegetables, berries, herbs, and
flowers on an 1888 homestead situated along the contours of the Sumas River. Using
sustainable practices dedicated to caring for the soil and production of abundant healthy,
fresh local produce, Farmer Helen holds the mission of building community on locally
grown, nutritious food. Picked on the day of delivery, buckets are packed with fresh
seasonal vegetables and fruit and delivered to your neighborhood each Monday. Recipes and
farm information often accompany each delivery. Farm visits by appointment are always
welcome, and farmer Helen hosts a Midsummer Open House for CSA clients where you can
see the farm, pick blueberries, and smell the flowers.
*Terra Verde Garden
Amy and Skuter Fontaine
806 Chestnut St., Everson WA 98247
360-393-2520
[email protected]
Full Share: 20 weeks June–October $375
Half Share: 20 weeks June–October $260
Fall Extension Share: 5 weeks late October–November $100
Farmers Market Share: $50 minimum
Terra Verde Garden was born out of a love
of good food and sharing that food with people
close to us. Our certified organic farm lies on fertile soil in Everson where we produce
fresh, vibrant, and local produce in tune with the spirit of the land and the people who
tend to it. Your share is available for pick up at the Wednesday or Saturday Bellingham
Farmers Market, and will include a newsletter filled with recipes and farm updates.
You can establish a market share account to use at the Wednesday and Saturday
farmers markets. We add 10 percent to your purchase and carry your balance forward to
the next season if necessary. This allows you to collect
what produce you need and not hassle with exchanging
money each time. We are committed to the tradition
of small family farms feeding their local communities
sustainably grown, seasonal produce and look forward
to sharing our harvest and love of food and farming with
you and your family.
*The Carrot and Stick
Ephraim and Laura Kurszewski
4104 Y Road, Bellingham WA
360-739-8826
[email protected]
thecarrotandstick.com
Main Season Full Share:
June–September $360
Main Season Half Share:
June–September $180
The Carrot and Stick was born from our desire to grow wholesome food and build
community through collaborative events and hands-on projects.
We will deliver a weekly share of vegetables and flowers to a central location in
Bellingham Thursday afternoon to early evening, or your can pick up your share at the farm
during a Saturday musical event or workshop. We are working toward organic certification
and all of our veggies are grown using organic techniques and soil fertility strategies. Ninety
percent of our produce will be grown from organic seed and many heirloom varieties will
be included in this year’s boxes. Join us for our inaugural season. Email for a copy of our
brochure or see our website.
*Workplace CSA option: We have a limited number of workplace shares.
WakeRobin Farm
Brigget LeClair
2660 Thornton Road, Ferndale WA 98248
360-815-1190
[email protected]
Season June—October
Full Share $400
Half Share $300
Lying west of Ferndale, WakeRobin Farm has the good fortune of sweet loam soil.
Keeping the health of the land in mind, this 10-acre farm does not rely on any outside
amendments, instead utilizing the wealth of natural animal and green fertilizers grown and
raised on this farm. Farm shares are generous and highly varied in mostly open-pollinated
varieties. Wicker baskets are stuffed with beautiful produce and flowers, making every pick
up a joyful surprise. More than 40 different vegetables offered over the season. Where else
can you walk into a barn every week and be greeted by a bountiful basket, a lovely horned
Jersey, and maybe some curious sheep? The old homestead Harvest Party and Farm Tour
with old-time music in October is a definite plus. Icelandic lamb, fleeces, yarn, and roving
are available by phone order.
See yourself, see your kid, see a friend, have some FUN!
Watch the Co-op 2010 year-in-review slideshow on
our website—www.communityfood.coop.
Co-op
Community News
Advertising Sign-up Dates
EveryMonthly
Other Month
Ad Sign-up Schedule
Issue
MAY
JUNE
JULY/AUGUST
Sign-up Dates
Mar 25–Apr 5
Apr 25–May 5
May 25–Jun 5
Ad space is limited. All ads are reserved on a
first-come, first-served basis during designated sign-up times only, and must be prepaid.
For ad forms and more complete info, stop by
the service desk or call 360-734-8158.
Information to place an ad is available
online at www.communityfood.coop/
resources/newsletter.htm.
11
Got Local Milk?
Kate Ferry, Co-op member and Blogger
We are a big milk-drinking family. It’s the drink of choice at all three
meals and our consumption averages
about 3 gallons a week for 2½ people
(that includes our two year old). We
purchase our organic milk in gallons
because, like most products, the larger
the quantity the cheaper the price. But
this meant that an endless stream of
plastic milk jugs was making its way
into our recycle bins. So I began looking for alternatives at the Community
Food Co-op.
Half-gallon cartons that are compostable were no match pricewise. And
the glass-bottled milk wasn’t stamped
organic. But, this glass-bottled milk
was local. Like ten-miles-from-myhouse local. That meant I could talk to
the dairy farmers. And visit the farm.
And touch the cows. And see the bottling process.
A few months ago, I had the most
wonderful conversation with Larry
Stap, co-owner of Twin Brook Creamery in Lynden. We talked for almost an
hour and I peppered him with an endless stream of questions.
Why are you not organic? Do you
process and handle all the milk on site?
What does non-homogenized mean?
Why is your chocolate milk the best stuff
on earth (I’m not kidding – it literally
is)? What kind of cows do you have?
How do you treat your cows? How do
you process and pasteurize your milk?
How fresh is your milk? You get the
idea…The key question was: Why
should I buy your milk?
I don’t need to be sold on glass bottles for milk—I love them. They are a
perfect alternative to one-use milk cartons and petroleum-based plastic milk
jugs. And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit
to swooning with the nostalgic feel of a
glass bottle. I just needed to be sold on
the milk. Well, Larry did it.
The mission of Twin Brook Creamery is to “glorify God through the stewardship of the soil and animals He has
entrusted to our care in the best possible way.” Their herd of Jersey cows
grazes in farm fields nourished and
fertilized with only the natural schtuff
(excrement) they drop along the way.
The single factor that prevents them
from obtaining a certified organic license
is their willingness to
administer antibiotics
to an ill calf. Larry has
observed that happy,
free-range cows who
subsist on a natural
diet are inherently
healthy. In the past
three years, he has
only had one sick calf.
The people behind
the
dairy and the glass
The Twin Brook Creamery family— Larry and Debbie
bottles are just the beStap (right) with Mark and Michelle
Tolsma, and their children Samantha and Jacob.
ginning. Twin Brook
Creamery
makes
Cream Top
Milk—or
non-homogenized. In
layman’s
terms—the
milk’s fat
has not been
permanently
separated
through
processing.
When you pick up the bottle, there will
be a layer of fat at the top. With a vigorous shake, the fat globules break up
and distribute into the milk. This loose
fat makes for incredibly rich whipped
cream that stiffens in seconds, eggnog
that begs for a splash of rum, and the
most incredibly divine chocolate milk
you have EVER drunk. Seriously.
The milk has been pasteurized,
but does not display the moniker
ultra-pasteurized, like most big-name
brands. The basic principle of pasteurization is to heat the milk until
harmful bacteria are killed. With
ultra-pasteurization, it is boiled to
the point of burning and in Larry’s
words, “is no longer milk—it doesn’t
have the delicious properties of
milk.” Twin Brook Creamery’s milk
is gently heated over a long period
of time and its freshness preserved in
the glass bottles.
With one glass, you can taste the difference between Cream Top Milk and
plastic jug brands. My conversation
with Larry was an example of why I
love this local thing. Everything I need
to know about Twin Brook Creamery milk I learned from talking to the
2011 Annual Meeting and Party
man behind the
process. It was
so much more
than any green
organic label
could have provided. It tastes
like farm-fresh
milk—not some
glorified whitish
water. It’s good.
And I’m gonna
hit you with the
chocolate milk
thing again,
too—this product alone makes
it worth trying
Twin Brook Creamery.
For more information, you can contact Twin Brook Creamery at 360-3544105 or [email protected].
Visit Kate’s blog at sacredbee.net to
follow the Ferry family’s effort to buy
organic and local, reduce their waste,
and eliminate artificial and harmful
products from their home.
Special thanks to…
Vendor fair
participants
Buffet donations
Anne’s Pesto
BelleWood Acres
Barlean’s Organic Oils
BelleWood Acres
Desire Fish Company
Flora Natural
Health Products
Fresh Breeze Organic
Dairy
Jovan’s Pure
Nutrition
Salsa Mama
Tree Frog Farm
Twisted S Ranch
On March 5 at the Bellingham
Cruise Terminal, Co-op members were
treated to an evening of food, information, fun for kids (and grownups), and
entertainment. The Annual Meeting
and Party is the Co-op’s biggest bash
of the year and this year we added a
new element to the event that made the
evening even bigger and better.
In keeping with the evening’s theme,
The Value of Local, we invited local
vendors to attend the party and sample
their goodies on the ground floor of the
terminal. This first local vendor fair at
the party was a huge success and an
element that we hope to repeat in years
to come.
Special thanks go to the entire volunteer pool without which we could not
possibly host such a large event. Volunteers worked the event in shifts from
11 am until 11 pm and helped things
run smoothly all night long. Particular
standouts were the Western Washington University students from Jennifer
Karchmer’s communications class who
contributed a lot of youthful energy
to their tasks. Other youthful standouts included students from Explorations Academy who painted faces and
Thomas Strand who made balloon animals for our younger members. If you
volunteered for the event and didn’t get
your coupon, contact Laura.
Thanks to everyone who came to
our Annual Meeting and Party! It was
a great evening and we hope that you
enjoyed it as much as we did.
Photos courtesy of Twin Brook Creamery
See more photos on our Facebook page.
Breadfarm
Moka Joe
Table centerpiece
donations
Desire Fish Company
Erin Baker’s Wholesome
Baked Goods
Hempler’s
Omega Nutrition
Samish Bay Soaps
Uprising Seeds
Photos by Joanne Plucy

Co-op Farm Fund - Community Food Co-op

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