Local Vendor Profile: Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

(originally published February 2017)
Photos courtesy of Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese

cows brown black and white grass farm grazing

From soil to seed to grass to fields to cows to milk to cheese to you! Learn about this family operated seed-to-cheese farm.

During the annual Whatcom Farm Tour in September, I had the pleasure of visiting Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese and taking home three cheese selections: scamorza, fior di latte, and caciotta. During the subsequent days, my household happily noshed on lasagna, panini, and ate lots (and lots) of fresh mozzarella. It made for some spectacular and memorable home-cooked meals.

Deliciously fond memories, but I digress.

The Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese story really begins in the seeds and soil of this family operated seed-to-cheese farm.

Their story reminds me a bit of the children’s song about the Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly: they build the SOIL to plant the SEED to grow the GRASS to farm the FIELDS to feed the COWS to get the MILK to make the CHEESE for you to EAT. Luckily, the Ferndale Farmstead Cheese Artisans story has a much happier ending than that poor old lady—an ending where we all get to eat authentic Italian-style cheese!

farm red barn mount rainier washington silo grass lawn

Three generations of the Wavrin family are involved in the business: farming, milking, providing veterinary care, cheesemaking, and bookkeeping. Daniel Wavrin, the third generation, is passionate about the cheesemaking side of the operation. If you ever have the opportunity to take a tour with Daniel do not hesitate. He is a fount of knowledge, and the farm and creamery are something wondrous to behold.

The dairy in Ferndale, which supplies 100 percent of the milk for the creamery, was purchased by the Wavrin family in 2009 from the Larsen family, who had farmed it for three generations.

The family is committed to maximum resource conservation on the 500-acre dairy farm.

They practice no-till agriculture; capture manure to build soil health in the grass fields; and use sand beds in the barn, which are healthier for the herd than sawdust, particularly in our wet climate, and can be reused (unlike sawdust that needs to be replaced after every use).

Raffaele Mascolo, a renowned cheese guru from Italy, lived with Daniel for a year

After months of preliminary research, construction began on the creamery in 2013. Raffaele Mascolo, a renowned cheese guru from Italy, lived with Daniel for a year to consult on nearly every aspect of the creamery from design to recipes. The cheesemaking equipment was imported by boat from Italy, and a small culture house in Italy continues to do all the culture mixing for the creamery. The initial cheese production took place in June 2015 and local sales started later that year.

Every piece of cheese is carefully crafted by hand using Raffaele’s authentic recipes, and a blend of old-world technique and a gleaming array of state-of-the-art equipment. This meticulous preparation and attention to detail is what takes Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese well beyond the ordinary.

It’s no surprise that their authentic Italian-style cheese is already winning awards.

Follow Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese on Facebook, Instagram, and at their website.

MEET THE HANDCRAFTED

ITALIAN-STYLE CHEESE

FIOR DI LATTE

Fresh, whole milk mozzarella with a delicate flavor and smooth texture. Great for snacking or use in caprese and other salads, grilled cheese, or other baked dishes.

CILIEGINI

Tempting bite-sized version of the fior di latte fresh mozzarella packed in brine to retain the cheesemaker’s intended flavor profile.

CACIOTTA

Mild flavor and soft texture. Pairs well with fruit or a thick slice of crusty bread. Won first place in the People’s Choice Award at the Washington Artisan Cheesemakers Festival!

SCAMORZA

A relative of fior di latte mozzarella, but with a bolder and more buttery flavor. Great in recipes like lasagna where a gooey melted cheese is desired.

FONTINA

Rich, creamy aged cheese with a smooth, almost silky, texture. The natural rind lends a sweet flavor. Great on a cheese plate or in your picnic basket.

ASIAGO PRESSA

asiago cheese pressa basil cutting board wheel

A young cheese with a sharp, grassy flavor. A great substitute for cheddar. Try it on pizza or in baked dishes.

Local Vendor Profile: Booda Organics

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

February 2020

Photos courtesy of Booda Organics

The love that is felt in Booda Organic’s products emanates from a colorful and happy workplace with yellow walls, aqua floors, happy “Boodas,” and even a mischievous Willy Wonka cutout (visible in the small mirror reflection in the upper right of this photo) that makes random appearances around the facility.

Co-creating this happy workplace is a small team of amazing individuals that Sheana Pickard, owner of Booda Organics (pictured here), said she is fortunate to work with every day.

Origins of Booda Organics

“Spread the Love” with Booda Organics! As recently declared on the punderful Booda website: “Gifts for EveryBooda! Make some Booda smile with the gift of 100% pure body care!”

In 2010, founder Sheana Pickard, with help from family and friends, launched Booda Organics in Golden, Colorado. A few years later, she and her husband relocated to Bellingham after looking all over the Pacific Northwest for “the perfect place to plant the business and continue to grow it.”

from satisfied friends and family ... to scores of satisfied Booda Organics customers today

Like most small business, the growth of Booda Organics was a natural progression from satisfied friends and family who raved about their handmade moisturizers to the scores of satisfied Booda Organics customers today.

The Booda Organics Principle

Following the belief that what you put on your skin, and in your home, matters as much as what you put in your body, Sheana is proud that Booda has never wavered from its original commitment to “share pure products that enrich and simplify the lives of others. As we grow, we continue to stay committed to the quality of our product. We have incredible integrity and care in everything we do. People can feel the love in it and appreciate it.”

share pure products that enrich and simplify the lives of others

Booda products are Non-GMO Project Verified, suppliers are Certified Organic, and the ingredients are food grade.

The business uses only Fair Trade-certified and Organic-certified shea butter and cocoa butter, along with organic and unrefined coconut, jojoba, and olive oils in its popular Booda Butters.

Handmade Using Raw Ingredients

Booda Organics makes products the old-school way: one by one. Each made from scratch using raw ingredients then filled, capped, and packaged by hand. Booda formulas have only five or fewer ingredients. Customer feedback exclaimed, “I can read everything on the label!”

“On Booda Butter manufacturing days, when the oils are gently melted at low temperatures to maintain the integrity of the raw ingredients, the room fills with a chocolaty and coconutty aroma that Sheana described as “nothing short of divine.” No wonder their workplace is happy!

The Booda Organics product line is 100% vegan and certified cruelty-free.

Even the wax used in lip balms is 100% plant-based, rather than beeswax, which is an added benefit for people with sensitivity to bee products.

Because everything is made locally in small batches, the Booda Butter on Co-op shelves today could have been made last week. Surprisingly, at least to me, soap making is the longest process, since each bar is hand cut and allowed to air dry for two months to allow water evaporation, which results in a super-rich moisturizing bar.

Booda Innovation

In addition to Booda’s commitment to crafting luscious body care products, the business continues to innovate in other ways.

100% biodegradable paper push tube

EcoBalm, the newest addition to the product line, is described as a “blissful little bit of Booda Butter sustainably packaged in a 100% biodegradable paper push tube.”

100 percent compostable eco balm from booda organics pictured with flowers in background

It was trickier than one might think to develop this clever plastic-free packaging, but with a little help, Booda nailed it.

And what’s not to love about the happy motto printed on each eco-friendly tube: “Push for the Planet”!

Concern for the Environment

Sheana shares the heartbreak we all feel seeing plastic waste polluting our waterways and washing up on our shorelines. Therefore, the company offers a variety of cute and reusable or easily recyclable glass and metal packaging, including a plastic-free deodorant that is an anomaly among the usual bulky plastic deodorant dispensers.

Booda Organic’s concern for the environment doesn’t end there.

Like the Co-op, Booda Organics joined the Climate Collaborative—a network of concerned businesses from the natural products industry working to catalyze bold action, amplify the voice of business, and promote sound policy to reverse climate change.

Spread the Love

Sheana summed it up nicely when she said: “We really care about what we do and we put a lot of thought into our practice. I feel very lucky to have our products on store shelves while remaining true to our core values.” And, the Co-op feels very lucky to “Spread the Love” and work with local businesses like Booda Organics!

Learn More

Learn more about this outstanding local business on the Booda Organics website.

Local Vendor Profile: Chocolate Necessities

by Dave Straub, Cordata Produce

February 2020

bars of chocolate necessities chocolates are stacked with roses visible in the corner

Chocolate Necessities makes high-quality chocolate bars, truffles, and charming chocolate figurines in its Bellingham facility.

Photos by Wyeth Stiles and Habiba Sial

Inside the Chocolate Factory

In a drab business park out the Guide Meridian, among all the sheet metal siding, one unassuming door reads, Chocolate Necessities. I passed through this door and, as if by Narnian portal, found myself in a European-style chocolaterie shop, the air inside dominated by the aroma of chocolate.

Kevin Buck, the owner, led me to the source of the smell. We navigated a maze of racks stacked with thousands of truffles and emerged in his workshop where four large machines churned vats of melted chocolate.

the brisk snap gave way to a silky texture after a few chews

This process of tempering controls the crystallization of cocoa butter, he explained, resulting in a firm glossy chocolate that snaps when bitten and melts near body temperature. I had previously eaten a Chocolate Necessities dark chocolate bar and delighted in how the brisk snap gave way to a silky texture after a few chews. These machines and a little science are the reason.

Meet Kevin Buck

Buck, who has a white goatee and the look of someone perpetually busy but content, talks about his journey into the chocolate business like an international adventure story.

He first tasted couverture chocolate in Canada and immediately realized it to be superior to commercially produced candy bars in the United States.

chocolate necessities owner kevin buck smiles in front of a display in the retail tasting area of his chocolate facility

Chocolate as Culinary Art

This discovery led him to Belgium where the Callebaut factory produces some of the finest couverture chocolate in the world. They also buy only sustainably grown cocoa beans and work directly with co-ops in West Africa to ensure farmers receive a livable wage. Here Buck learned firsthand how to work with chocolate as a medium of culinary art. This knowledge, combined with passion, sealed Buck’s fate.

“He came home to Bellingham and began what has now been a 34-year career “driving after the ultimate in taste experience,” as Buck puts it.

Passion to Create a Unique Flavor Experience

He scours the world for unique chocolates and flavors to pair them with. A recent creation by chocolatier Nicole Robillard combined the delicate Japanese flavor of yuzu citrus with ganache and dark chocolate.

These flavor experiences have created a cult following.

Dedicated patrons return every week to see what’s new. Years ago, Buck combined a Cuban chocolate with Tahitian vanilla and people still talk about it to this day.

The dark chocolate espresso bar might be my favorite. The aroma of hazelnuts in
the filling lifted the flavors of chocolate and coffee in a way I’d never experienced before.

Buck loves his job. “It’s the perfect mix of creativity, hard work, and a little snobbery,” he said. “I like nice things.”

Chocolate Hearts for Valentine's Day

staff at chocolate necessities loosens chocolate hearts from a mold to cool on a sheet pan

Chocolatier Nicole Robillard works behind-the-scenes at Chocolate Necessities making chocolate hearts for Valentine’s Day. Nicole and owner Kevin Buck said Christmas is the busiest season in the chocolate biz, but if they could extend Valentine’s Day to run for two weeks, like the winter holidays, it would easily eclipse Christmas.

Chocolate Appreciation 101

Bellingham prides itself on appreciating the nuances of flavor. Words like IBU, terroir, and mouthfeel get tossed around in the seemingly endless number of microbreweries, espresso bars, and wine shops that have sprung up to provide unique taste experiences.

But what about chocolate?

Cacao in its many forms possesses just as many nuances when sourced and prepared thoughtfully.

Chocolate Necessities provides this service for those who are in the know, but Buck is the first to admit he flounders at marketing.

A chocolate lover must seek out or stumble upon his chocolate creations at one of his shops or in the aisles of the Co-op, which is where I found their bars, subtly but elegantly wrapped among all the other chocolate we sell. In a way, I find this adds to the excitement of feeling like you’ve discovered something unique.

Discover your Favorite Creation

One Chocolate Necessities creation I found at the Co-op was filled with port-infused ganache. After the chocolate began to fade, fruity notes danced around my tongue and the oaky smell of a port lingered in my nose.

Cacao is in the plant genus Theobroma, which comes from the Greek words for “food of the gods.” Culinary artists like Buck begin with something divine and make it better.

Learn More

Learn more at the Chocolate Necessities website or take a tour! Chocolate Necessities owner, Kevin Buck, enjoys welcoming the public to his tasting room at 4600 Guide Meridian (at Horton Street). He gladly chats with folks about chocolate, his production process, and shares a tasting experience so visitors can learn what makes his chocolates so divine.

Local Vendor Profile: Bellingham Pasta Co.

by Alana Smith, Outreach and Front End Teams

February 2020

katie hinton working the production line at her business bellingham pasta co

Katie Emlaw Hinton founded the Bellingham Pasta Co. in 2007.

She is proud to run a zero-waste facility, where even the pasta’s packaging is derived from corn and entirely compostable.

Every ingredient in her fresh pasta is pronounceable, and all the wheat used in the pasta is unenriched and non-GMO.

Photos by Wyeth Stiles and Victory Ralston

The Early Years

When Katie Emlaw Hinton founded the Bellingham Pasta Co. in 2007, she had no food production experience. Instead, she had a passion for fresh pasta and had been making triannual pilgrimages to Portland, Oregon, to replenish her personal supply when she decided to skip the commute and hang out her own shingle.

She taught herself the business in six months and began selling her own brand of pasta to local retailers and restaurants.

There were hiccups along the way—the Italian-made extrusion machines she used were too small for the scale of her operation—but she figured it out. She rented time from La Fiamma’s commissary kitchen until 2010 when she took on partners and opened her own restaurant. Three years later, she bought out her partners and continued to run the restaurant until it closed in 2016.

The Business Expands

That year, Katie decided to expand her wholesaling business. Bellingham Pasta Co. relocated to a bigger production facility on Marine Drive and joined the Puget Sound Food Hub when the Hub began accepting value-added products.

Now Bellingham Pasta Co. distributes more than 30 different cuts and flavors of pasta across western Washington.

fork with a different variety of pasta from Bellingham Pasta Co swirled on each fork

The varieties of fresh pasta made by Bellingham Pasta Co. are as beautiful as they are delicious! Every batch of pasta is handcrafted and delivered to our stores.

Choose from nine varieties: Linguine, Lemon Black Pepper Linguine, Roasted Red Pepper Linguine, Fettucine, Spinach Fettuccine, Gemelli, Shells, and Lasagne Sheets.

Quality Regional Ingredients

The key to the company’s exciting growth is the simplicity of its products and the quality of its ingredients.

The unenriched semolina flour that Bellingham Pasta Co. uses gives its noodles their distinct, vibrant color and can be sourced to the precise acre in Alberta where the coarse grain is grown. The wheat necessary to mill semolina is not grown west of the Rockies; for this reason, especially, Katie is pleased to have met the farmers that make her business possible.

Because Bellingham Pasta Co. uses 3,000 eggs a week and no single local farm can meet that demand, the company’s eggs are sourced from Snohomish County.

Flour and eggs account for nearly half the ingredient list on any package of Bellingham Pasta Co. pasta. A light dusting of brown rice flour coats the hand-packaged pasta to keep it from sticking to itself—aside from water and sometimes spinach or roasted red pepper—that’s it.

Every ingredient is pronounceable

Every ingredient is pronounceable, and all the wheat used in the pasta is unenriched and non-GMO. Katie is proud to run a zero-waste facility, where even the pasta’s packaging is derived from corn and entirely compostable.

Fresh is Best

Katie is excited to teach people not to be intimidated by fresh pasta, which has a very different texture and cook time compared to its dry counterpart.

In that spirit, Katie shared her vegetarian Bellingham Pasta Co. Lasagna recipe with us.

a perfect serving of vegetable lasagne made with Bellingham Pasta Co fresh lasagna sheets displayed on a white place with fork/knife

Behind the Scenes

From the unenriched semolina flour to finished product. Each batch of Bellingham Pasta Co. pasta is handcrafted in Bellingham.

a vat of fresh semolina flour that is used in production at bellingham pasta co

staff grabbing a bundle of fresh Bellingham Pasta Co spaghetti being extruded from the mixer

staff at bellingham pasta co twist bundles of spaghetti on the production line

hands of staff at bellingham pasta co twist bundles of fresh pasta to prepare them for pacakaging

Bellingham Pasta Co staff sprinkle a bit of flour on bundles of spaghetti before they are packaged

several shelves with tubs of Bellingham Pasta Co fresh pasta in containers waiting for lids

Learn More

Learn more on the Bellingham Pasta Co. website and watch a short behind-the-scenes video of the pasta-making process and three informational cooking videos including a step-by-step demonstration of Katie's lasagna technique.

plate of Bellingham Pasta Co's roasted red pepper linguine in a bowl stopped with grated parmesan cheese and a few sprigs of parsley

Local Vendor Profile: Tortillas Con Madre

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

July 2019

The Tortillas Con Made family hosted a popular sample table at the coop's annual meeting and party in March 2019

The Tortillas Con Madre family share samples at the Co-op's Annual Party in March 2019.

Tortillas Con Madre is a family affair and Lupita Nava's entire family was present at the event including husband Gerardo Quiroz, son Gerardo Jr., and daughters Valeria and Nicole.

Photos by Matt Curtis, Habiba Sial, and courtesy of Tortillas Con Madre.

Locally Made Tortillas Con Madre:
Delicious tortillas naturally enhanced with omegas 6 & 9 from organic pumpkin oil

package of tortillas con madre tortillas locally made in bellingham washington

Lupita Nava grew up eating freshly made tortillas with every meal. By the age of 13, under the careful tutelage of her grandmother and mother, she was the tortilla maker for her family.

As always, practice makes perfect and in 1995 Lupita and her husband, Gerardo Quiroz, started a corn tortilla business in Monterrey, Mexico, that Lupita’s younger brother still runs.

I wanted to give my family a clean product, GMO-free and free of preservatives and pesticides.

In 1997, after the couple immigrated to Canada and then to the U.S., they often talked about opening another tortilleria.

“When we emigrated to the U.S., I starting making my own tortillas because I wanted to give my family a clean product, GMO-free and free of preservatives and pesticides. It wasn’t until 2016, when I started making my own organic flour tortillas at home, that we seriously considered opening an organic flour tortilla factory," said Lupita.

With the knowledge Gerardo gained from 20+ years working in the organic industry, Lupita started to test different combinations of wheat flours and oils.

the Tortillas Con Madre recipe featuring five simple ingredients: organic artisan wheat flour, water, organic pumpkin oil, sea salt, and non-aluminum baking powder

ingredients to make tortillas con madre made in bellingham washington

She determined that pumpkin oil best enhanced the flavor of the wheat flour and developed the Tortillas Con Madre recipe featuring five simple ingredients: organic artisan wheat flour, water, organic pumpkin oil, sea salt, and non-aluminum baking powder.

“I learned that all pumpkins in the world originated in Mexico and felt this recipe, besides being very nutritional, was a bit more authentic Mexican because of the pumpkin seed oil in it,” said Lupita.

Like most small businesses, Tortillas Con Madre is a family affair. “My husband helps me with the operations and the mechanical aspects. He also helps with marketing and USDA compliance. My son, Gerardo Jr., operates equipment during production and cleans and sanitizes it, and my daughters, Valeria and Nicole, help with packing and general cleaning. I manage sales and administration,” said Lupita.

Lupita’s Recipe Tips

“Honestly, I eat Tortillas Con Madre with most of my Mexican dishes, but quesadillas are my favorite.”

For the tastiest results, warm tortillas on a preheated skillet until soft and puffy (as pictured).

a puffed up tortilla on the griddle from tortillas con madre made in bellingham washington

Lupita's Favorite Memory

stack of freshly warmed Tortillas Con Madre made in bellingham washington on a pretty purple place setting

“My favorite memory will always be watching the family work together during production. The satisfaction I get knowing that our Tortillas Con Madre have been made with care, and consumers are taking home a little piece of that and the passion we instill in each tortilla.

“I feel proud to partner with such a passionate community of suppliers and customers. It’s important to understand that buying local creates jobs in our community. Local farmers harvest and mill local grains, local factories manufacture nutritional oils, and a local family helps with baking and packaging this flat bread for the delight of our community. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Savory Stuffed Pumpkin

by Jeremy Meadows, former Cordata deli cook

stuffing a pumpkin with pumpkin stuffing

This Savory Stuffed Pumpkin recipe has become a regular for many Co-op staff and customers. It could easily be made vegetarian by eliminating the bacon and even vegan with a few ingredient replacements for the cheese and cream. Give it a try this autumn!
Photos by Meaghan Flesch

Reminiscing with Jeremy

I’m from Ohio. Yep, that part of the country known to historians (and some attentive third graders) as the Old Northwest. When I tell this to people here the image that typically arises is one of sleepy little towns surrounded by vast stretches of farmland. What they are picturing, I think, is Iowa. But the reality is much more, well, rust-colored. There are farms there to be sure. A local, sustainable food culture is even beginning to take off. But it certainly isn’t part of the DNA of the place like it is here—at least not yet. Rather, the midwestern zeal for industry and efficiency seems to have spread from the cities to the surrounding countryside resulting in a landscape dominated by factory farms and monoculture. And you guessed it: corn is king.

Growing up in a place like that can easily lead to a serious disconnect between a person and the food that he or she eats. To my young mind, food came from the supermarket, not from farms. I didn’t know any farmers. And the farms themselves—with those stalks of corn all lined up in their rows like vast battalions brandishing spears—were almost menacing. Really, have you ever noticed how many horror films are set in cornfields? Anyway, the farm did not seem like a place that anyone would ever need, or want, to go to.

There was, however, one exception. Each year my family would make pilgrimage to our local pumpkin patch. We would all clamber into the farmer’s wagon and roll out through the orange, glistening fields to harvest jack-o’-lanterns and pie pumpkins for the fall holidays. I was too young to think much about it then, but something about visiting that place, and picking with our own hands the food that we would soon eat, seemed important, elemental, right—like a tradition worth preserving.

Those early experiences made a deep and lasting impression, and I have no doubt that they have made me a more conscious, and conscientious, eater. That’s the thing about traditions, they have a way of shaping the way that we come to see the world. This savory stuffed pumpkin recipe has become a tradition around our house. And trust me, it’s a keeper.

stuffing ingredients sliced cheese garlic herbs pumpkin

Meaghan Flesch, former Co-op outreach team intern, prepared Jeremy’s pumpkin recipe using ingredients from her home garden along with local products available at the Co-op: Twin Brook Creamery cream, Hempler’s bacon, and Breadfarm bread. Meaghan gives the rich, savory recipe 5 stars and plans to make it again during the holidays.

Savory Stuffed Pumpkin

INGREDIENTS

1 pie pumpkin, about 3 pounds
1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyere, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 apple, 1/2-inch dice
1 pear, 1/2-inch dice
4 strips bacon (optional), cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped
About 1/4 cup fresh chives or sliced scallions
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
About 1/3 cup heavy cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween jack-o’-lantern). Scrape out seeds and strings from cap and inside of pumpkin.
Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish.
Toss bread, cheese, garlic, fruit, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper, you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure.
Pack the mix into the pumpkin. It should be well-filled, but don’t overstuff it.
Mix the cream, nutmeg, and some salt and pepper. Pour into pumpkin (add more cream if too dry).
Replace the cap and bake for about 2 hours, checking after 90 minutes, or until the pumpkin flesh is tender enough to pierce easily with a knife tip. Remove cap during the last 20 minutes to bake off any liquid and slightly brown the top of the stuffing.
Serve from the baking dish, making sure to scrape out some pumpkin flesh with each serving of stuffing.

(Note: Don’t be alarmed if your Thanksgiving turkey begins to turn green with envy when placed next to this good-looker!)

Raspberries, blueberries, and cherries, oh my!

raspberries scattered on a white background with a sprig from a raspberry bush

As strawberry season winds down, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries take center stage!

To complement our popular recipe collection for strawberries, we offer this collection of recipes for your continued berry enjoyment.

the word local spelled out using blueberries and raspberries

As the summer harvest progresses, check out our selection of local berries for quality fruits picked ripe at the farm and delivered fresh to our stores.

Kicking off the season are raspberries and blueberries from Cooperativa Tierra y Libertad, a new Whatcom County farmworker cooperative growing transitional berries. Transitional means the cooperative is using 100% organic farming practices during the three-year process of gaining organic certification.

informational sign about cooperativa tierra y libertad local farmworker cooperative and their local organic blueberries and raspberries

The Recipes

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

By Alissa Segersten

No better time to make this delicious dairy-free ice cream. This ice cream is rich with the subtle flavor of coconut milk!

Get the recipe.

Natural Vegan Blueberry Jam

By Dreena Burton

This natural vegan blueberry jam is sweetened with only berries and dates. The dates also help thicken the jam, along with ground chia seeds. Try making it with your favorite summer berries!

Get the recipe.

photo of a toasted bagel with vegan blueberry jam

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

By Alissa Segersten

This decadent vegan tart can be made with any berry, but I especially like the combination of tart raspberries and sweet chocolate.

Get the recipe.

Fresh Blueberry Squares

By Dreena Burton

These delicious fresh blueberry bars are just sweet enough, and not overly rich. You can enjoy a square (or 2 or 3!) and not feel sickly!

Get the recipe.

photo of fresh blueberry squares vegan homemade

Local Vendor Profile: Salsa Mama

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

July 2019

Nola Ovenell may be a familiar face to some Co-op shoppers as she has often sampled her delicious Salsa Mama salsa in our stores. She is proud of her small-batch and preservative-free salsa made with care in her commercial kitchen on her wooded property in Sedro-Woolley.

Nola's son, Ian designed the logo for this family business.

Photo at left courtesy of Salsa Mama, remaining photos by Habiba Sial.

By popular demand:
Salsa from Nola’s family to your family table

It’s funny how seemingly unrelated circumstances can converge to forge a new path in a person’s life. The convergence for Nola Ovenell involved her recovery from cancer and installing a pool at her house.

After getting a clean bill of health 15 years ago, Nola was so thankful that she determined to find work that was purposeful and fun. And, after Nola installed a pool at her house and it quickly became the neighborhood kid hangout, she needed a quick and healthy way to feed a lot of hungry kids.

The answer: salsa. Nola started making big batches of homemade salsa to feed the kids. They loved it and always asked for salsa every time they visited. Eventually, the parents started asking if they could buy her salsa. Soon Nola and her husband, Mike, got busy building a commercial kitchen on their property and Salsa Mama was born.

the business has always been a family project

Nola loves spending her days in her commercial kitchen in the woods, surrounded by the beautiful trees she loves and making healthful preservative-free salsa.

container of medium salsa from salsa mama made in sedro woolley washington

The business has always been a family project. As well as holding down their own outside jobs, Salsa Mama is a steady side gig for Nola’s family.

Husband, Mike, aka “the can man,” handles all of the recycling. Son, Ian, designed the labels when he was in high school and now he runs the website. Daughter, Caitlin, is in charge of labeling with sister-in-law, Debbie Zimmermann, also pitching in. Even Nola’s mother helps in the summer months, when she is visiting from Arizona.

we strive for the best quality we can make and use absolutely no preservatives

Nola said, “I never wanted to be a big conglomerate. I have 14 stores and that’s all I need. We make small-batch salsa. We strive for the best quality we can make and use absolutely no preservatives.”

Nola’s Recipe Tips

For a super simple guacamole-style dip, just mash avocados and mix in a container of salsa—done!

People have also told Nola that her salsa is great for making a flavorful, savory chili. Simply add a container of salsa to your favorite chili ingredients: beans, meat or vegan protein, tomato sauce, veggies, or grains.

Funny Memory

Nola shared this memory from the very early days of her business.

“My first farmers market was a little tiny market at the hospital in Mount Vernon. I got there early and discovered that everyone needed a tent. I ran to the store but realized that the tent I got wasn’t a popup. It had 50 poles! I had poles everywhere! Finally, people must have felt sorry for me. Everyone pitched in and helped. I bought a popup tent before the next market.”

Meet Your Farmer: Sunseed Farm

by Megan Stilp, Cordata Produce

Locally grown organic garden starts available now at your co-op!

Nick Guilford tending plant starts in Sunseed Farm’s eight greenhouses. After the germination chamber, the small starts move into this warm greenhouse to grow before being hardened off for outdoor planting in the cooler greenhouses.

Nestled in the valley of the south fork of the Nooksack River sits Sunseed Farm. Nick Guilford, proprietor, has been using organic growing methods since starting the business in 1997 and obtained organic certification in 2001. On the farm you’ll find organic garden starts, many destined for sale at the Co-op, growing right alongside the plants that go into Sunseed’s fields for vegetable and herb production.

This makes for less transplant shock, and an earlier, more abundant yield.

Most plant starts sold in our area are chemically raised, which can make for a hard transition into a garden where they aren't being fed a nutrient solution every day. According to Sunseed’s website, “Our organic starts not only come with a longer lasting nutrient base in the pot, but the plants are also in a more natural, nutrient foraging relationship with the soil. This makes for less transplant shock, and an earlier, more abundant yield.” Additionally, over a 20-year career as a market farmer, Nick has selected varieties of crops that have been proven to thrive in our climate. All of these factors can help produce a successful home gardening experience when using starts from Sunseed Farm.

You can find their organic garden starts at both Community Food Co-op locations from about mid-March through the end of our often unpredictable local planting season. You can also find Sunseed Farm at the Saturday Bellingham Farmers Market.

Dedicated to your gardening success, Sunseed’s website is a great resource for the home gardener, with planting tips and schedules, articles on season extension, and even a selection of their favorite gardening tools and books available for purchase.

margaret gerard and nick guilford on their farm

Margaret Gerard and Nick Guilford at Sunseed Farm get your garden starts growing with the best soil, optimal growing conditions, and lots of love.

planting chart for veggies herbs and starts

2018 Farmer Award Recipients!

by Jean Rogers, Farm Fund Administrator

October 2018

Remember September? We can't stop reminiscing about the fun we had together!

To kick off Eat Local Month, the Co-op and Sustainable Connections hosted the Hootenanny to Benefit the Co-op’s Farm Fund at Boundary Bay Brewery.

All ages gathered together to celebrate community, dance, enjoy a delicious meal with ingredients specifically sourced from local farms, and to present the Local Farmer Awards.

photos by FotoMataio Fotografia on Instagram @fotomataio, courtesy of Eat Local First

We are thrilled to present the 2018 Local Farmer Award winners and tell you a little about each one.

As the late harvest season winds down it’s a perfect time to highlight the winners of the Local Farmer Awards, announced at the Farm Fund Hootenanny in September.

All the farmers who were nominated were fantastic, and selecting the recipients was a tough decision. As one nominator said, “pretty much all around classy group of people no matter where you turn.”

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated by their fellow farmers and local eaters.

2018 BRIGHT SPOT FARMER AWARD

Helen Solem,
Sumas River Farm

Some wonderful local farmers that add spark to our local food system were nominated, so we created a new award.

It is an honor to announce Helen, owner of Sumas River Farm as the recipient of the first Bright Spot Farmer Award.

Helen's many contributions run the gamut: delicious and unique produce and berries, participation and support for many food and farming events, sharing the history of Whatcom County farming, dedication to social justice, and the all-around warmth she brings to the work she does. Helen has worked tirelessly on her beautiful farm in Sumas, and brings dedication and positive energy to every project she is involved in. Well deserved, Helen, we appreciate you!

2018 NEW FARMER AWARD

Jen Finch & Colin Fischer,
Wanderwood Farm

If you’ve been to Wanderwood Farm’s booth at the Bellingham Farmers Market, you’ve probably seen or tasted their delicious produce and enjoyed a warm reception from these friendly folks.

Wanderwood got a big thumbs up from fellow farmers who nominated them for the New Farmer Award. One person said, “Jen has long been a part of the farmer and farmers market scene. They are a great addition to the farming community: active in the Bellingham Farmers Market board, and really have their act together.” Congratulations, Colin and Jen, and here’s to a great future for Wanderwood Farm!

2018 INNOVATOR FARMER AWARD

Griffin Berger,
Sauk Farm

Griffin has brought a unique, ambitious, and valuable new endeavor to our local food system and is bringing new products to the marketplace.

Specializing in apples and grapes, Sauk Farm just received its organic certification, which makes it one of the only organic apple growers on this side of the mountains. Griffin has also put a lot of effort into the infrastructure of Sauk Farm. The processing facility has a cider press and a certified organic dehydrator, which Griffin generously shares with other farms. Look for Sauk Farm ciders and dried and fresh apples (available seasonally) at the Co-op. Welcome, Griffin, and thanks for your creativity in bringing local, organic apples and grapes to our plates and glasses!

2018 MENTOR FARMER AWARD

Anna & Geoff Martin,
Osprey Hill Farm

Osprey Hill Farm is a mainstay of the local farming community and has grown steadily as a premier organic farm in the South Fork Valley.

Anna and Geoff have shared their expertise generously for many years with new farmers in Whatcom County. One nomination stated, “Anna is so generous with her time in supporting beginning farmers. Every season she teaches Cloud Mountain interns about the importance of business planning. Her passion for sharing her experience with young farmers is inspiring.” Anna has also been a mentor for Sustainable Connections’ Food to Bank On program for the last seven years, and is a participant and an original member of the Puget Sound Food Hub. Thanks, Anna and Geoff, for your stewardship of local farming!

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

(originally published February 2017) Photos courtesy of Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese

MEET THE HANDCRAFTED

ITALIAN-STYLE CHEESE

FIOR DI LATTE

CILIEGINI

CACIOTTA

SCAMORZA

FONTINA

ASIAGO PRESSA

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

February 2020

Origins of Booda Organics

The Booda Organics Principle

Handmade Using Raw Ingredients

Booda Innovation

Concern for the Environment

Spread the Love

Learn More

by Dave Straub, Cordata Produce

February 2020

Inside the Chocolate Factory

Meet Kevin Buck

Chocolate as Culinary Art

Passion to Create a Unique Flavor Experience

Chocolate Hearts for Valentine's Day

Chocolate Appreciation 101

Discover your Favorite Creation

Learn More

by Alana Smith, Outreach and Front End Teams

February 2020

The Early Years

The Business Expands

Quality Regional Ingredients

Fresh is Best

Behind the Scenes

Learn More

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

July 2019

Locally Made Tortillas Con Madre: Delicious tortillas naturally enhanced with omegas 6 & 9 from organic pumpkin oil

Lupita’s Recipe Tips

Lupita's Favorite Memory

by Jeremy Meadows, former Cordata deli cook

Reminiscing with Jeremy

Savory Stuffed Pumpkin

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

The Recipes

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Natural Vegan Blueberry Jam

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Fresh Blueberry Squares

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

July 2019

By popular demand: Salsa from Nola’s family to your family table

Nola’s Recipe Tips

Funny Memory

by Megan Stilp, Cordata Produce

Locally grown organic garden starts available now at your co-op!

by Jean Rogers, Farm Fund Administrator

October 2018

2018 BRIGHT SPOT FARMER AWARD

Helen Solem, Sumas River Farm

2018 NEW FARMER AWARD

Jen Finch & Colin Fischer, Wanderwood Farm

2018 INNOVATOR FARMER AWARD

Griffin Berger, Sauk Farm

2018 MENTOR FARMER AWARD

Anna & Geoff Martin, Osprey Hill Farm

enews-sign-up-image

(originally published February 2017)
Photos courtesy of Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese

Locally Made Tortillas Con Madre:
Delicious tortillas naturally enhanced with omegas 6 & 9 from organic pumpkin oil

By popular demand:
Salsa from Nola’s family to your family table

Helen Solem,
Sumas River Farm

Jen Finch & Colin Fischer,
Wanderwood Farm

Griffin Berger,
Sauk Farm

Anna & Geoff Martin,
Osprey Hill Farm