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Celebrate the season with local eggnog!
Spike your coffee and baked goods with some nog, or spike your nog with some booze.
Whatcom County is dairy country. With numerous small dairies dotting our county landscape, it’s our good fortune to enjoy the crème de la crème of eggnog! Fresh, local, and made with care right here in our pastoral paradise.
it’s our good fortune to enjoy the crème de la crème of eggnog
At the Co-op, we get pretty jazzed when eggnog season arrives and we are proud to carry some exceptional eggnog from two of our favorite local dairies.
Twin Brook Creamery is a fifth-generation dairy farm in Lynden. It first started making eggnog in 2007, which was also the first year that Twin Brook started bottling its own milk in those now-iconic Twin Brook Creamery glass bottles. From October through December, the creamery will produce about 25,000 gallons of eggnog for its enthusiastic customers.
Larry Stap, the great-grandson of Jacob and Tryntje Stap who originally established the farm, believes the key to the creamery’s delicious eggnog is its elegant simplicity and quality ingredients. It is made exclusively with the milk from Jersey cows, fresh egg yolks, sweetened with only cane sugar, and seasoned with the perfect combination of spices. “We hear two main comments: This is just like I remember it being made at home; and I don’t like eggnog, but since tasting yours I now can say that I have found one I like and can drink,” said Larry.
Fresh Breeze Organic is yet another fifth-generation farm in Lynden and has been in the Langley family for more than a century. It also started making eggnog in 2007, when the dairy first began processing its own milk. In 2015, the creamery produced about 7,000 quarts of organic eggnog.
Fresh Breeze eggnog is unique in that it contains all organic ingredients: real whole eggs, nutmeg, organic vanilla, sugar, and milk from the farm. Because there are no thickeners, like the often-used locust bean gum, it is thinner than other eggnog. And Clarissa Langley explained that “the vat pasteurization helps it taste like a homemade eggnog that was simmered on the stove.” Yum!
Indulge in this seasonal delight while it is available
Indulge in this seasonal delight while it is available, and pick up a bottle of your favorite local eggnog to keep in the fridge for flavoring your coffee, baking, or for an after-dinner drink spiked with a splash of crème liqueur or rum.
Or, stop by the Co-op and enjoy an eggnog latte prepared by our talented baristas (made with Fresh Breeze Organic eggnog!) and savor this traditional taste of the season.
Farmers Nick Spring and Sarah Robinson enjoy a quiet moment on their farm in Everson with farm dog Henry.
Here at the Co-op we realize that farming is hard work, seven days a week, and a pretty challenging way to make a living. It is also an integral part of our community and local food system, which is why the Co-op has created programs like the Farm Fund that offer resources to help small farms like Spring Time Farm make their dreams of bringing fresh, nutrient-dense food to their community a reality.
Sarah Robinson and Nick Spring took the next step, with the assistance of a Co-op Farm Fund Next Step grant, and purchased property for their expanding produce and flower farm.
Nick Spring and Sarah Robinson at Spring Time Farm recently received a Next Step Grant—a relatively new Farm Fund program designed to help small farms take the next step and scale up to provide the wholesale market—and we are so happy to help them expand to their very own property. After farming their first four years leasing land, sharing tools, and receiving mentorship from Dusty Williams at Broad Leaf Farm, they are now in the process of moving to their recently purchased 37-acre property where they plan to farm 5 to 7 acres at a time while rotating their crops to ensure soil fertility and health.
Sarah washing lettuce. Look for signs identifying their organic produce and flowers in our stores this summer and support these up-and-coming local farmers.
So where did it all begin for Spring Time Farm? Nick Spring is originally from Portland, Oregon, and was attending Western Washington University in 2012 while running a garden system in town called Bellingham Urban Growers Syndicate (BUGS). You may have seen him bicycling around between classes with rototillers, rakes, and shovels in his trailer, or perhaps you owned one of the 11 plots of land he grew veggies on throughout town. He didn’t grow up farming or gardening but it is in Nick’s genes.
The name Spring Time Farm was the name of the farm Nick’s grandfather ran until he was 90!
Not only was BUGS a transition to reconnecting Nick to his farming heritage and his realization that he wanted to make a career growing food for the community, but BUGS is also how Nick met his amazing and talented partner Sarah Robinson. Sarah grew up in Maryland, went to college in Boston, and spent many years bicycle touring the continent before coming to Bellingham. It was here with the already passionate vegetable-growing Nick that she discovered her love for farming. With the constant and diverse challenges of farming—keeping her mind and body engaged while allowing her to be outside connecting with nature— she was hooked!
Nick with an armfull of giant alliums. The farmers of Spring Time Farm found a natural division of labor with Nick Spring taking the lead on the vegetable side of things and Sarah Robinson using her decidedly green thumb as the lead farmer-florist. Of course, they both frequently work together across all areas of the farm.
Nick and Sarah have been farming together for four years now and the quality and abundance of fruits, veggies, and flowers they bring to the community makes me feel like they have been doing this for so much longer. He is “in charge” of the veggies and she is “in charge” of the flowers, and they have a wonderful employee named Josiah who has been there from the beginning and whose knowledge, hard work, and fresh perspective have been an integral part of their success.
Sarah, Nick, Josiah, and the rest of the crew at Spring Time Farm are always trying new things, looking for new ways to nurture their land and preserve their bodies so they can continue to farm for a very, very long time. And we hope they do!
Nick and Sarah are such a joy to be around, you can see and feel the genuine passion for what they do, and for life in general, shine through in even the smallest interactions with them. You may see them delivering sun-kissed boxes of produce or flowers to either
Co-op store or selling at the Bellingham Farmers Market on Saturdays. Either way, we hope you get a warm and happy feeling when you put something from their local farm into your reusable shopping bag.
Nick and Sarah's enthusiasm for organic farming is contagious. Here they are jumping for joy during the garlic harvest.
We all benefit from the vibrant local organic farming community in Whatcom County. Maybe you have never grown a vegetable, or just didn’t have time to plant a garden this year, or perhaps all your greens have bolted—don’t fear! Spring Time, Broad Leaf, Terra Verde, Cascadia Mushrooms, Rabbit Fields, Viva Farms, Cedarville, Moondance, Spring Frog, and so many others deliver their
farm-fresh produce to the Co-op to make sure you have delicious and healthful local food to eat.
We know the hard work, dedication to sustainable farming, and connection to nature of these farmers is a large part of what makes the Co-op where you love to shop and Whatcom County such an amazing place to live, eat, and play. Thank you, Hamsters, for supporting your community and all the people who make it go round.
Learn more about the Co-op’s Farm Fund. The fund is supported by donations. You can join your friends and neighbors who support the Farm Fund by donating at any Co-op register or on our website.
Take a closer look at Spring Time Farm.
Summertime in Whatcom County is a perfect time for pickling cucumbers. We have the best selection of local seasonal produce at hand, and the ambient temperature is consistently warm enough to sustain fermentation. Pickles nearly make themselves, although some care is required to make them taste right and have the firmness and color we've come to expect. The great thing about fermented dill pickles, aside from their healthy probiotic qualities and familiarity, is that you likely already have most everything needed to make a delicious home-fermented dill pickle.
*The leaves provide tannin, which helps maintain the firmness and color of the pickle. Oak leaves, grape leaves, and bay leaves contain small amounts of tannin and have been traditionally used for this purpose, as have tea leaves.
Once you've made a successful pickle, you might want to make another few jars with different seasonings, or branch out into other vegetables.
Selva Wohlgemuth, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist
Dear Nutritionist: As an outdoor enthusiast, I love to spend many hours on the trails, biking, running, and hiking. Do you have any recommendations on how to best stay hydrated for optimal performance?
As we approach summer, everyone is playing hard outside. With all the fun, strenuous outdoor activities, such as trail running, mountain biking, hiking, etc., we need to make sure we stay hydrated. And by hydrating I do not mean simply drinking a glass of water before and after your workout, or drinking a beer as a tasty hydrating reward after a long grueling ride or hike. There are more factors to address for optimal performance and for overall health and safety.
and by hydrating I do not mean simply drinking a glass of water
In the summer months we naturally have increased water losses as the temperatures soar and our bodies attempt to maintain a core temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Sweating is one of the mechanisms that assist in maintaining this core temperature. If we add additional strenuous exercise to hot summer days, we are going to sweat even more, losing anywhere between 300 milliliters to over 2 liters of sweat per hour depending on the exercise intensity, duration, heat acclimatization, humidity, etc.
Why is this important? Water losses greater than 2 percent of your body weight can impair cognition and performance, whereas severe water losses of 6 to 10 percent of body weight can impact heart function, sweat production, and blood flow to the skin and muscles.
Since sweat not only contains water, but also sodium (salt) and smaller amounts of other electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium, it is important to rehydrate in times of high sweat losses with water that contains some salt. This is especially true if you sweat a lot or tend to have very salty sweat. Although salt content is highly variable between one person to the next, it is estimated that on average about 1 gram of sodium is lost per liter of sweat. That is a lot!
This is important to note because it is often overlooked by recreational athletes who are aware of the importance of staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water before, during, and after their workout, but do not replenish their sodium. This can lead to hyponatremia (low plasma sodium) causing symptoms of bloating, puffiness, weight gain, nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion, and can possibly even cause death if untreated.
How can you stay in euhydration? Here are some great tips and tricks to keep your performance up and your health in check!
So drink up, stay hydrated, add a little pinch of salt, and play hard because summer is just around the corner.
See Selva's simple recipe for RefreshME! Sports Beverage.
Have questions? Send them to contact@happybellynutritionist.com. Selva Wohlgemuth is a registered dietitian nutritionist. Learn more about her approach to general health and well-being at her Happy Belly Nutrition website, and see her recipes and other kitchen tips at Poppies and Papayas.
Noon to 4 pm Cordata store.
3 to 6:30 pm Downtown store.
Co-op shoppers were among the first to taste the new variety, as the apples were test piloted in our stores. If you haven't tried them yet, here is your opportunity! Crimson Delight is a late-harvested apple and should rest a few months before it hits a flavor peak. Now is the time to appreciate its great flavor and lasting crunch. The Crimson Delight Apple offers outstanding tartness balanced with luxurious sweet and with conspicuous “apple freckles.” The flavor and texture profile prove ideal for both eating fresh and cooking.
Buckets of freshly harvested Hopewell Farm organic blueberries await their final destination—our produce departments and your tummies.
Blueberries are nutritious, taste amazing on everything from ice cream to salmon, and are historically one of the most local foods available.
People in these parts have feasted on them for thousands of years, and if you’ve hiked the North Cascades in September when the trails are lined with ripe huckleberries then you’ve probably enjoyed this local bounty as well.
These days we don’t have to brave the mountain wilderness for fresh produce, thanks to Pete Dykstra of Hopewell Farm and his 16 acres of blueberry bushes nestled at the base of Sumas Mountain. I journeyed out to this picturesque field and walked the rows already abundant with dainty bell-shaped flowers that will become my breakfast. While there I chatted with Lisa Dykstra, Hopewell’s sales rep and the youngest of four Dykstra generations to farm this land.
As we talked I got a sense of how diversified Hopewell Farm has become over the years due largely to the prodigious efforts and entrepreneurial spirit of Pete.
Besides their famous blueberries and carrots, they grow a variety of other vegetables, medicinal herbs, and seed crops. They operate a dairy farm and grow their own silage for the cows that in turn produce compost for the fields. They even maintain wild habitat for beneficial predators such as hawks, kestrels, and owls.
The evidence of their holistic approach was all around me ...
... honey bees buzzed in their hives at the end of every row, happy cows played beyond the fence line, and Lisa spoke glowingly about being on the forefront of progressive efforts.
Hopewell is certified organic, GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certified, and receives outstanding scores for worker satisfaction. In Pete’s own words this means, “The fields are healthy, they produce great crops, and there is life in the soil.”
And if you’re wondering what all this means for you, my patient Co-op shopper, it means the most delicious blueberries you are likely to eat this summer—fresh, hand-picked, and delivered farmer direct to our shelves for your culinary pleasure.
The Cedarville Farm crew harvests and bundles spinach at the certified organic farm located near Deming. After bundling, the spinach will be washed and packed for delivery—perhaps to Cedarville’s 150+ CSA subscribers or to one of the farm’s many wholesale accounts. The final destination may even be the Co-op’s certified organic produce departments..
Since 1988, Mike and Kim Finger have been working the loamy soil at their farm along the banks of the Nooksack River just west of Deming, and the Community Food Co-op has been proud to sell their fine produce in our stores since that very first year.
“Mike has been a pure joy to talk to and communicate with through the years. Mike and Kim have twice invited our entire produce team out to tour the farm and see how the things we sell are grown and harvested,” said Dave Sands, Downtown produce manager.
In addition to supplying the Co-op, Mike has several retail and wholesale accounts, participates in the Bellingham Farmers Market, and runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program serving 150+ members.
Among Cedarville Farm’s accomplishments is being one of the first of three Whatcom County farms to be certified organic.
Among Cedarville Farm’s accomplishments is being one of the first of three Whatcom County farms to be certified organic (Cedarville is number 36 in the state) and, in 1992, establishing the first CSA program north of Seattle (they still have a few original CSA members).
Mike and his farm crew grow about 40 crops including a variety of salad and cooking greens, alliums (varieties of onion and garlic), vegetables galore, tomatoes, and herbs. They also raise broiler chickens, turkeys, and maintain a flock of pastured hens for eggs.
In April 2015, the Co-op Farm Fund secured a low-interest loan for Cedarville Farm in partnership with Industrial Credit Union (ICU). This is the third of six low-interest loans secured by the Farm Fund in partnership with ICU, building on the Farm Fund’s original revolving loan program. The new program allows farms to take out larger loans up to $12,000, build a credit history with ICU—another local, cooperatively run organization—and helps farms tackle impactful on-farm projects that increase resiliency and build the capacity to provide more local food for the Co-op.
As any home gardener knows, weeds are your nemesis and whatever you can do to get ahead of them saves a lot of work in the long run. The same is true on an organic farm, only on a larger scale.
Cedarville Farm used their Co-op Farm Fund secured loan to combat its weedy nemesis.
Cedarville Farm used their Co-op Farm Fund secured loan to combat its weedy nemesis with the purchase of two pieces of cultivation equipment that will dramatically improve the consistency and efficiency of weed control and free staff for the delicate hand labor that simply can’t be accomplished by machine.
Mike purchased a well-cared-for 1970s International Cub cultivating tractor that was used by the Montana State University Extension Service to seed trial crops in Corvallis, Montana. Did you know there was a Corvallis in Montana? Neither did Mike, and he had originally made arrangements to pick up the tractor at the Corvallis that most of us are familiar with in Oregon, but that’s another story.
The cultivating tractor, which hasn’t been manufactured since the early 1980s, is still popular with farmers for two reasons. 1. Its simple, straightforward design makes it easy to maintain and repair on the farm. 2. It is specifically constructed to provide a direct view to the ground, so farmers can precisely navigate between rows without accidentally taking out any precious crops.
Mike’s other purchase was a propane bed flamer aptly branded “Red Dragon” that annihilates weeds with fire.
He is still on the lookout for one more addition to his weeding arsenal—a tractor-mounted inter-row cultivator.
The Co-op’s Farm Fund is happy to play whatever role we can to help Cedarville Farm grow even more farm-fresh food.
As Dave said, “Mike is very generous with his time and his smiles, and we love Cedarville Farm for that reason, among many.”
Donate to the Co-op’s Farm Fund at any register to join us in growing local, sustainable agriculture and supporting local farmers like Mike Finger of Cedarville Farm.
The Farm Fund helps us live our values. Our Community Food Co-op is committed to being a cornerstone of the local food economy, ensuring that our community and region is capable of feeding itself.
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As a result, people want to buy more local food.
As farmers meet the increased demand for local food, the Community Food Co-op’s Farm Fund has grown from humble beginnings to a nationally-recognized model.
Since 2000, the Farm Fund, with donations from the Co-op operations budget and Co-op member-owners, has circulated over $204,215 for Farm Fund grants and revolving loans benefiting more than 60 farms and food/farming organizations.
Our Community Food Co-op is committed to being a cornerstone of the local food economy, ensuring that our community and region is capable of feeding itself. Collaborating in the development of a vibrant local and regional food production and distribution system is one of the six core goals of our Co-op’s strategic plan.
The Farm Fund, run by a Co-op staff member and a volunteer committee of member-owners connected to the farming community, is a unique and powerful way to meet the needs of beginning and small farm businesses as we collectively work toward these goals.
For example, Whatcom County’s small farmers have reported that the barriers to reduce costs and compete in the wholesale market include two main issues: access to capital for equipment, land, or infrastructure, and a need for resources to navigate the various processes and learning curves related to expansion into new markets. The Farm Fund helps small farms reduce these barriers.
Donating to the Farm Fund gives community members the opportunity to invest in the future of the farms and farmers that provide our food.
Make a donation to the Farm Fund and become a “Farm Fund-er” today. Through the Farm Fund, you have an opportunity to support our local farming community and help to ensure viable small farm businesses are able to thrive. Donate online or at any Co-op register.
And buy local whenever you shop to support local farms and food producers.
Questions about the Co-op Farm Fund? Email Jean Rogers, Farm Fund administrator, or call her at 360-734-8158, ext. 311. Learn more, watch a video about the Farm Fund, or make a donation at Farm Fund page.
Acme Valley Foods makes delicious local treats with an added dash of generous community support—"It's Damn Good"!
We love our local vendors. Working with local businesses keeps more money circulating in our local economy, provides local jobs, and supports the creativity, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit of our local community.And when a local vendor strongly aligns with our commitment to give back to our community, then that relationship is all the sweeter.
Such is the case with Acme Valley Foods.
Not only do they have a line of delicious, high-quality local products—Acme Super Premium Ice Cream, Acme Farms specialty cheeses, and Chuckanut Crunch Granola—when you purchase products from Acme Valley Foods you are also investing in our local community.
Acme Valley Foods and its affiliates support a number of community and charitable activities.
Their major areas of commitment include end-of-life care, film and performance arts, drug policy reform and smart justice efforts in general, restoration of wolf populations in the Northwest, and increased recognition of the reality and impacts of climate change, as well as practical resilience strategies. Their community partners include Whatcom Land Trust, Conservation Northwest, Law Advocates, Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, Pickford Film Center, Whatcom Hospice, Western Washington University, and Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement.
Acme also partnered with us to help raise money for the Co-op Farm Fund at our annual Community Party in August. They donated their delicious ice cream sandwiches (people raved about them and some came back for seconds) and we raised almost $400 to kick-start the “Let it grow” campaign to raise funds for the Farm Fund.
As their ice cream label proudly declares, “It’s Damn Good”!
We agree. Acme Valley Foods' delicious local treats with an added dash of generous community support—“It’s Damn Good”!
On sale through Oct. 20! Lupita Nava grew up eating freshly made tortillas with every meal. Now you can enjoy her locally made tortillas based on a family recipe and enhanced with the healthiest ingredients.
Buy local blueberries from Cooperativa Tierra y Libertad! Modesto Hernandez Leal and Ramón Barba Torres are the co-founders and worker-owners of this farmworker-owned cooperative in Everson.
The Ferndale Farmstead Artisan Cheese story really begins in the seeds and soil of this family operated seed-to-cheese farm where every piece of cheese is carefully crafted by hand using authentic Italian recipes.
