Brownfield Orchards

by Dave Sands, Produce Department

Brownfield Orchards grows, harvests, packs, and delivers their premium-quality certified organic fruit directly from their orchard to our produce department.

Generations of Farm Life

The alarm goes off as Mike Brownfield wakes up in his house overlooking the orchard below, with the Columbia River just beyond. It’s early morning, and the certified organic fruit orchard near Chelan springs to life as Mike meets the crew at the packing shed nestled in the midst of 46 acres of fruit trees.

Brownfield Orchards, established by Mike’s grandfather, has been growing premium quality fruit for generations. The farm is in operation year-round producing many types of fruit that ripen in succession, thereby enabling the same crew to work throughout the year doing lots of off-season pruning between growing and harvest seasons.

one of the few orchards that directly markets their own fruit

Brownfield Orchards is one of the few orchards that directly markets their own fruit, and over the years they have built their own packing facility and cold storage rooms from the ground up.

Produce Manager Dave Sands and Wynne Marks (former produce manager and current Downtown store manager) visited the farm back in 2016 to meet Mike Brownfield and gather first-hand knowledge about the fruit varieties he grows.

So much care and time goes into picking these fruits when ripe and allowing the flavors to fully develop; it’s a truly premium eating experience

Cherries are the First to Ripen

The first fruit to ripen are cherries, which are ready to pick in July. Mike packs the summer delicacies into a 20-pound box with special liners that allow the fruit to breathe and stay fresh during the trip over the mountains and to our stores.

Next up are apricots, plums, yellow peaches, and a produce staff favorite—lasting just a short while—donut peaches!

You Can Taste The Difference

So much care and time goes into picking these fruits when ripe and allowing the flavors to fully develop; it’s a truly premium eating experience and we’d like to acknowledge and thank Mike and the entire crew at Brownfield Orchards for providing these jewels of summer stone fruit for our shoppers.

Apples Complete the Season

Once the soft fruit wanes, there are 10 apple varieties, including the ever popular Honeycrisp and Pink Lady, and three types of pears that we have to look forward to in the fall.

Shop for Farmer Direct Produce

This summer, when you are shopping for something sweet and fresh, and grown in Washington by expert organic fruit growers, look for signs that say Farmer Direct from Brownfield Orchards in Chelan.

red apples in a wooden crate sitting in green grass

Local Vendor Profile: Moon Valley Organics

by Sarah Schermer, former Cordata Wellness Manager

Photos by Matt Curtis

updated March 2020; originally published October 2017

Aaron (left) and Kim Otto pose on their Whatcom County farm while welcoming Co-op staff for a tour.

Honeybees drone in a field of chamomile. Nearby, calendula is blossoming in tidy rows—glowing with a bright orange of fresh tangerines.

Nestled near the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Nooksack River, just off the Valley Highway in Deming, Moon Valley Organics is a handmade haven of quiet and quality, carefully cultivated by Kim and Aaron Otto.

From seed to salve, their mission is to create high-quality, organic personal care products that promote a healthy way of caring for our bodies and the world.

No small task, but they’ve been doing it with grace and style since 1999.

The farm’s old silo is ringed by fields of herbal ingredients, busy workshops, and a cozy
micro-village of trailers and tents for itinerant WWOOFers. (WWOOFers volunteer on organic farms around the world in exchange for a hands-on learning experience, plus room and board.)

If the relaxed, smiling faces of Moon Valley staff don’t tip you off, we are assured through their certified B Corp status that both seasonal and long-term workers enjoy the Moon Valley ethic and environment.

Calendula is the farm’s signature herb and Kim’s personal favorite. This year’s harvest was so abundant that space in the drying racks in the barn loft was at a premium, so blossoms were pre-drying in the hot, sunny field. Calendula, long-valued for its soothing properties, is used in almost all of the lotions and lip balms made by hand on the Moon Valley Organics farm.

Lovingly and expertly crafted from ingredients mostly grown on their own sustainable permaculture farm, their soaps, lip balms, lotion bars, and salves need no preservatives because of the high-quality beeswax and infused oils. (Don’t try it at home, but Kim says you can practically eat the stuff!)

Like all of their products, every herbal lip balm is formulated and packaged by hand right on the farm.

If the silky feel doesn’t make you want to buy one for every pocket and bag, just know that 10 percent of net lip balm profit is donated to organizations dedicated to protecting pollinators. And, Moon Valley created a 4-acre pollinator sanctuary on their own farm, ensuring the health of our flying friends for generations to come.

Listening to Kim and Aaron talk about bees and dirt makes me proud to carry their products.

Their commitment to sustainability even extends to packaging, which is not only beautiful but also BPA-free, 100 percent recyclable, and made from the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled materials available. For those striving for a zero waste lifestyle, the Co-op is happy to offer bulk options for their bar and liquid soaps. And a relatively new addition is plastic-free Moon Valley Herbal Shampoo bars packaged in recyclable paperboard

We are proud to call ourselves partners, and together will continue using beautiful body care and cooperative business as a vehicle for social change.

moon valley organics farm tour attendees

Taking a break in the calendula field are current and former Cordata wellness staff (taken in 2017: above, from left) Ticker Ba-Aye, Jesi Van Leeuwen, Sarah Schermer, Christy King, and, seated, Christy’s son, Odin.

LEARN MORE

Learn more at moonvalleyorganics.com. You can even take a video tour of the farm.

REBBL with a Cause

by Kathleen Tanm, REBBL Marketing Coordinator

reposted March 2020 (originally published October 2018)

bottle or rebbl products are lined up along with a sampling of natural flavorings like vanilla beans, coffee, turmeric, lemon, matcha, cinnamon and more

Each time you choose Reishi Chocolate, Turmeric Golden Milk, Maca Cold Brew, or any other REBBL elixir, you make a choice to delight your taste buds, nourish your body, and support the Botanical Revolution for Good.

Photos courtesy of REBBL

Whole Ingredients and Herbs

When you see REBBL Elixirs on the shelf at your local co-op, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s the array of decadently delicious flavor profiles that remind you a bit of your childhood. Each elixir is soulfully crafted to be creamy and indulgent. What you taste is what you get—the whole ingredients and herbs—that’s it. No gums, natural flavors, or thickeners, there’s no taste bud trickery. Just pure, honest, sensory delight.

organically grown for your health and well-being, and for the health and well-being of the farmers, the soil, and the water used in its cultivation

Every super herb is used at levels that correspond to traditional levels. If we can’t use a super herb at meaningful, efficacious levels, then we won’t use it at all. Every. Single. Ingredient. we use is organically grown for your health and well-being, and for the health and well-being of the farmers, the soil, and the water used in its cultivation. We support fairly-traded ingredients whenever they are available and sourced from indigenous communities, empowering them to thrive.

Whether you start your day with a mouth-watering Matcha Latte or you unwind with the bright flavors and adaptogenic herbs in 3 Roots Mango Spice, you can’t go wrong. While this is all essential to the ethos of REBBL, what is equally important is our purpose-driven existence.

Green tea cultivator in the Nishio, Aichi region of Japan.

REBBLs With a Cause

We are REBBLs with a cause: a band of revolutionaries for the greater good. We were born out of a conscious collaboration between global thought-leaders, whose “soul” purpose was to address the malfunctioning global food system through a regenerative business model that would respect, uplift, and delight the world.

modern day botanical treasure-hunters grounded in ancient herbal wisdom

As modern day botanical treasure-hunters grounded in ancient herbal wisdom, our expertise is identifying and gathering the very best the Plant Queendom has to offer. We curate these diverse, ethically sourced whole Roots, Extracts, Berries, Barks, and Leaves (REBBL) into delicious beverages with vibrant flavors that deliver your daily dose of exceptional goodness.

Brazil nut harvester in the Madre de Dios rainforest region of Peru.

Ethical Sourcing Practices

A core part of our mission is to create positive social and environmental impact through our super herb elixirs. We source ingredients from suppliers who exemplify our values: whether that means working with generations of family farmers, indigenous peoples who wild harvest from the land and care for the land, or women’s collectives that create economic stability.

We carefully source over 70 organic ingredients from 29 countries, and each ingredient has an impact.

Through ethical, impact sourcing practices we develop community, prevent worker exploitation and work to ensure farmers receive fair wages, access to health care, water, nourishing food and education as well as protection of basic human rights.

Turmeric farmer in the Idukki district of Kerala in Southern India.

Creating a Future Without Human Trafficking

Moreover, at REBBL we are committed to creating a future without human trafficking in partnership with Not For Sale.

Not For Sale is an international nonprofit organization that works to prevent the root causes of human trafficking through innovative and sustainable business solutions with a goal of, ultimately, ending exploitation.

REBBL donates 2.5 percent of net sales to support Not For Sale

REBBL donates 2.5 percent of net sales to support Not For Sale in providing shelter, education, healthcare, legal services, and job training for survivors of exploitation. We support our valued partners to thrive and build self-sustaining, resilient communities all over the world.

Be a REBBL With a Cause!

When you reach for REBBL, you join the Botanical Revolution for Good and become a REBBL with a cause. That’s the secret ingredient to why REBBL super herb elixirs taste so good and make you feel so good. That, and—of course—all the super herbs and adaptogens packed in each delicious sip!

Addressing Climate Change

In the fight against Climate Change, REBBL is actively working with farmers and suppliers to mitigate the effects of global warming, addressing it at the root causes. That’s why REBBL developed a Code of Conduct for its suppliers to drive eco-social improvements for each of the 70+ raw materials from around the world that are used in REBBL products. Learn more at the REBBL blog.

Learn More

The REBBL website is a goldmine of useful information about its products and practices.

Follow REBBL on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

Made with Love in the Co-op Bakery

The Co-op bakery team makes every recipe by hand—cracking every egg, decorating every item, and packaging every dessert to make each treat as beautiful as it is delicious.

Like all our housemade sweets and savories, every syrup, frosting, ganache, and embellishment is 100% free of artificial colors, flavors, and GMOs.

Valentine's Day bakery orders accepted through Tuesday, February 11.

Bleeding Heart

two small square chocolate cakes with hearts on top with roses and forks

Our perennial Valentine’s Day (or any day) favorite. Moist, scratch-baked chocolate cake filled with our housemade raspberry sauce made with local berries, enrobed in vegan housemade chocolate ganache, and finished with a chocolate drizzle.

It is sure to capture you or your valentine’s heart.

Like all the housemade sweets and savories from our bakery, every syrup, frosting, ganache, and embellishment is 100% free of artificial colors, flavors, and GMOs.

Local raspberries and fair trade chocolate are the perfect combo.

It's vegan. Really. We swear.

Two Hearts Cheesecake

An adorable rich and creamy vanilla mini cheesecake decorated with two raspberry sauce hearts.

Beware! Due to extreme deliciousness you may want to buy two to ensure sharing.

This gluten-free cheesecake features local dairy and eggs. The raspberries are from Barbie's Berries in Ferndale!

To maximize flavor and freshness, we make our delicious gluten-free graham crust in house from scratch.

I Heart You & Chocolate Cake

chocolate cake made with love from bakery

A perfect dessert for sharing with a valentine.

Our unabashedly delicious chocolate cake is covered with our decadent housemade chocolate ganache and beautifully decorated for a love-inspired day.

Colored icings are created in-house using plant-based, all-natural products that are 100% free of corn syrup and synthetic dyes.

Made with fair trade chocolate and organic flour, sugar, and eggs.

Storm Cloud Cake & Cosmic Cupcakes

gluten-free storm cloud cake from the coop bakery is layers of chocolate cake layered with raspberry filling and vanilla whipped creama

Storm Cloud Cake has irresistible layers of gluten-free chocolate cake with raspberry filling and vanilla whipped cream.

gluten-free and vegan cosmic cupcakes are delicious yellow cake festively decorated to suit every season

Cosmic Cupcakes are dreamy vegan and gluten-free delights colorfully adorned by the Co-op bakery team to suit every season.

Raspberry Vanilla Cheesecake & Chocolate Pot de Crème

Our New York style cheesecake—kissed with hints of vanilla and raspberry—when paired with Chocolate Pot de Crème is dessert perfection!

Both irresistible treats are gluten-free.

single slice of pot de creme chocolate dessert

What is chocolate pot de crème? It’s not mousse, it’s not cake, it’s a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate dream come true!

The bakery team is skilled at hand-decorating and can fulfill nearly any heart's desire with a custom order.

Make Easy Slow-Cooker Bone Broth at Home

by Selva Wohlgemuth, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

hands chopping ingredients to make a bone broth including carrots, garlic and meat bones and herbs

Selva's recipe for bone broth is rich in collagen and provides an easy-to-absorb protein source.

Makes approximately 4 quarts

INGREDIENTS

2–3 pounds grass-fed beef bones (or pastured chicken carcass)
1 large yellow onion, cut in half (skin on)
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
2 carrots, cut into quarters
1/2 small celeriac root, cut in half
1/3 bunch parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
10–15 whole peppercorns
1 juniper berry (optional)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

FIND SOUP BONES AT THE CO-OP

Find grass-fed beef marrow bones, labeled as soup or doggie bones, or 2.5-pound bags of chicken bones from local vendor Osprey Hill Farm in the meat freezer. We also sell chicken necks, wings, drumsticks, and whole chickens (just roast and strip the meat off the carcass).

METHOD

Preheat oven to 425 F. Place bones on a baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes or until browned.
Meanwhile, sear the onion face down on a skillet until browned. Then pierce bay leaf to onion half with the cloves.
Add roasted beef bones and juices to the slow cooker. Add all veggies, remaining spices, and vinegar to bones. Fill with enough cold fresh water to cover bones/veggies. Program slow cooker to cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Fill with more water to cover bones and continue to cook on low for longer than 10 hours if a stronger more medicinal bone broth is desired (at least 24 hours is recommended).
When broth is ready, remove large veggie chunks and bones. Pour remaining liquid into large glass jars and cool to keep it from souring. Once cooled, you may remove as much of the fat layer as desired. The remaining broth can be thinned with water if necessary. This broth keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator or you can freeze in ice cube trays for later use. Season with sea salt and fresh herbs (minced rosemary, thyme, and oregano) if used as a hot beverage.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD

After cooking for 24 hours and then removing the veggies, you can continue to keep broth and bones in the slow cooker, replenishing with enough fresh water to keep bones covered. Reheat in slow cooker on low heat for 4 to 5 hours each time fresh water is added. Allow to cool and refrigerate unused portion. Process may be repeated for about 7 days, then discard.

LEARN TO MAKE NOURISHING BROTHS

Attend Selva’s Healthy Connections class on March 9, 2020, to learn how to make your own nourishing broths at home. See more Healthy Connections classes on our website.

Learn more about the health benefits of bone broth in Selva's Ask the Nutritionist column.

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

Organic Duck Eggs from Sky Valley Family Farms on Sale

family member of sky valley family farm in startup washington holds two baskets of pasture raised chicken eggs

The Co-op proudly sells Sky Valley Family Farm’s pasture-raised organic duck and chicken eggs.

The fourth-generation family is unique in that all of its products are pasture based and its fields are certified organic.

Photos courtesy of Sky Valley Family Farms.

The 44-acre Sky Valley Family Farm is located 40 miles northeast of Seattle, in the whistle-stop town of Startup. The farm’s fields are certified organic and no antibiotics or chemicals are ever used in the fields, or on its pasture-raised ducks and chickens, resulting in tasty and healthful eggs.

The Sky Valley chickens and ducks have been extra busy celebrating the arrival of spring by laying lots of eggs. Due to the increased productivity, duck eggs are on sale.

Sky Valley Family Farm duck eggs are on sale through May 14!

Use these high-quality eggs in your next entrée, baked treat, or featured in a simple preparation that allows the freshness, quality, and flavor of authentic farm-fresh, nutritious, organic pasture-raised eggs to shine.

chickens at sky valley family farm in startup washington roam about in the pasture organic

ducks at sky valley family farm in startup washington enjoy pasture organic

Chicken eggs $6.75/dozen

Duck eggs $4.69/half dozen (reg. $5.49)

Learn More

Learn more about the Sky Valley Family Farm at their website.

Pure Nelida: A 2019 Next Step Recipient

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

April 2019

Nelida Martinez and her daughter hold organic veggies on pure nelida organic farm in skagit county washington

Nelida Martinez (at right) and her daughter hold armloads of organic produce grown on her farm in the Skagit Valley.

“Me gusta mucho crecer las plantas, producir buena alimentación, para alguien más. Me gusta mucho, este trabajo es mi pasión!” says Nelida, owner of Pure Nelida Organic Produce.

Translation: I like to grow plants and provide nourishment for everyone. I like it a lot, this work is my passion!

Photo courtesy of Pure Nelida.

Pure Nelida: A 2019 Next Step Grant and Loan Recipient

The story of Pure Nelida began 30 years ago when Nelida Martinez learned to cultivate fruits and vegetables in the fields of California.

For many years, she and her family worked and lived under the hot sun while being exposed to pesticides.

Nelida’s personal interest in organic food comes from her son’s diagnosis of leukemia and her suspicion that the disease arose due to the many years the family spent working in the pesticide-ridden fields of California. Despite a long battle, Nelida ultimately lost her son to the disease.

After moving to Washington, Nelida enrolled in bilingual sustainable farming courses, developed a business plan for an organic farm, and gained experience with organic farming with the assistance of Viva Farms in Skagit County, Washington state’s first bilingual farm business incubator.

Nelida’s passion as a farm owner has her always thinking of ways to improve her farming methods and expand her farm. She is currently farming on nine acres and plans to lease five additional acres.

photo of zlex perez of northwest agriculture business council and jean rogers of community food coop farm fund presenting a big check to nelida martinez of pure nelida

(from left) Alex Perez from Northwest Agriculture Business Center, Nelida Martinez from Pure Nelida, and Jean Rogers from the Co-op’s Farm Fund, gather to present Next Step grant and loan funds to Nelida.

The funds will be used to purchase and construct a large durable greenhouse that will help Nelida expand her business and increase efficiency on the farm

Unfortunately, this past winter windstorms destroyed the greenhouse she used to start her plants. Next Step grant and loan funds will be used to purchase and construct a large durable greenhouse that will help Nelida expand her business and increase efficiency on the farm.

Pure Nelida currently sells produce to the Puget Sound Food Hub, which delivers fresh produce to our stores. Nelida is also working to expand into more wholesale markets. Among other products, the farm sells berries, tomatillos, kale, chard, onions, corn, potatoes, and jalapeño, chili, and bell peppers.

Edited and reprinted with permission of Pure Nelida Organic Produce and Viva Farms.

Learn More

Learn more about Pure Nelida and Viva Farms. Find information about the Co-op's Farm Fund grant and loan programs.

Peel into Citrus Season

Now is the perfect time to enjoy the juicy, peak-season goodness of citrus and get your vitamin C the old-fashioned way ... from fresh food!

The Co-op is grateful to work with organic citrus growers that go beyond the ordinary to provide us with unique varieties of citrus that boast great flavor and mouth-watering juiciness. This is only a sample of the juicy goodness available in Co-op produce departments.

Curious about a new variety? Ask any produce staff and they will be happy to talk citrus with you!

BUDDHA'S HAND

Minimal juice or flesh. Used for zesting, baking, or can be candied.

RIO STAR GRAPEFRUIT

Overall blush on exterior peel with a deep red interior color. Distinctly sweet taste and juiciness.

NAVEL ORANGES

Bright orange skin. Balance of sweetness and acidity. Very juicy.

TDE MANDARINS

Cross of a Temple tangor, a Dancy mandarin, and an Encore mandarin. Deep orange rind color. Very sweet and rich flavor.

CARA CARA NAVEL ORANGES

Pink flesh. Sweetness balanced by a mild strawberry to cranberry-like finish.

KUMQUATS

Delicious, sweet yet tangy. Can be eaten completely including the peel.

POMMELOS

Slightly sweet mild grapefruit flavor without bitterness and very little acidity. Pith around segments is bitter.

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 Dave Sands, Produce Department

Generations of Farm Life

Cherries are the First to Ripen

You Can Taste The Difference

Apples Complete the Season

Shop for Farmer Direct Produce

by Sarah Schermer, former Cordata Wellness Manager

Photos by Matt Curtis

updated March 2020; originally published October 2017

LEARN MORE

by Kathleen Tanm, REBBL Marketing Coordinator

reposted March 2020 (originally published October 2018)

Whole Ingredients and Herbs

REBBLs With a Cause

Ethical Sourcing Practices

Creating a Future Without Human Trafficking

Be a REBBL With a Cause!

Addressing Climate Change

Learn More

Bleeding Heart

Two Hearts Cheesecake

I Heart You & Chocolate Cake

Storm Cloud Cake & Cosmic Cupcakes

Raspberry Vanilla Cheesecake & Chocolate Pot de Crème

by Selva Wohlgemuth, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist

INGREDIENTS

FIND SOUP BONES AT THE CO-OP

METHOD

ALTERNATIVE METHOD

LEARN TO MAKE NOURISHING BROTHS

by Megan Stilp, Cordata Produce

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

Sky Valley Family Farm duck eggs are on sale through May 14!

Learn More

by Laura Steiger, Outreach Team

April 2019

Pure Nelida: A 2019 Next Step Grant and Loan Recipient

Learn More

Now is the perfect time to enjoy the juicy, peak-season goodness of citrus and get your vitamin C the old-fashioned way ... from fresh food!

BUDDHA'S HAND

RIO STAR GRAPEFRUIT

NAVEL ORANGES

TDE MANDARINS

CARA CARA NAVEL ORANGES

KUMQUATS

POMMELOS

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

Helen Solem,
Sumas River Farm

Jen Finch & Colin Fischer,
Wanderwood Farm

Griffin Berger,
Sauk Farm

Anna & Geoff Martin,
Osprey Hill Farm