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Summer Newsletter
Issue: #23
Meat Producers Cooperative Getting Ready To Launch | Whatcom CountyNCMP

The North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative presented information about its business plan to more than 80 Island, Skagit, and Whatcom County meat producers, businesses, community members, and the media on Thursday, June 7 at the St. Luke's Educational Center at in Bellingham. The cooperative was formed to help improve access to USDA processing for local meat producers as well as providing a branded marketing and distribution program that will help producers to work together to service larger scale grocery and institutional markets.

Board President Pat Grover, owner of Buttin' Grove Farm presented information about membership and cooperative benefits. A key component of this plan will be the use of a USDA-inspected mobile slaughter unit which will be leased from the Pierce County Conservation District. This self-contained unit will be stationed at a farm site in Whatcom County and possibly a site in Skagit County, initially projected at six days per month.  The unit can accommodate the harvest of up to 12 beef, 20 pork, or 30 lambs per day. The finished carcasses will then be transported in a refrigerated truck to a processing plant at a yet-to-be-determined location in Whatcom County.

Board Vice President Sandy Matheson, owner of Matheson Farms, shared details about the development of the North Cascade Meats, A Farmers Cooperative brand. The cooperative's board of directors has developed and agreed upon common production standards for beef, pork, and lamb that ensure animals are pasture or grass finished (no grains), no feed antibiotics or hormones are used, no petroleum-based fertilizers are used on pastures, and no detrimental impacts to riparian areas are permitted.

Island Grown Brand Launches New Website | San Juan CountyIGB

NABC recently partnered with San Juan County Agricultural Resources Committee (ARC) and Washington State University Extension (WSU) to develop the Island Grown Agricultural Network website. (www.islandgrown.net)  

Launched in late July, the Island Grown Agricultural Network is an umbrella website that offers a window on agriculture in San Juan County, including links to all farm-related organizations and agencies in the county (including NABC), an interactive map showing local farms as well as businesses that source local foods, a centralized calendar listing all agriculture related events, and information and application forms for the Island Grown Program, a membership based program for farms, community members and businesses that support local foods.  The website also provides information on the county's three successful farm to school programs, locations and times for the county's three farmers markets, the history of agriculture in San Juan County, a forum for farmers and chefs, and more. 

Funding from NABC also supported website updates and conversion to Wordpress for several key agricultural organizations including ARC, the Island Grown Program, San Juan County Agricultural Guild, Brickworks, and San Juan Island and Orcas Islands Farmers Markets.  A link to Facebook is intended to further invigorate the island agricultural economy.  The Island Grown Agricultural Network will enhance and integrate county-wide efforts to strengthen, preserve and promote agriculture in beautiful San Juan County.

NABC Partners with 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living | King & Snohomish CountiesB2B 

 

Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC), through the Puget Sound Food Network (PSFN), has joined forces with 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living to contribute to a sustainable, environmentally and economically sound agricultural industry by fostering relationships and providing mechanisms to facilitate "business to business" commerce.  The logistics of selling and buying local farm product in large volumes, conducting direct and efficient purchase and sale transactions, and aggregating and delivering multi-farm orders remain obstacles to achieving a sustainable regional food system.  NABC and 21 Acres will be working together to address these challenges and removing barriers on both the supply and demand side. These cooperative efforts will help to ultimately increase the sustainability of local farms.

 

On Thursday, July 26th, NABC produced a Business-to-Business (B2B) Local Food Showcase at 21 Acres to provide an opportunity, in season, for farm businesses to make new direct market connections with a variety of reseller businesses.
 
Port Susan Farmers Market Opens! | Snohomish & Island Counties PortSusan 
 
Starting Friday, August 10, the Port Susan Food & Farming Center will launch a new farmers market in downtown Stanwood. "When it comes to fresh, locally-produced products, the market will be the perfect place to locate fabulous food finds." says market manager Leslie Collings. "Buying at the market will be the easiest way to eat locally because you'll know where the food comes from, after all, the grower will be right there and you can ask them."

Joan E. McIntyre, local producer and chairperson for the market says, "We are a dedicated group of local folks who want to see our farmers/producers succeed as close to home as possible. It's an honor working  with community-minded people to form and mold the Market into a place which calls a society together in the name of farm-fresh, locally-produced food."

To support the development of the market, the City of Stanwood, with assistance from the Northwest Agriculture Business Center, applied for and was awarded a Farmers Market Promotion Program grant in October of 2011. The grant has partially fund the start-up of the market by funding the legal formation, insurance, farmer education, as well as hiring a part-time manager.

Efforts  have  been underway for the last four months to raise funds for items the grant doesn't cover such as signage, advertising and promotional materials, consumer education, tables, chairs, garbage and recycle cans, and sanitation costs. Another expense not covered by the grant was the cost of renting a location for the Market. "Fortunately for us, the Viking Village property owner offered a location for the market at no charge." says Port Susan Food & Farming Center President Donna King.  "The support of the community has been generous -- and more than we expected! It's clear that a Farmers Market is needed in our community."

The Market will be open Fridays 3-7 PM Aug 10 - Sept 21 (+ Sat Sep 22)
At the Grassy area behind Viking Village on 88th (across from the Legion Hall).
Washington Cider Culture - Classes and Glasses Fill! | Skagit County Cider
 
NABC has been abuzz with developments in our WSDA Specialty Crop Block Grant-funded work to develop a hard cider culture in Washington. In the past quarter, we've delivered six courses in cider production, including two completely new courses in business and marketing. Since April, NABC has offered:
  • Cider & Perry Production: Principles & Practices A total of 47 students attended the June and July courses, and 28 students completed the NACM certificate exam.
  • Orchard Management: Cider Fruit Production A total of 43 students attended the June and July courses.
  • The Business of Making Hard Cider 35 students attended the course.
  • The Business of Growing Cider Apples 24 students attended.
In the meantime, grant partner Washington State University Northwest Research and Extension Center (WSU-NWREC) in Mount Vernon continues to progress with its cider projects. WSU-NWREC completed a cider bottling, and sensory evaluation by local cider makers has begun. Based on their own maintenance of cider apple trial plots at their Mount Vernon facility, WSU-NWREC has also created a new handout on the costs of establishing a cider apple orchard in Western Washington.
ciderUpcoming classes include:

Advanced Cider Perry Production
December 10-14, 2012

Designed for those who have previously attended introductory cider making programs, experienced producers, and individuals from established and growing cider businesses, this advanced class builds on Cider & Perry Production - Principles & Practice and and aims to provide an in-depth understanding of cider microbiology & chemistry and key aspects of technology, a detailed insight into the techniques and application of sensory evaluation, and a thorough appreciation of a range of techniques involved in product development, marketing and the operation of a successful cider production business. More information and registration found here. There are currently 5 spots available.
New Farm to Table Partner in West Seattle  | King County Educare  


This summer, NABC through Puget Sound Food Network has kicked off a new Farm to Table partnership with the Educare Early Learning Center in White Center in Southwest Seattle. The Head Start program onsite serves 400 meals a day including breakfast, lunch, snack, and late-snack for children aged 3 months to 5 years. The on-site kitchen, however, prepares meals for three additional sites as well, totaling over 1500 meals prepared daily.  
 
Coming off of such success with our Farm to Table initiative over the past two years, NABC is confident that we can make much headway in empowering the site to incorporate fresh, local products into its meal service. Already NABC has performed a needs assessment of the site, hosted a Seasonality and Local Sourcing presentation for the kitchen staff and classroom teachers, and registered Educare on the new Farm to Table Online Store Powered by Local Orbit so that they may more easily make local food purchases. This summer, NABC will continue to hold monthly partnership meetings with the Educare and Head Start Team, coordinate a farmer visit to the classroom and kitchen, as well as a chef-led training for kitchen staff in the use of locally-grown produce in kid-friendly menus. 
 
We look forward to updating you as the project develops.
BelleWood Acres Opens New Facility | Whatcom CountyBellewood

Known for its family-friendly apple picking and scrumptious treats, BelleWood Acres has something bigger on the horizon: a beautiful new 14,000 square foot building which houses a farm store, a brand new restaurant, a bakery, and a newly furnished distillery and tasting room! The facility opened July 27, and will be open year-round.

The new restaurant, The BelleWood Bistro, serves sandwiches, soups, salads, delicious treats like cider doughnuts, espresso and (of course) cider - on tap!. The new market and gift shop includes fresh produce, apple cider, artisan cheeses, caramel, specialty honey and jams, fresh honey-roasted peanut butter, and gifts from the farm and for the season. BelleWood is in the thick of cider production now and can't wait for visitors to the new tasting room to sample hand crafted spirits created in the new distillery.

The ribbon cutting event was a smaller celebration for the people involved in planning and building the facility. NABC's Executive Director, David Bauermeister, was pleased to attend. Among the many festivities of the ceremony, David was happy to catch up with former NABC Project Manager, Jake Fowler, now BelleWood's General Manager. We're so proud of the good work Jake has done at BelleWood, and eagerly await the Grand Opening Celebration of the BelleWood Facility August 31. More details to come soon!

Check out more pictures of the new space... 
Emma Brewster Joins NABC StaffEmma

Emma Brewster Join us in welcoming former AmeriCorps Member, Emma Brewster, to NABC's staff! Emma has been hired as NABC's Marketing Coordinator following two years of service at the Center as a Washington State Service Corps Member through the SCORE AmeriCorps team housed in the Skagit County Community Action Agency. 
 
Emma spent her first year of service at NABC (2010-11) focusing on the Farm to Table Project with Seattle and King County, which connected locally-produced fresh fruits and vegetables from PSFN member producers to low income child and senior meal programs in Seattle. In 2011-2012 Emma served as NABC's Communications and Outreach Coordinator, writing blog posts, newsletters, and attending to our social media platforms. 
 
Now, as Marketing Coordinator, Emma will divide her time between four NABC projects: 
  • Communications: blogging, newsletters, Live Market Fresh Sheet, social media, and speaking engagements;
  • Nourishing Communities: The continuation of the Farm to Table project working to connect locally produced foods to underserved child and senior meals sites;
  • Food Hub Development: Launching the Puget Sound Food Network's new online marketplaces powered by Local Orbit and working with 21 Acres and other hosts to develop physical aggregation, storage, and distribution facilities;
  • University Foodservice: Through a continued partnership with the Real Food Challenge, Emma will work with university students and staff to source locally, responsibly produced fare for dining halls and campus retail facilities in the NW.
 
Welcome aboard, Emma!  
Producer Highlight: Scotty Stevens, Whidbey Island I Island County Scotty

Scotty Stevens' Farm Scotty Stevens is a rancher on Whidbey Island.  Over the years he developed such a devoted network of producers and customers, that he and his wife Laura were inspired to open a small grocery store to bring local products to the community, with an emphasis on meats.  In February 2012, he opened Scotty's Local Farm to Market in Freeland.  Since then, he's managed to balance running the market and ranch, while continuing to work as a general contractor.  Scotty and Laura have two children, daughter Kyah who is 20 years old and son Jordan who is 15.  Scotty is a member of the Puget Sound Food Network, Whidbey Island Grown, and Island Grown Farmers Co-op.  Northwest Agriculture Business Center's Sherrye Wyatt caught up with Scotty at the picturesque Bixby farm, which his family leases.
In This Issue
members
Thanks to our New and Renewing PSFN Members! 


White Center Educare Early Learning Center

And Many Whidbey Island Grown members:

Producers

Chocolate Flower

Hunters Moon Blueberries

Live Edge Farm

Whidbey Green Goods

Wildwood Farm 

 

Restaurants

Neil's Clover Patch

 

Sponsors

Crockett Farm B & B

Someday Vegan Farm B & B

Whidbey Examiner

Whidbey Island Style

Whidbey Painting Retreats 
Whidbey Is Grown logo sm 
 
We look forward to working with you! 

 
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In the News 

Articles written about NABC activities and PSFN Members in the past quarter
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The Northwest Agriculture Business Center provides Northwest Washington farmers with the skills and the resources required to profitably and efficiently supply their products to consumers, retailers, wholesalers, foodservice operators and food manufacturers.

Through these efforts we contribute to a sustainable, environmentally and economically sound agricultural industry thereby preserving our region's farming heritage for future generations.    

 

NABC programs are funded in part by the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington State Department of Commerce, and the Washington State Department of Agriculture.  Our work is made possible by supporters from the agricultural industry, our communities, and from individuals who share our values and vision. 


P.O. Box 2924 | 419 South 1st Street, Suite 200 Mount Vernon, WA 98273  | (360) 336-3727 | [email protected]