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What's Fresh
1. Just a few weeks away, mark your calendar for May 18 -- the annual Cascade Cuts Plant Sale Fundraiser. Featuring so many wonderful plants and flowers, veggie starts and more - all supporting the Food & Farming Program.
2. Dine Out for Maple Alley Inn is Tues. May 7 this year! Bellingham restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds to Maple Alley Inn, a hot meal program. Click here for all the details and participants.
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Meet Becca
Help us welcome Becca Taber, our new Program Assistant at Sustainable Connections. Becca has been an intern with the Food & Farming Program for the last year, and we are excited to welcome her to the team. In addition to Food & Farming, Becca will be assisting with Sustainable Business and Think Local programs. "I'm so happy to be a part of Sustainable Connections and it's influence on our community. I can't wait to be more involved!" Be sure to say hello to Becca when you see her out at the farmers market, and SC events. |
Save the date for 'Give BIG'
Save the date and GiveBIG! Donate to Sustainable Connections through our GiveBIG profile on May 15, and your donation will be s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d thanks to additional funds from The Seattle Foundation and sponsors! Stay tuned for details.
GiveBIG is a one-day, online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations who make our region a healthier and more vital place to live. Last year, GiveBIG raised over $7.4 million for more than 1,200 organizations! For more information, visit seattlefoundation.org/GiveBIG
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May Bountiful Events May 7 'Dine Out' for Maple Alley Inn at participating Bellingham restaurants oppco.org May 7 "Dandelion Hunter: Foraging the Urban Wilderness" by Rebecca Lerner villagebooks.com May 8 Herb Walk: Learn to identify & grow wild plants whatcomfolkschool.org May 9 'Growing Grapes' Workshop May 12 Buy Mama a Beer & Brunch
May 13
Farm Walk at Cascadia Mushrooms
May 13 'Farmacology" w/ Daphne Miller villagebooks.com May 16 Ladies Night Out downtownbellingham.com
May 18
Annual Cascade Cuts Plant Sale May 18 'Using Tunnels & Hoop Houses for Productive Gardening' workshop cloudmountainfarmcenter.org May 18 & 19 Cob oven Workshop whatcomfolkschool.org May 24-26 Ski to Sea Race & Festival skitosea.com May 27 Beginning Knife Skills w/ Mataio Gillis ciaothyme.com June 1 Food Lust 2013 cascadeharvest.org |
Take action for a healthy food system!
Want to help support a strong local food system? Do these 3 simple things: 1. "Like the Eat Local First" on Facebook to stay up to date with all the localicious happenings. 2. Patronize the list of businesses participating in Eat Local First and tell them we sent you. 3. Forward this newsletter to 3 of your friends with a personal note about why you are involved in the eat local first movement.  |
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Greetings!
I love food this time of year. Seasonal eating is such a pleasure, and I especially love seeing the unique veggies that come with spring. Take a stroll through the Farmers Market to find crisp pea shoots, frost sweetened baby kale leaves, asparagus, sunflower sprouts, spicy salad mixes, rhubarb -- so many delicious things for the spring palate.
One of my favorite ways to connect my diet with the seasons is through my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. This month, we at the Sustainable Connections office will start receiving Workplace CSA deliveries right to our office! With a CSA, you receive a box of local produce each week, complete with recipe ideas and preparation tips. If you are planning to sign up for the season -- don't delay, now is the time. Sign up to enjoy the bounty and ensure farmers get the support they need to fund and plan their growing seasons.Have you seen Eat Local First around town this year? We are working with more restaurants and grocers each month to help them source more local food and let people know they have it! Spot the Eat Local First logo? Thank the business for buying local, and join us support local restaurants and grocers that support our local farms and food producers.
Sara Southerland
Food & Farming Coordinator
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Cascade Cuts Plants Sale
Mark your calendar for this once a year sale!
 Save the date for the annual Cascade Cuts Plant sale -- open just one day a year to the public as a fundraiser for Sustainable Connections Food & Farming Program.
Enjoy perusing through the beautiful array of hanging baskets, greenhouses full of ornamental plants and flowers, edible vegetable and herb starts and more. Stop by and purchase some unique and beautiful plants for your garden, home or office.
Don't miss out on this fun opportunity and a great cause. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited.
What: Cascade Cuts Plant Sale
When: Saturday, May 18, 9am-4pm
Where: 632 Montgomery Road (King Mountain neighborhood)
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Buy Local Flowers
April showers bring May flowers
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photo courtesy of Pure Peonies
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It's that time of year -- and when you think flowers, think local first! Local flower growers compete against a large import market,and your support helps.
Many local flower growers have open hours throughout the spring and summer--a great chance to see the beautiful and abundant flower fields and just the right cut flowers to take home. Click on the farms below to learn more and find open hours:
Full Bloom Farm: Award winning gardens with organically grown peonies, cut flowers, and more on Lummi Island.
Pure Peonies & BioChar Supreme: Offering 175+ varieties of peonies, soil amendments, compost tea and more in Everson.
Tuxedo Garden: Retail & wholesale garden in Everson offering rhododendrons, azaleas and more trees, shrubs and flowers
North Fork Gardens: A beautiful variety of flowers grown naturally in deep, rich sandy loam on the shores of the Nooksack River in Deming.
Find more businesses offering flowers and all types of goods on the Sustainable Connections member directory
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Meet the mentors farmers:
Food To Bank On mentor farmers are a phenomenal asset to our local food system, Thank You!
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Melissa Moeller and family of Misty Meadows Farm
Photo credit Diane Padys Photography
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We are lucky to have such a great bunch of mentor farms for the Food To Bank On project. Each year, these mentors help beginning farms by sharing experience, advice and even training on a variety of topics. Keep up to date with them and the beginning farmers through their websites or Facebook pages. Mike Finger Whatcom County's oldest and largest Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm, providing over 115 families each season with a great variety of organically grown fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers. Tom ThorntonLocated on 20 picturesque acres of orchards, vineyards and nursery fields at the foot of Sumas Mountain near Everson with unique fruits, organic vegetables, nursery plants and more. Melissa MoellerA certified organic farm in Everson, raising chickens for eggs and chicken stock. Also raising turkeys, ducks, sheep and Christmas trees. Anna MartinA 15-acre family farm that sits alongside a lazy stretch of the Nooksack's south fork. Growing mixed vegetables, chicken, and heritage turkey, look for CSA offerings and their products at the Bellingham Farmers Market. Roslyn McNichollAn organic farm on fertile Nooksack River soil, cultivating a variety of mixed vegetables, berries & herbs, specializing in early/late season crops, garlic & sprouts. Brian & CrystineA small family farm specializing in Certified Organic vegetables, open pollinated and heirloom seeds, and cut flower production. Offers unique vegetable CSA and accepting food stamps. We also want to say a BIG THANKS to our Food To Bank On sponsors, who help make this project a reality! Join us in supporting these businesses:
 
For more information about Food To Bank On and participating and mentor farmers, click here
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Brewster's Fine Foods
Well worth the trip for local groceries and fancy fare
 Located in Point Roberts for the last 17 years, Brewster's is a combination retail grocery store and restaurant offering organic and local products sourced from small sustainable businesses in Whatcom County.
Brewster's offers organic produce, dairy, local free range eggs, grass fed meats, wild seafood and local fresh fish in their grocery store and for their house made restaurant menu. Don't miss on monthly and annual events from wine dinners and live music to holiday brunches and back yard events. Brewster's also offers custom catering and can even cross the border!
Brewster's Fine Foods
1379 Gulf Rd, Point Roberts
(360) 945-4545
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What we do:
The Food & Farming Program at Sustainable Connections promotes, educates and connects farmers, food buyers and eaters (like you!) who support local food and agriculture. We are the home of the Eat Local First campaign, Whatcom Farm Tour & September Eat Local Month.
 LIKE us @ Eat Local First on Facebook! Get involved! We have many upcoming volunteer opportunities. Contact
Have an event or tidbit to share? Send it to sara@sconnect.org.
You can also help make our work possible by Donating. Thanks so much for everything you do to grow our local food economy!
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Food & Farming Program Goals:
1. Increase market demand and competitiveness of locally produced seasonal agricultural products
2. Increase the share of agricultural products consumed locally that are produced locally
3. Increase the number, diversity, prosperity and sustainability of local agricultural producers and food entrepreneurs.
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2013 Food & Farming Program Sponsors
 
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Thank you, 2013 Food & Farming Program Sponsors
Header photo by Cynthia St. Clair
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Each month we hope to give you the most juicy, important and pertinent information about skills for eating seasonally, what's up with local farms and the good food happenings in and around Whatcom County. How are we doing? Your feedback means a lot to us.
Let us know what you liked, your favorite recipes or farms, and your upcoming events to sara@sconnect.org or becca@sconnect.org
Cheers!
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