Sustainable Connections

Food & Farming Program Newsletter  
February 2014 
In This Issue
What's Fresh
Winter Farmer's Market
Top 10 Food apps
Bountiful Events
A Local Valentine's Day
NW WA Trade Meeting
Thank You WECU
Get Involved
Heart Beet Cookies Recipe
What's Fresh:

     

1. Congratulations to Stephen Trinkaus at Terra Organica for winning the Healthy Environment Sustainability Champion Award for his work in Community Energy Challenge, Labeling GMO's and so much more.  And to Jessica & Mataio Gillis at Ciao Thyme for winning the Buy Local First Sustainability Champion Award, for the large amount of their food budget they spend locally supporting our farmers and encouraging us to taste local ourselves!

2. Check it out, farm fresh Veggies & Snacks straight from a vending machine in Chicago. Founder, Luke Saunders, of Farmer's Fridge,is working with his Salad Making team to have fresh food easily accessible. Read more here.

Winter Farmers Market  
3rd Saturdays in Feb, March
The winter market is on at Bellingham Farmers Market. We know it's a long time to wait but there are 2 more market days until April when the market is back in full swing.

Don't miss out on your winter fill of produce and artisan made goods on Saturday February 15 & March 15.

For more details and vendor profiles, visit bellinghamfarmers.org 

Top 10 Food Apps for your phone  
New tools to find quality food 
Here's a great way to use your phone, apps that actually help you vote with your forks for a better food system. Thanks to Rodale News for rounding up the 10 best must-have smartphone apps for anyone concerned about getting the most out of  grocery shopping.    
  1. Fooducate
  2. Seafood Watch
  3. Wild Edibles
  4. What's on my food?
  5. Non GMO Project Shopping Guide
  6. True Food
  7. NRDC Eat Local
  8. Dirty Dozen
  9. Eden Foods
  10. Harvest
Click here to get the details on each app.

February  Bountiful Events
 

January 30-February 1

7th Annual Organic Seed Grower's Conference

seedalliance.org 

 

February 3

Slow Food & Nurishing Traditions with Gigi Berardi, PhD

communityfood.coop 

 

February 5

Lummi Island Fish with Robert Fong

communityfood.coop

 

February 6  

Thursday Supper Club

 leaf&ladle Facebook

 

February 9

Best Buy Red Tasting

vinostrology.com 

 

February 10

Sexy Desserts with Roberto Cortez

ciaothyme.com

 

February 11

Raw Chocolate for Lovers with Bruce Horowitz

communityfood.coop  

 

February 12

Tango Night, every 2nd Wednesday of the Month 

 

February 13

Vincent Stanley at Brown Bag Business Lunch

villagebooks.com 

 

February 14

Valentine's Day Incognito Dinner

ciaothyme.com 

 

February 15

Fruit Trees & Advanced Vegetable Gardening pt.1

cloudmountainfarmcenter.org 

 

February 16

Bellingham Farmers Market Open

bellinghamfarmers.org 

 

February 17

NW Farm-To-Table Trade Meeting

 

February 24

Making friends with whole grains with Sonja Max, RD

communityfood.coop

February 27
Growing your own Backyard Beans & Grains with Krista Rome
communityfood.coop

February 27 
Incognito Dinner Series 

March 7
2014 Northwest Washington Sustainable Agriculture Conference

Eat Local First Campaign 

   

To be a part of the Eat Local First Campaign, businesses commit to growing their local food budgets by 10% each year!

Be sure to check out our newest additions, and ask what's local?
For the complete list of all participating Eat Local First Restaurants click here

Take action for a healthy food system!  

   

Want to help support a strong local food system? Do these 3 simple things:

1. Like "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.
 

Greetings!   

      

With January nearly behind us and we ease into the month of love, I'd like to ask: What's your relationship like with food? What are relationships you've gained because of food? 
 
Many of you may have made health or food based New Year's resolutions. Is that you? Though through the end of the first month the newness may have worn off. Need a goal to keep yourself going? Eating locally is a great place to start. Not only can you feel good about the food you are putting into your body, you can celebrate the fact that you are consciously supporting families and businesses rooted in our community. Local food is most often whole based foods: vegetables, fruit, dairy, nuts, grains, meat -- and are an excellent base toward a year of healthy, clean eating. 

Fall in love with a farmer: the Bellingham Farmers Market is open during winter months, every 3rd Saturday, a swell place to stock up on locally grown vegetables, meats and more. Try ordering a weekly box from Acme Farms + Kitchen, including meal plans featuring locally 
grown and made products, or Dandelion Organic Delivery Service, delivering organic produce to your door. What could be easier? And, many locally owned grocery stores like the Community Food Co-ops, Terra Organica, and grocery chains like The Markets and Haggen carry select local products throughout the year as well -- just look for the Eat Local First logo.

Happy belated New Year all you food lovers out there. Wishing you all the best in your food relationships this season!
 
-Sara Southerland, Food & Farming Program Manager 

A Local Valentine's Day 

Local date spots for you and your valentine         


Deciding how you want to celebrate your Valentine's Day? Explore these different local date ideas from romantic restaurants to cozy cafes and DIY Valentine's Day desserts.

 

Ciao Thyme Caf�

An intimate space with gourmet meals for those special occasions.  

Reserve a spot for the Valentine's Day Incognito Dinner. A romantic multi-course menu and live music, details of the menu are concealed until meal time, as the name Incognito implies.

 

The Table

Located next to the Mount Baker Theatre, enjoy dishes featuring fresh, locally grown and produced items and beautifully crafted pasta that is made on site. 

 

Winter Bellingham Farmer's Market

Thinking of cooking a special meal from scratch for a romantic night in? Don't forget the Winter Farmer's Market will be open Valentine's Day weekend!

 

Community Food Co-op Class

The perfect opportunity to indulge in chocolate in a hands-on class called "Raw Chocolate for Lovers." Delicacies will be made with cacao, coconut sugar, raw cashews, fresh vanilla beans, and health-empowering superfood ingredients like goji berries, and lucuma powder.

 

Mallard Ice Cream

Who wouldn't want to finish the night with delicious locally made ice cream? This is Bellingham's best micro batch gourmet ice cream with an emphasis on organic ingredients and locally grown produce.

 

Bellewood Acres

Get your tickets now to enjoy Burlesque & Brandy on Valentine's Evening, featuring The Provacatuers, a Libido Bar hosted by Drayton Harbor Farms, a rapturous dinner by Crave Catering and Flying Prohibition Jazz from Julian MacDonough Trio. 

 

You're bound to fall in love with these local spots. Click on the links above for more information and have a Happy Local Valentine's Day!

 

  NW Washington Farm-To-Table
Trade Meeting 

Register now to meet with other farmers, food artisans, chefs, restauranteurs and buyers!     

  

We're calling on Farms, Food Artisans, Processors, Grocery Buyers, Restaurant Owners, Chefs and Distributors from Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan and Island Counties!

 

Join us for a day-long conference full of opportunities to learn and connect, with new speed networking, popular one-on-one consultations, engaging panel discussions and a delicious local lunch. This year's Farm-To-Table Trade Meeting is a great opportunity to hear the latest on what's happening with NW Washington's farms and food and learn how you can contribute.

 

NW Washington Farm-to-Table Trade Meeting 

Monday, February 17, 9am-4pm

St. Luke's Community Health Education Center

3333 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham

 

Register Here. $30 registration fee, $50 for a Trade Table, includes 1 registration. A delicious local lunch included!

 

Questions? Contact Sara Southerland: 360-647-7093, ext. 114

 

Thank You WECU! 
Your support will help 9 new farmers be successful.  

  

We wanted to be sure to give a huge thank you to WECU Social Responsibilty Program for helping support our Food To Bank On program this year with a $1,000 donation.  

 

We truly appreciate all that you do in our community and for helping to grow new farmers in 2014.

Get Involved:

Easy ways to contribute and be a part of our local food system    

 

What: Volunteer opportunities with the Bellingham Food Bank

Why:
The Bellingham Food Bank relies on support from the community with help from over 300 volunteers and more are always welcome. Helping the Bellingham Food Bank is a great opportunity to give back to the community at large!

How to get involved: 
For more information visit: bellinghamfoodbank.org or email info@bellinghamfoodbank.org
Recipe: Heart Beet Cookies
A festive vegan cookie to suit your valentines.

These vegan beet cookies area great way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Not only are they tasty and colorful but they're pretty decent for you too. Feel free to swap out canned beets or raw beets just be sure to follow the recipes accordingly. We hope these cookies help you spread the love.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup beets
2 tablespoons oil

Click here for the Raw Fine Shredded Beets recipe from Weelicious.com.
And here for the Canned Beets recipe from the Apron String Blog

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 County Farm Tour & September Eat Local Month

Like us @ Eat Local First on Facebook


Get Involved! We have many upcoming volunteer opportunities. Contact erin@sconnect.org 

Have an event or tidbit to share? Send it to becca@sconnect.org

You can also help make our work possible by Donating, too!
Thanks so much for everything you do!    

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.

2014 Food & Farming Program Sponsors
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Thanks to our Food & Farming Sponsors

Currently seeking sponsors for 2014! Contact sara@sconnect.org

Feedback is welcome!  

Each month as 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 and farms, and your upcoming events by sending a message to sara@sconnect.org or becca@sconnect.org 

 

Cheers! 

 

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