What's In Season Locally
A list of produce you can find locally this month
Apricots, Arugula, Blueberries, Blackberries, Broccoli, Beets, Bok Choy, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Fava Beans, Fennel, Garlic, Green Onions, Greens - lots of greens, Herbs, Kale, Leeks, Peaches, Peas, Radishes, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Salad Mix, Strawberries, String Beans, Sugar Snap Peas, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Turnips, Crab, Lingcod, Salmon, Tuna & more!
Year Round
Dried Beans, Beets, Beef, Cabbage, Carrots, Dairy (butter, cheese, milk, yogurt) Eggs, Halibut, Black Cod, Hazelnuts, Herbs, Honey, Lamb, Lettuce, Salad Mix, Mushrooms, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Salmon, Shellfish (farmed). Sprouts and
Locally-crafted foods, from bread, jam, pickles and preserves to tea, wine, beer, spirits & more!
For more resources for finding what's in season in our region
pg 2-3
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July Bountiful Events July 1
Summer Greek Fest with Karina Davidson
July 5 Rocket Launch with Astronaut Wendy Lawrence at the Market
July 4 Watch the fireworks at Chuckanut Brewery
July 7-10 Camp Pizza
July 9-10 Kids Can Cook with Jean Layton
July 9 Downtown Sounds
Live music Wednesdays on the patio: Keenan's at the pier
July 10 Crops to Cuisine Farm Dinner
Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook Release with A
July 11
Old Fashioned Fish Fry & Farm Tunes
28th Annual Tour of Private Gardens July 12 Farming for clean water-Farm Buffer Tour
July 12 Brewery Tour
July 12
Veggie Demo at the Bellingham Farmers Market
July 12-14 Downtown Bellingham Sidewalk Sale
July 14
Bastille Day Picnic with Karina Davidson
July 15
Wild Edible Berries with Vanessa Cooper
July 16
Chef Farm Tour: Whatcom Bounty
July 19
Reader in the Limelight: Julie Powell "Cleaving: Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession"
July 20
Whatcom Wine and Spirits Fest
July 21
Hot off the Grill
July 22
Hot off the Grill 2
July 24
Berry Extravaganza with Karina Davidson
communityfood.coopJuly 24 Raising Dough: The Complete Guide to Financing a Socially Responsible Food Business with Elizabeth Ü
July 30
Fresh from the Farmers Market with Robert Fong
July 31
Future of Business Speaker Series Part Two
July 31 Downtown Sounds
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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.
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Take action for a healthy food system!
Want to help support a strong local food system? Do these 3 simple things:
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Happy summer! The sun is shining and local farms are filling out with bountiful produce; peas, lettuces, berries and more. Chicks are growing into poults, and laying hens are more productive than ever. This is the busy season for local farmers... up at dawn to harvest veggies, tend to the animals, pull weeds, make deliveries, and then up until late returning emails, processing invoices, sending out fresh sheets and more. What a job! I am so thankful we have so many hardworking and dedicated farmers in our community, who are committed to growing fresh, healthy food for us to eat, how about you?
In the height of the season, there is so much good food to eat, and a prime chance to support our local farms and food businesses. This month, we'd like to offer a "Taste of Summer Selfie" Challenge. Take photo of yourself, yes a "Selfie" doing one of the following and send it to us by July 25th for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter and on our Facebook page!
1. Shop at a Saturday or Wednesday Bellingham Farmers Market
2. Visit a local farm
3. Find a local product while grocery shopping
4. Eat at a local restaurant (see awesome list here!)
Send photos to eatlocalfirst@sconnect.org
Eat well and have fun while you're at it! Each dollar you spend with a local farm, food artisan, restaurant or grocery store is a commitment to helping our region's food supply grow! We look forward to seeing your lovely summer selfies :)
-Sara Southerland
Food & Farming Manager
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2nd Annual Whatcom Wine & Spirits Fest!
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Celebrate Independents Month!
Celebrating local, independent businesses all July long
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Look for these posters in the windows of local businesses.
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In Bellingham and Whatcom County we've created a one-of-a-kind community. A place that's wonderful to live, work and play. We have ourselves and local, independent businesses to thank for this so we're taking July to truly highlight all that they do. Look for this poster in the windows of local businesses throughout Whatcom County, and a printed directory of local businesses in the Bellingham Herald and the Cascadia Weekly July 2nd and on-line here.Spin to Win! The Luck o' the LocalVisit the Bellingham Farmers Market Saturday July 12th and test your luck with a spin of the Think Local First prize wheel. Lucky folks will win copies of the 2014 Where the Locals Go! Coupon Book, bumper stickers, "I Choose Local" buttons and special prizes donated by local businesses. Independents Scavenger HuntTake this opportunity to visit some great local, independent businesses, search for the Be Local Bee and be entered to win a Local Summer Adventure Pack. Check here for scavenger hunt details and to find out more.
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Two New Bellingham Breweries!
Aslan Brewing Company & Wander Brewing are two new Sustainable Connections members adding to the Bellingham Beer scene.
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An inside look at Aslan's new spot.
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We're so lucky to have a diverse food and farming scene here in Bellingham and now we're adding to our brew scene with two new breweries; Aslan Brewing Company and Wander Brewing. Both breweries are offering a great selection of brew to please any beer lover's taste. Aslan has a delicious menu that includes local fare, while Wander hosts different Whatcom Food Trucks every night of the week. Teresa Schmidt, with Bellingham Insider, writes more about both here. Stop by Aslan Brewing Company, located at 1130 N Forest St Bellingham, and Wander Brewing, off Ohio St at 1807 Dean Ave.
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Preserve the taste of Summer
Tips for canning and keeping the bounty of July!
Summer is the perfect time of year to try your hand at canning and preserving the abundance of delicious produce in season right now. Mastering the art of canning allows you to enjoy delicious foods year-round while supporting our local food system, increasing your self-reliance, and reducing packing waste. Think local berries, tomatoes, and pickled veggies to get you through the winter months. Sounds good, right? The process may seem daunting, but if you follow a handful of simple rules, the water bath method makes canning quite easy. For detailed step-by-step instructions on how to properly can foods, check out Eat Local 365. Or sign up for a class at the Community Food Co-op, Whatcom Folk School or ask a friend to show you the ropes! Looking for recipes? Check the Whatcom County Library System, Villagebooks, or do some searching online. There are tons of resources and blogs to inspire you, one of our favorite is Food In Jars!
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Ways to Eat Local on the Go!
Tips for making it easy to take & find local fare on your trips
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Anna enjoying her corn on the cob from Boxx Berry Farm.
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Nothing says summer like packing up the car for a road trip or picnic. Enjoy the beautiful sights here in Whatcom County and beyond while also eating fresh, local foods with these tips:
-Visit your local farmers market and grab your favorite foods to throw together a wonderful picnic: breads, cheeses, berries, seasonal veggies, and more! Click here to find all Washington State Farmers Markets. -Pack a cooler with ice packs and fill with local snacks like raw veggies and cheeses before you leave on your adventure. Bring utensils to make cutting, slicing and spreading easier on the go.
-Do you have a favorite local condiment, deli dish or spread? Bring it with you to complement those fresh fruits and veggies! Stop by any of the delis, grocers or markets listed in the Whatcom Food & Farm Finder starting on pg 49. -Need to find a spot to eat that offers local options? The Eat Well Guide lists restaurants, farmers markets, stands and stores along your route, so you can find a place that sells fresh foods on the road.
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Get Involved:
Easy ways to contribute and be a part of our local food system.
Why: We work hard to encourage our community to eat local year round, why not celebrate our delicious local wineries & distilleries and drink local too!
How: Volunteers are needed to help the event run smoothly. Click here to see what roles are needed, then contact Erin@Sconnect.org for more information.
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Recipe: Garlic Scape Pesto
A delicious, and easy tip sheet from our last Demo Day with the Bellingham Farmers Market in June.
What is a Garlic Scape?
Garlic Scapes are the flowering stalk of the garlic plant. Farmers snap off the stalk for two reasons, the stalks are delicious, and also so that the garlic can put its energy into the bulb, and not into flowering.
Scapes can be chopped up and sautéed into stir-frys soups, omelets, or just served on they own as a side dish. You can pickle scapes or make scape pesto.
Garlic Scape Pesto
2 bunches garlic scapes
1/3 cup parmeson cheese (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup hazelnuts (you can use any nuts or seeds you have on hand)
Add all ingredients to food processor or blender except olive oil. Start the blending and pour the olive oil slowly so that the oil emulsifies the pesto. Serve over pasta, as a dip, or spread on a sandwich.*
*This general method can be used to make pesto out of other ingredients such as basil, arugula, cilantro, and kale. Add walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds or pepitas for more flavor and texture. Have fun and experiment!
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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 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.
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2014 Food & Farming Program Sponsors
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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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