Sourcepoint Seeds

Sourcepoint Seeds
26422 Moss Rock Road, Hotchkiss, CO 81419.
Catalogue is $4.00, checks payable to Anpetu Oihankesni.

Cereal grains, legumes, vegetables, herbs, fruit, flowers, and trees. Some seeds gathered from clean wild areas. Seeds raised in a "highly charged matrix of energies" in the Intermountain West.

Locavore Farm Delivery from Dee Creek Farm - 10.28.2009

Here's this week's awesome Locavore delivery list chock full of locally grown, raised, made and gathered goodies for your table. Take note of some very special items this week, including fresh baked bread from the fabulous Russell of Russell's Bread, free laying hens, lots of great wild crafter foods from Nature's Choice (including watercress and wild chestnuts...and don't forget that Bill & Laura are offering an extremely rare opportunity to spend a day in the woods learning and gathering mushrooms with Bill. Sign up soon, because there are only a couple of hunts left for the year!),a nd finally fresh lamb from Reister Farm in Washougal. Sweet. Now here's the official word from Summer at Dee Creek Farm:

We have bread for Thursday! Russell, the bread maker, has generously offered to make up "goodie bags" for me to send home with customers Thursday night, each containing a fresh mini french loaf and delicious cookies. We've swapped cheese for bread with Russell many'a time at the Market (yum!), and would be happy to keep his breads a regular thing if you guys are wanting it! I'm taking pre-orders for multi grain full sized loaves below for Thursday. If you'd like to meet Russell in person, visit his booth this Saturday during the last Vancouver Farmers Market Saturday of the season!

If you've emailed me about the beef, and haven't heard back, I will email you shortly. Because it's hunting season, I need to check in with Gartner's to see how many animals they can handle at once. If not now, we can hook you up in a couple of weeks.

Stock up THIS Thursday on extra's for two weeks worth, as on 5th (the next delivery), we will only have eggs and cheese. Scott & I are taking off to the coast for our 10th anniversary, and Mom will be doing deliveries alone - thanks Mom! ~S

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Wednesday, from 3pm-6pm, Storytree Farm will be having a bit winter squash & pumpkin sale!

An offer from one of our customers: ...have five hens that need a home, free of charge, to be picked up in Vancouver. At least three of them are laying regularly. A picture of these lovely girls below. Email me if you're interested, and I will fwd it to her.

Dee Creek Farm Cheeses, from start to finish - ask about our weekly CSA discount. A plethora of choices this week, all delish!

CHEVRE:

Original, 4 oz, $5.00 tub
Flavored, 3.5 oz, $5.00 tub. Flavors are: Garlic & Chive, Provence, Dill, Red Peppers (contains sugar)
FETA, Raw & Pasteurized:
Fresh, Pasteurized, block or crumbles, 4 oz, $5.00
Spicy, Fresh, Pasteurized crumbles, 3.5 oz, $5.00
Tapenade Aged, Raw crumbles, 3.5 oz, $5.00
Smoked, Fresh, Pasteurized blocks, 3.5 oz, $5.00
REGULAR CHESTER (young Muenster-style). Pasteurized milk, washed rind cheese. Mild, smooth, soft and creamy. $1.50 per oz. Vacuum sealed wedges. Apprx $6-9
MANCHEVO MOLE (Manchego Fresco-style). Pasteurized milk, rind rubbed with cocoa & (hot!) chipotle. Mild, subtle and fresh PASTE. Rich, semi-firm & creamy. Try with baked potatoes, chopped onion, beans, burritos, tacos, salad. $1.75 per oz. Vacuum sealed wedges. Apprx $4-8
CAPRAPHILLY (Caerphilly-style). $1.50 oz. Vacuum sealed wedges. Apprx $6-10.50
CHELBY CRUMBLES (Colby-style), 3.5 oz, $5.00 tub
CHEVINS (Cabra al Vino style), Vacuum sealed wedges. Soaked in Spirits. Some Raw milk, some pasteurized:
Semi-Dry Cider $2.00 oz. Unpasteurized. Semi-Dry Cider-soaked rind. $8.50-11
Blackberry $1.75 oz. Pasteurized. Blackberry wine-soaked rind. $10-14
Strawberry $1.75 oz. Pasteurized. Blackberry wine-soaked rind. $9.50-13
Riesling $1.75 oz. Pasteurized. Riesling wine-soaked rind. $9.50-13

Eggs,
$5/dozen, ($4.50 per dozen for egg CSA'ers)
$2.50/half-dozen (limited)

We may have extra from other farms this week. Our chickens are fed only natural feeds and lots of pasture - you can find lots of info on our poultry-raising on our website. Be sure to recycle egg cartons that you pick up at our deliveries with us!

Fresh Lamb, (options below)
$7/lb. ground lamb burger
$11.25/lb - Rack of Lamb - they each are 2-3 pounds
$30 - Individual size includes the following:
2 lamb chops, 1 pound of kabob meat (made from the leg), 2 pounds of burger
$65 - Small family size ( 2 to 3 people) includes the following:
4 lamb chops, 1 boneless shoulder roast, 3 lbs burger, 2 shanks
$100 - Large family size includes the following:
6 lamb chops, 1 shoulder roast, 3 lbs burger, 4 lamb steaks, 2 shanks
This is from Reister Farms in Washougal, and includes USDA processing and packaging. Checks for this will need to be made out to them separately, as possible.

Wild & Naturally Preserved Eats,
Mushrooms, Fresh (1/4# bags) -
Shiitake $3.00
Maitake $4.00
White Chanterelle $3.50
Yellow Chanterelle $4.00
Wild Water Cress $3.00 per bag
Wild Chestnuts $4.00 per 1# bag
Frozen Huckleberries $9.00 per pound
Frozen Wild Blackberries $3.50 per pound
Frozen Elderberries $6.00 per pound
From Nature's Choice, a couple-owned business in Vancouver, these wild eats are amazingly well-gathered, fresh, and nutrient-dense!

Multi-Grain Bread, $4.25/loaf
Tomorrow Russell (with Russell's Bread) will be bringing some of his multi-grain bread loaves, fresh and sliced, ready to serve. Since he started mixing and prepping tonight for them to be fresh Thursday, quantities are very limited - so be sure to pre-order if you'd like to try one or two!

Natural Soap, $4/bar
Handcrafted by one of our customers, Kathy, these naturally made bars are made with vegetable and essential oils. They are mild and non-toxic. Many of the 'extra's (oils, dried herbs, etc) come directly from Kathy's garden! Choose one (or more) of the following: Cinnamon Coffee, Clove, or Rosemary.

Laundry Soap Kit - $5/each
The kit will make 3 gallons of liquid laundry soap, made by Kathy. All ingredients & instructions included to make your very own. You just need a pot, a bucket, a wooden spoon, and essential oils if you desire!

*****

Remember that in an effort to be more efficient, and less wasteful, we do not write individual receipts, but instead keep a book. If you specifically want a receipt, please let us know when you place your order, if possible.

Anyone and everyone can order from our deliveries, not just "subscribers" or CSA-ers! To any newcomers on the e-list, welcome! Also rest assured that all farms contributing to our deliveries all meet several standards: chemical-free, sustainable, natural, family farming... If you have questions about any of them, don't hesitate to ask, or check them out yourself!

To order, click here and specify what you would like.
All checks go to "Dee Creek Farm", or bring cash.

**BRING YOUR OWN BAG**

We fill pre-orders first, then it’s first come, first served!
We do mostly pre-orders at deliveries, rather than Farmers Market style.
Please help us in this by pre-ordering what you can!

Summer & Spark
Email
Farm Phone: 360-225-9711
Cell Phone: 360-903-6956 (no service at the Farm)

Here’s a riddle for you: When is a nut not just a nut? When it’s a chestnut. Because of their high starch content (twice that of potatoes), chestnuts have historically been used more as a vegetable than a nut. In some parts of the world they are still used as a potato substitute. This speaks of the chestnut's versatility. Roast them, use them in soups or as an accompaniment to vegetable dishes, puree them, or add them to stuffing. However you use chestnuts, you can be sure that this ancient food, is a good nutritional choice over the holidays. And once you figure out how to penetrate their forbidding hard mahogany exterior, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a wonderful low fat, high fiber holiday treat.

This and more info (including recipes) can be found by clicking here.

2010 VSA Shares and CSA Coffee Talk w/ Rosemattel's CSA & Five Star Farms

Open House CSA Farm Produce Subscription Information Night Every Monday of November at 8806 NE 159th Street Battle Ground WA 98604. Learn how your subscription to a CSA farm is healthy for your family and the "growing" community! By supporting your local Clark County Farmerettes you are keeping agriculture alive! Free admission!

Free coffee or tea and take home an organically grown winter squash. Other farm products available for purchase as well.

Don't have time for an open house? Already know what a CSA is?

Also accepting payment plans for 2010 CSA Season! Pick up days are as follows:
Monday Afternoon at 159th farm from 1-3
Monday evenings at Barberton Grange 4:30-5:30
Wednesday Afternoon from 2-4
Friday Afternoon from 2-4
Saturday at BG Farmers Market located at 199th and 503 (BG Cinemas Shopping Center) 9-3

For pricing and harvest week details, please see
rosemattelscsa.com
fivestarfarms.biz

Last Chance Winter Squash & Apples From Storytree Farm

This just in courtesy of Summer from Dee Creek Farm:

End of Summer winter squash and pumpkin sale at Storytree Farm!

This Wednesday, October 28th from 3pm until 6pm, you're invited to come out to Storytree CSA Farm in Vancouver (6227 NE 124th Street - 98686) to choose and purchase your favorite variety of winter squash and/or pumpkin, most $1/pound. These have been grown using no chemicals and lots of love from Nelson & Anne. This is a good time to put your old preserving techniques to the test. Remember what we've learned about preserving winter squash - and that they'll last up to (and sometimes past!) a year. Just last week I ate one of Storytree's butternuts that I had oiled last Fall. Crazy! But what a blessing to be able to eat them throughout the 'off' season.

For those of you who have pre-ordered apples (I'll email you separately as well as confirmation), we're changing our pick up at this time. If you didn't order, but wish you would have, Anne ordered some extra boxes for $25 each twenty-pound box. I imagine they'll go fast, so come earlier in the day if you're hoping to nab one up for the last of your apple preserving!

I'll be there the whole time, helping sort and load. I'd love to see some of you there! With local markets closing for the winter, this may be one of your last opportunities for super fresh produce from local farmers (tho' our deliveries continue as long as there is food and people!). Here's to a happy Fall & Winter!


Summer
Email
Farm Phone: 360-225-9711
Cell Phone: 360-903-6956 (no service at the Farm)

Wild Game Sausage & Oktoberfest @ Mint Tea Bistro

Mint Tea Bistro is once again offering their delicious wild game sausages in celebration of Oktoberfest. The sausages are all natural/nitrite-free and the sides are made from scratch. There are only three days left to enjoy this special event, so get on down to Mint Tea, support a local restaurant, and treat yourself to a fine meal.

Oktoberfest 2009!

Just 3 days remaining of hosting our version of Oktoberfest during lunch service. If you enjoy a good sausage with homemade sides, we encourage you to hurry in as it ends this Sunday, Oct. 25th.

Deer John (Venison)
Jackalope (Jack rabbit, Antelope and Pork)
Wally’s Gator (Alligator and Pork)
Daffy’s Maddness (Duck w/ Mushroom)

Mint Tea Bistro
http://www.mintteaimports.com/
2014 Main St. Vancouver, WA 98660
360.699.4991

Monday - Saturday
Breakfast 9am to 4pm
Lunch 11am to 4pm

Friday & Saturday
Dinner 5:30 to 9:30 pm

Sunday
Brunch 10am to 3 pm

Snohomish County Focus on Farming Conference - 11.5.2009

Focus on Farming Conference returns Nov. 5

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon will host the sixth annual Focus on Farming Conference on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Tulalip Resort & Conference Center in Marysville, along with the first-ever Land Use and Policy Summit preceding it on Nov. 4.

Since 2004, Reardon has brought together regional farmers, growers and retailers for a day of learning, networking and enjoying farm-fresh local products prepared by gourmet chefs. This year, attendees will be enlightened by speakers including Cowboy Poet Baxter Black, author David Mas Masumoto and former Secretary of Agriculture for New Jersey Charles Kuperus.
Participants will gather insightful information on new techniques and innovations during a day full of workshop sessions designed to help every farm business succeed. There will also be a tradeshow with exhibitors, and on Wednesday, Nov. 4, participants can attend the first annual Land Use and Policy Summit, part of an ongoing series of summits designed to increase regional competitiveness.

“We’ve spent the past five years helping local farmers diversify their products so their business can remain economically viable,” Reardon said. “Farming is an industry with a bottom line, and we’re seeing increases in both acreage under production and products sold.”

This year’s conference, with the theme “Growing Together,” balances business-style sessions on marketing, environmental stewardship and future markets with new-product classes including wine-making, nursery development and bioproducts. Participants can choose from seven different tracks offering 28 workshop sessions.

Kuperus will offer the morning keynote address, discussing the ever-shrinking U.S. agricultural land base despite a continued growth in population, focusing on public policy geared toward farming.

Masumoto, a third-generation farmer and author of “Wisdom of the Last Farmer,” offers the lunch-time crowd his musings on family, farming, life and death and age-old wisdom that only a farmer can know.

Evening entertainment includes Black, a self-described poet who can shoe a horse, string a bob-wire fence and bang out a Bob Wills classic on his flat-top guitar. Since 1982, Black has been rhyming his way into the national spotlight, and now stands as the best selling cowboy poet in the world.

As always, the day is filled with a gourmet lunch prepared by local chefs with locally grown and raised food. The evening will be topped off with wine-and-cheese tasting featuring wineries and artisan cheese makers from Western Washington.

Go to www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/County_Services/Focus_on_Farming for more information.

Battle Ground Farmers' Market Indoor Holiday Market

This just in from Brenda "Farmerette" Millar: The BGFarmers Market Association is hosting an indoor holiday market first Fri and Sat of November through third weekend of December. Details are on our site www.battlegroundfarmersmarket.org Anyhow, we have an opportunity for a talented window painter (or group) to come in and paint away a classy holiday theme on the building windows of the suite we have been donated to use for this event. If you know anyone who has this talent, send them my way. Whomever donates their time for this, we will publicize their artwork and grant them full rights to continue advertising through our website! Would like to have this arrangement squared away by Monday at the latest! Let me know if you have any leads as well, I will get in touch with them! Cordially, Brenda Millar BG Farmers Market Association (360) 576-9767 or (360) 241-1278

First Tuesday - Urban Food Production Presentation

The good folks from City of Vancouver Planning Commission are bringing us a most excellent First Tuesday event in November re. urban food production. Check it out!

Urban Food Production
A First Tuesday Presentation brought to you by the Vancouver Planning Commission

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 - 4 PM

Vancouver City Hall - 210 E. 13th Street, Vancouver, WA 98660

Like air, water, and shelter, food is essential for life.
Food plays a central role in our health,
communities, customs, heritage, and culture.

Come join local experts in sharing their knowledge, experience, and success stories in an array of urban food production topics. Presenters will discuss urban gardening, harvesting and marketing, access to healthy food, and the need to plan for urban food systems. We’ll share how current programs work and discuss a vision for the future.

Planning Commission Chair, Derek Chisholm will moderate.

Tricia Mortell, Clark County Public Health and Ariel Rivers, AmeriCorps Volunteer: Introduction and Overview

Greta Lavadour, Clark County Food Systems Council; Planning for Urban Food Systems

Jane Kleiner, City of Vancouver; Community Gardens

Jodee Nickel, WSU Extension and Amy Sidran, Fort Vancouver School Teacher; School Gardens

Anne Lawrence, Storytree Farms; Community Supported Agriculture

Kris Alexander, Clark County Office of Sustainability and Kendra Pearce, Urban Farm School; Home Grown Gardens, Clark County Homegrown/Community Grown Project

See the City of Vancouver web site for more info.

OMG!! Wild Bill wants to take you shrooming!

I don't get excited about too many things, but mushroom hunting gets my blood pumping. Combine the prospect of a day in the woods gathering delicious fungi with the company of the amazing and charming wild food crafter, Bill Cole and you've got yourself the makings for one heck of a time! This is a truly wonderful opportunity to get out and discover the plethora of edibles growing right at our doorsteps under the guidance of an expert. Don't miss out on this one folks!

Here's the scoop from Bill's lovely bride, Laura:

Hi mushroom & wild food friends,

I know you thought that it would never happen, but it’s finally time to take to the woods on a full day trip with Wild Bill and learn about the wonderful fall wild mushrooms, berries and edible plant foods available in WA & OR! Bill is going to take several small, private groups (3-4 people maximum) out over the next couple weeks only, for an all day Mushroom and Wild Food Adventure.

Available dates right now are:

This coming Sunday Oct. 24th

Wednesday Oct. 28th

Sunday Nov. 1st

Wednesday Nov. 4th

Sunday Nov. 8th

Transportation and enthusiastic wild food discussion will be provided by Bill, you will need to bring your rain gear, a bag lunch, water, and a camera if desired. Travel needs to be light – only what you can carry on your person because you will do quite a bit of walking. We will head out, rain or shine, at 8:00am from the Walmart on Mill Plain and Bill will return you to your cars by approximately 5:00pm. The cost for the whole day is $90.00, payable at the start of the day, and we will also need you to sign a liability waiver before heading out.

This may be the only chance available for a while, so if you can make one of the above dates, please drop me an email or call Bill directly at (360) 798-9331 so we can hold you a spot.

Bill & Laura Cole
Nature’s Choice
“Wild Foraged Foods – The Original Organic”
www.natureswildharvest.com
laura@natureswildharvest.com

I'm baaaaaack...

Did ya' miss me? Well I sure have missed you folks. I've been busy coming to terms with my recently layoff, doing the Mr. mom thing, and taking classes at PCC...oh yeah, the wife and I have been down with the swine flu this week too. My new life doesn't require me to sit in front of a computer screen for 10 hours a day, so needless to say I'm not working hard gathering information to post here at CCF&F like I used to. That may very well change in the future, but for now I'd expect less frequent updates at the blog if I were you. That being said, if you have something to share or an event that needs some publicity, I'm happy to oblige. I'm also considering taking on contributors to post articles and event information on CCF&F. If any of you are so inclined, shoot me an e-mail and we can figure out the best way to make that happen.

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me with concerns of my well-being and whereabouts.

YWCA Community Garden Contest Update!

WOW! You folks just keep coming through for the YWCA. They are currently leading the Umpqua Bank click4acause contest by over 1000 votes...SWEET!! We can't stop the momentum yet though. Let's see if we can't break 10k votes by Monday. I have a feeling that the folks from the Chico, CA Boys & Girls Club are going to come on strong at the end and we need to help the YWCA keep their lead. So keep on clicking!

click4acause

Dee Creek Farm/Locavore Delivery Update!!

I got word from Ryan of ProFarm Produce out in Eastern Washington, and he has some certified organic freestone peaches and nectarines that we'll be getting a delivery of on Friday. If they're anything like their cherries, they'll be huge and juicy!

These peaches and/or nectarines are $25 for 20 pounds. They should already be weighed out, but you need to bring your own box to transfer them into to take home as we will not have containers for you to go home with.

We will be meeting THIS Friday from 1:30pm - 2:15pm in Vancouver. Confirm your order with me for directions.

We MUST have all of the orders in by 7pm TONIGHT. Ooo, and specify if you are wanting peaches or nectarines.

Here's to lots of canning over the weekend! I know I plan to put up a LOT. Peaches are one of my favorites (I say that about whatever specific thing is in season, but I really DO mean it!).

Summer
Email
Farm Phone: 360-225-9711
Cell Phone: 360-903-6956 (no service at the Farm)

Lawn to Food: Converting Grass to Growing Space - 9.17.2009

The Urban Farm School & the Fruit Valley Sunshine Garden present:

Lawn to Food: Converting Grass to Growing Space
Thursday, September 17
6:00 to 8:00pm

Learn how to convert existing lawn to suitable space for planting a garden! Autumn is the ideal time to prepare new and existing garden beds for the spring season. Class will include how to easily suppress or remove grass, appropriate materials, amend soil, and encourage microorganisms. This will be a hands-on class held at the Fruit Valley Sunshine Garden where we will prepare a bed for this neighborhood project as part of the class. Bring your gloves and questions; it will be a great evening!

Fee: $15/person
Location: Fruit Valley Sunshine Garden, 2903 Weigel Avenue, Vancouver 98660
Registration and payment required: 360-852-3728 or e-mail

Locavore Delivery Service and Dee Creek Farm News - 8.27.2009

Here's the word on this week's Locavore delivery service, brought to you by Summer @ Dee Creek Farm:

We have a pretty well-rounded, full list of delivery items this week below! Be sure to check through to find anything new that may be of interest to you!

With a wee bit of luck, I'm hoping for more extra fresh veggies from Storytree Farm, but anything other than below will be on the fly, as they pick it moments before our delivery starts! Their pickling cukes are amazing heirloom cucumbers that are sweet and delish! We may also get some veggies from NW Organics also, and that I'm hoping to know by tomorrow night's email.

Also, heads up: tomorrow I'll be sending out bulk peach/nectarine purchasing information. After having thought we missed out, we're in luck! It'll be $25 for a twenty pound box, but don't pre-order until you get the delivery info - it will be on a Friday (not normal deliveries), either this one or next one. 'Til soon! Meanwhile, check out what's available for Thursdays delivery below, send me an order, and we'll see you then!

*****

Bronze Pastured Turkeys, whole, $3.85/lb
We are harvesting tomorrow (Wednesday), and will be doing a couple extra this week that are up for grabs. Last week they ranged from 20-25 pounds. This week should be similar. You cannot pick your weight until deliveries - the sooner you get there, the better chance you have at your pick. But you're welcome to email me back and let me know if you want your name on one (so to speak)... Check out our website for info on how we raise our poultry.

Dee Creek Farm Cheeses, from start to finish
Our cheese can also be found at our Thursday deliveries, or, thanks to Mom and/or other lovely 'hosting' farmers, at:
Wednesday afternoon/eve at the Camas Farmers Market
Wednesday at the Portland Farmers Market
Thursday 3pm-7pm at the Portland Farmers Market
Friday at Wahkiakum's Two Islands Farm Market
Friday, 3pm-7pm at the Woodland Farmers Market
Saturday, 9am-3pm at the Vancouver Farmers Market
Feta, $5.00/container - Creamy and salt, fresh and pasteurized. Raw coming soon again!
Plain - block or crumble
Fresh Chevre, $5.00/container - Creamy - great on crepes, bagels, crackers, veggies... pasteurized
Original (Plain)
Dill
Garden Mix
Garlic & Chives
Black Pepper
Herbs de Provence
Marionberry Lavender Chipotle

Blueberry Delight - layered granola (from Pdx Farmers Market), sweet cheese (with Honey House honey), and blueberries on top (also from Pdx Farmers Market)
Caperphilly, $4-$6/wedge - Firm, dry table or melting caerphilly-style cheese, with a clever play on words for a title. Young and mild in flavor. Pasteurized.

Eggs,
$5/dozen, ($4.50 per dozen for egg CSA'ers)
$2.50/half-dozen (limited)
First come, first served on extras. Our chickens are fed only natural feeds and lots of pasture - you can find lots of info on our poultry-raising on our website. Be sure to recycle egg cartons that you pick up at our deliveries with us!
SOY FREE EGGS, $4/dozen - limited
Rainbow Egg Farm in Brush Prairie has raised a flock on NO SOY, and continues to feed a no-soy diet to her laying hens. These eggs are small. I was surprised how dirty some were from last week, and so have gone through to make sure what we're passing out are clean and un-cracked.

Fresh Emmer Salad,
$4/8-ounces
A yummy lunch or side salad to take home made with whole grain organic emmer, heirloom tomatoes from Storytree Farm, organic onions from NW Organic, feta cheese from Dee Creek Farm, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. I'll bring forks :-)

Fresh Farmer Fare,
Zucchini, yellow & green, 3 for $1.00
Heirloom Pickling Cucumbers, $2.00/lb
$1.50/lb if you order 20# or more

These (and much of our extra's lately, including those amazing figs!) come from Storytree Farm in Vancouver.

Raw Honey,
Quart/$12, Pint/$7
Raw honey in glass jars form Honey House Farm in Brush Prairie - super local!

Wild & Naturally Preserved Eats,
Mushrooms, Fresh (1/4# bags) -
Maitake $4.50
Lobster $4.00
Shiitake $3.00
Fresh Huckleberries, $4.50/half-pint, $24 for half flat (6 half-pints), $45 for full plant (12 half-pints) -- Bill says they've sweetened up this week!!
From Nature's Choice, a couple-owned business in Vancouver, these wild eats are amazingly well-gathered, fresh, and nutrient-dense!

Heirloom Organic Grains,
From Bluebird Grains in Eastern Washington, we have some left overs from our last bulk order that you're welcome to. You can go ahead and pre-order any of the following until it's gone (then we can do a new order):
Organic Whole Grain Emmer (Farro), $7/1.3 pounds, $19/5 pounds
Emmer Pancake and Waffle Mix, $8/2 pounds
Old World Cereal Blend, $7/1.3 pounds
Sage Biscuit Mix, $8/20 ounces
Organic Dark Northern Rye Flour, $11 for 4.5 pounds

Cultures,
Kombucha, $5/scoby
Dairy Kefir, $5/grains
These are the ones I've been using at Dee Creek Farm, and they've started to multiply (finally!) since I've gotten back on the task of keeping them happy and well. There should be enough to get you started.

Handmade Soap,
$4.00/bar - Limited amount
Both of the soaps below are crafted by Summer at DCF with quality coconut, olive, palm, and essential oils. Handmade & individually cut, these bars are mild on your skin, and amazing to your nose!
Egyptian Geranium, $4.50/bar - Fresh floral scent, similar to rose. Geranium is said to have psychologically balancing effects and some like to use it for skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, and shingles. Historically it was used to treat menopausal and other women's problems.
Bittersweet Almond - This light pink colored, cherry-smelling mild soap is great smelling, and full of quality essential oils.

Coconut Oil,
Non-Certified-Organic Expeller Expressed, $100/5-gallon-bucket
This is a bulk purchasing opportunity for those who use coconut oil at home. They are 5 gallon buckets from Tropical Traditions. This is a great price. You can find friends to split it with, or separate and cool-storage what you don't need. Let me know right away if you want a bucket! They won't come in until next week or the week after.

Northwest Redworms and....Chicken Coops!

Doug Knippel (Northwest Redworms), the man who has been leading the way for vermicomposting in these parts, is expanding his repertoire. If you've seen any of Doug's worm bins, then you know that he's all about the marriage of form and function. His hand-built coops are no exception. Read on to get the details straight from Doug:

The Camas Coop $320 and the Camas Mini coop(er) $250

The "Camas coop" is large enough to fit 4 to 6 chickens (or more with an enclosed run). 3 nest boxes and two roosts, side chicken door for access to a run. The dimensions are 42" tall, 42" wide (+14" for nesting boxes), and 35" deep. It's preassembled in seven pieces for easy transport and assembly. Once assembled the coop is sturdy and relatively light for easy placement. Sides are interchangable so the chicken door and nesting boxes can be where you want.

We also have the Camas mini coop"r", it's made for 2 to 4 chickens, $250. This coop looks exactly the same as the large with the following modifications:
The height, width and depth is 6" smaller. There are two nest boxes and one roost bar.

To get the coop painted $75

Chicken run 3 panels 1/2" mesh, 30"x 30" x 6' one panel with door and end piece $130

Chicken run 6' extention 3 panels no door or end piece $100

You must call to order. 14 days build time.

Call Doug
360-513-7251 or E-MAIL
for more details go to:
http://northwestredworms.com/chickencoop.aspx

Get Your Winter Garden On With the Seed Ambassadors!

The totally awesome folks from the Seed Ambassador Project (I love these folks!) will be offering all of us garden slackers a unique opportunity to purchase some of the most unique and region specific winter vegetable starts for our cold season gardening endeavors. You'll have to take a little road trip to get the plants, but I guarantee it will be worth it! Here's the scoop:

This Friday (Aug. 28th) and next Friday (Sept 4th), from 10.00 a.m. thru 2.00 p.m., the Community Transitions Nursery will be selling organic veggie starts at the Springfield Farmers Market – on Main Street between 5th and 6th (map). Their offerings focus on fall, mid-winter and over-wintering vegetable crops, and include many Seed Ambassadors Project varieties.

Anticipating that most gardeners are unused to fall and winter cropping schedules and will have missed the early August transplant window crucial for sizing up most of the mainstay vegetable crops that will feed us through the forthcoming winter, the nursery ‘potted up’ many of these seedlings into 4” pots to grow them on, in past weeks. Transplanted into your gardens within the next couple of weeks (there is still time to prepare ground), an array of these thriving plants will feed you October thru May – the eight month period making up the longest ‘harvest season’ of the year. For those of you as yet unsure about the wherefores of fall, mid- and over-winter cropping, I will be giving a public talk on the subject at this Friday’s market at 12.00 p.m. and will, of course, be happy to answer questions there.

We are quietly confident that no nursery in the PNW currently comes close to offering the diversity and quality of winter food plants we are now making available. Our current selections reflect the results of extensive winter trialing, selection and breeding programs by public domain plant breeders in the S. Willamette Valley working with collaborators throughout the PNW and Western and Eastern Europe, in recent years.

All our transplants are raised in N. Springfield at our nursery (a program of the Community Transitions Program of the Springfield Schools District) by young-adults and adults with special needs, who come to us from Springfield schools and Lane Community College. All proceeds from nursery sales support our greenhouse.

All material offered by the nursery is open-pollinated. Varieties locally stewarded by the Seed Ambassadors Project (SAP) are noted. For cultural information see our fall and winter cropping table.

Please click HERE for a full listing of varieties.

Did I mention I LOVE the Seed Ambassadors?

Keep On Clicking!

You folks are AWESOME!!

The response to the call for you to participate in the click4acause campaign being sponsored by Umpqua bank and help the YWCA Community Garden is yielding unbelievable results. The YWCA has pulled ahead by 28 votes as of this morning! But we can't stop yet. It's a new week and now's the time to vote again. Let's see if we can't get another 1000+ votes in for the YWCA this week before this contest ends! It only takes a few seconds. Pass this along to everyone you know and let's make sure that everyone knows that Clark County loves the YWCA, loves community gardens, and supports Umpqua Bank's commitment to our community. Remember, the YWCA gets $15,000 for their project if they win.

click4acause and cast your vote NOW!

WSU Harvest Day Celebration - 9.22.2009

9th Annual Harvest Celebration Day
Saturday, September 19
10am to 3pm

Spend the day touring 13 Clark County farms
Enjoy the bounty of your local farms and chat with farmers
Bring family and friends

Last year, over 20,000 people toured farms around Washington. There is no charge for this event For a map of participating farms click HERE.

For a detailed list of participating farms and activities click HERE.
If you don't already have a program to view .pdf files, you will need to download Adobe Reader to view this file.

NW Organic Farm Annual Garlic & Heirloom Tomato Fest - 9.19.2009

Here's an event you do not want to miss. Greg Valdivia & Joyce Haines of NW Organic Farm are once again opening their doors for their annual Garlic & Heirloom Tomato Festival! Greg and Joyce operate one of the Pacific Northwest's finest family farms and their product is second to none. Get on out there, eat some delicious food and have a good time!

Here's the scoop from Greg & Joyce:

NW ORGANIC FARM Annual Garlic & Heirloom Tomato Fest
in conjunction with WSU’s Harvest Day Celebration
When: Saturday, September 19
Time: 10 AM - ??
Admission: FREE!
Where: 17713 NW 61st Avenue
Ridgefield, WA 98642
(Directions WA I -5; 179th St/Fairgrounds Exit 9; West to (Directions WA I -5; 179th St/Fairgrounds Exit 9; West to
61st Ave, then left on 61st Ave)

Live Music includes:
Runs Real Good
BobbyLee®
and more!

Vendors & activities include:
Onion Burgers, Hot Dogs/Sausages, Espresso Drinks, Sinful Brownies, Real
Mexican Tamales, Fresh Tomato Sandwiches, Face Painting by Joyce Ross,
Stampin’ Up by Kristi Froeber, Temporary Tattoos by FantasyEffects.com
Caliente Alpacas, Yarn Fiber & Wool Spinning demos, and more! Master
Gardeners will also be on site to answer any questions. Plus taste a variety of
Heirloom Tomatoes, Garlic and other organic veggies!

Want to be a vendor? Do you have musical talents? Need more info?
(360) 518-6807 or email nworganicfarm@yahoo.com

Time Magazine vs Big Ag

Check out this great article over at Grist about the latest Time magazine cover story, "Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food" .

I guess we should all be happy that the mainstream media is finally calling attention to and validating the things that those of us on the fringe have been screaming about for decades. I find it to be rather bittersweet, but I guess you can't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Now the questions are; Will this resound in the halls of Congress? Will our elected officials finally get serious about these issues when they start the fall legislative session? And will family farmers, folks that practice sustainable agriculture, and programs that support local agriculture finally get a fair share of our taxpayer dollars that are tossed around for agricultural spending and subsides?

We'll have to wait & see...

Canning/Preserving DVD update from Harriet @ Preserve

Here's an update on the release of the long-awaited DVD from local home economics maven Harriet Fasenfest @ Preserve.

To all of you out there waiting for the Canning DVD to come out, hold tight! The DVD will be out in Spring 2010. Filming is taking place as you read this. Besides step by step instruction on how to can, the video will feature Sandor Katz, Linda Zeidrich and other experts in the food preservation field. It will be fun, informative and informal -- definitely something that will inspire you to trust your own creativity and skills.

Also, Harriet is currently working on publication of a book on householding which is also due to be released Spring 2010. Sign up here to be notified of the actual release date. I am super excited about these projects! If you are even remotely interested in the subjects of food preservation and home economics I can't recommend highly enough that you grab onto anything associated with Harriet. While you wait for the release of these projects, I'd like to suggest some reading of a tome published by Harriet available for download and free of charge at the Preserve website:

In Search of the Seamless

Writer, teacher, home ec expert, preserving wizard...is there anything Harriet can't do???

The Canvolution Is Coming!

I love putting up food. Making jerky, curing meats, pickling, jamming...the whole shebang. In fact just yesterday I put a big bag of "too much zucchini" to work as bread & butter zucchini pickles thanks to Linda Ziedrich's awesome The Joy of Pickling and the very cool Oxo V-Blade mandoline slicer my mother-in-law gave me for my birthday this year. Gotta love the crinkle cut!

I've found very few things as satisfying as sharing the bounty of the harvest via preserved foods. And nothing brightens up a dreary winter day like pulling out a jar of strawberry jam or salsa secco and reliving a bit of summertime. I'm sure many of you are aware that home food preservation has become quite en vogue again and in my mind, that's a mighty fine thing. Here's the scoop on the folks behind a very cool movement called Canning Across America:

Canning Across America (CAA) is a nationwide, ad hoc collective of cooks, gardeners and food lovers committed to the revival of the lost art of “putting by” food. Our goal is to promote safe food preservation and the joys of community building through food. We believe in celebrating the bounty of local and seasonal produce and taking greater control of our food supply. Together, we can.

The weekend of Aug. 29-30 is our kickoff, with how-to classes, demos and home canning parties in cities around the country. Think of us as a one-stop resource for events, recipes, inspiration and safety how-to on anything under the canning, preserving and pickling umbrella that will continue throughout the year.

City of Vancouver - Urban Livestock Advisory Group - The First Meeting

The Vancouver Urban Livestock Advisory Group had it's first meeting yesterday afternoon and as promised I want to give a quick debrief to you folks.

First off I want to say that it seems like we have a very insightful and concerned group working on this project. I am very impressed with not only my fellow advisory group members from the community and I am equally impressed with the folks from the City Planning Department as well as the Code Compliance Department. The City has gathered data from numerous communities around the country that are dealing with urban livestock and will be using that data as a reference for our process. Considering that there are communities that have already come up with some truly innovative and interesting ways of approaching the subject, I'm looking forward to reviewing that data. Overall I am excited and I think we're going to do some good things for our community.

Our first objective is to identify portions of the current code that may need clarification and/or changes made. We talked a little about that during the meeting and it seems like we're onboard with the idea that we want to keep this process as simple as possible. If there are codes that exist that cover or could cover issues that arise from keeping urban livestock then we're going to try to utilize them rather than try to reinvent the wheel. For example, the most common complaints being dealt with by Code Compliance officials are noise and odor. These are subjects that are already addressed by current nuisance codes and could easily be amended to address the same subjects with regards to urban livestock.

We are also being asked to go out to the community and find out if you have experienced any issues with keeping urban livestock that you had a negative experience with regarding code enforcement or code issues.

A specific topic they'd like input on is dealing with lots that are currently being used for urban livestock, but are bordered by residential or commercial structures. What problems exist or could exist that may need to be addressed?

If you have any input, questions, or concerns about what we're doing during this process and/or about the topics I mentioned above, please contact me and let me know so I can bring them to the table at future meetings.

On a side note, we digressed a bit and talked about the subject of urban agriculture with regards to crop cultivation. It was an interesting and informative discussion and I think we'll see the City addressing some shortcomings in the current code in the near future that will expand the potential of urban farming for personal or commercial purposes. That sounds mighty fine to me.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, September 1st. In the meantime, here is a link for you to some good stuff for you read and think about. This link will take you to the Urban Livestock Advisory web page that will give you information about what we're doing and links to portions of the current code that we're working on :

Urban Livestock - Farm Animals In The City