Information and resources for eating only food locally produced in Whatcom County
Category : About Food Sources, Farm Stands, On the Farm, U-Pick Farms
For years BelleWood Acres has had their farm store in the heart of their apple orchards. As the farm developed, the store began to feel cramped, and owners Dorie and John Belisle wanted to move their retail sales away from their wholesale operation, with its busy trucks, forklifts–you get the picture. on the other side of their farm at 6140 Guide Meridian near Lynden. Continue Reading
Category : About Food Sources, Events, Farm Stands, On the Farm, U-Pick Farms
| September 8, 2012 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
| 10:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
Next Saturday, September 8, is one of my favorite events every year–the annual Whatcom Farm Tour! It’s a free self-guided tour of farms around the County who open their gates to visitors from 10am to 5pm. A lot of the farms offer special events, rides for the family, tastings, and more during the day. Continue Reading
Category : Grow Your Own, On the Farm
Just received this message from Krista Rome of the Backyard Beans and Grains Project (BBGP). She’s offering some great opportunities for gardeners, farmers, and others to learn to harvest and thresh local grains and beans:
“Organic” is a term used to describe some food and farming techniques, but the meaning can be confusing. Let’s try to sort out some fact from fiction. Continue Reading
Fifteen years ago, Krista Rome began a small garden in her yard as a way of getting more connected with her food. Each year she enjoyed what she calls “peaceful tinkering,” tending her garden with basic hand tools. Then in 2008 she read three books back to back which changed her life: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver; Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan; and Plenty by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, who first wrote about the locavore “100-mile diet” (eating only foods produced within a 100-mile radius of where you live). Continue Reading
Sustainable Connections is a nationally-lauded local organization with a dedicated Food and Farming Program. A key part of the Program is an annual publication called the Whatcom Food & Farm Finder, and it’s one of the single most useful tools available for anyone interesting in eating local food. The booklet includes a comprehensive directory of farms, farm stands, u-picks, ranchers and fishers who produce food in Whatcom County. It also lists farm events, some basic guidelines about farming practices each farm uses (such as organic, salmon safe, etc.), and primary products grown, all keyed to a County map for easy locating. The Finder also lists restaurants, cafes, caterers, and grocers who support local agriculture.
On April 7 at the Bellingham Farmers Market opening, the brand new 2012 Whatcom Food & Farm Finder will be unveiled. You can pick up your free copy at the Sustainable Connections booth.
After that, find copies at the Community Food Co-op stores, libraries, and other retail locations.
Category : Farm Stands, Menu Ideas, October, On the Farm, Related Organizations
Anticipation was in the air as we joined other families arriving at Cloud Mountain Farm Center for the second day of their Fall Fruit Festival. Almost immediately my grandson was recruited to try turning the wheel on the apple chopper for the hand cider press. The fun was underway! Continue Reading
| October 1, 2011 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
| October 2, 2011 | ||
| 11:00 am | to | 4:00 pm |
If you’ve never been to one of Cloud Mountain’s Fall Fruit Festivals, next weekend is an opportunity to share the joy! If you’ve been to one before, we’ll see you there!
Cloud Mountain Farm Center, located at 6906 Goodwin Rd., east of Everson, will be hosting their 22nd Annual Fruit Festival, Saturday, October 1 from 10am-5pm, and on Sunday, October 2 from 11am – 4pm. Fruit sampling of over 200 varieties of apples, European and Asian pears, kiwis, table and wine grapes, cider, and jams and jellies of unusual small fruits will take place throughout both days. Continue Reading
Category : Events, On the Farm
| October 2, 2011 | ||
| 4:30 pm | to | 7:30 pm |
As a grand finale for Cloud Mountain Farm’s two-day Fall Fruit Festival, Ciao Thyme is teaming up with the new Cloud Mountain Farm Center for a farm dinner to remember! Dining will begin with appetizers and wine in the orchard. Then, everyone will gather at the table for a 5-course seasonal feast with a menu that features fruits and vegetables from Cloud Mountain Farm and wines from northwest vintners. Come early and taste nearly 200 varieties of fruits and learn about the new non-profit farm center at the festival, which runs from 11am-4pm on Sunday. Continue Reading
Category : Farm Stands, Retail Stores
Cool shade and a nice breeze were a welcome relief when we arrived at Field of Greens, a cooperative farm stand in Everson. Owner Joy Monjure was also welcoming, and invited us to look around.
Joy explained that this was the second season Field of Greens has been open. Joy worked for the City of Bellingham for 23 years, but was laid off in 2009 as part of budget cutbacks. Though it was a shock at the time, she said she gradually began to see it as an opportunity, and started planning her farm stand business. Continue Reading
Crisp fall morning air and bright sunshine set the tone for a delightful visit to BelleWood Acres. Accompanied by several Whatcom Locavore blog readers, we met farmer Dorie Belisle for a guided tour just as her farm store was opening.
Dorie and John Belisle own 62 acres of former dairy land near Lynden, half of which is planted in apple orchards. Their 25,000 trees produce 1.4 million pounds of fruit every year. Continue Reading
You’re all invited for a local (short) road trip!
Dorie Belisle of BelleWood Acres farm near Lynden has invited Whatcom Locavore to tour the farm next Sunday, October 17, and she suggested we invite our readers to come along! Here’s Dorie’s description of what we’ll do during the visit:
“You would learn how our apples are grown, packed and processed. We would taste several of the value added products we make including our Cider, Syrup, and Vinegar, our home ground peanut butter, dehydrated apple chips, and of course our pies, pastries and cookies.”
For a preview of what you’ll see, check out the farm’s website. The farm store is also open on Sundays, so you’ll have an opportunity to do a little local shopping after the tour, if you like.
We’ll be meeting at BelleWood Acres on Sunday, October 17 at 10a.m. in front of the farm store. There is no charge for the tour. Here are the directions from Dorie:
“We are just 6 miles north on the Guide [Meridian]. Turn right at the first round about which is Ten Mile Road. We are a quarter mile down on the right. You will see the apple on the barn roof.”
Here’s a Google map showing the farm’s location at 231 Ten Mile Road near Lynden.
Hope you’ll join us! It should be a lot of fun!
Cloud Mountain Farm (6906 Goodwin Rd. near Everson) recently hosted their annual Fall Fruit Festival, and we were among the first to arrive Saturday morning. I’d been looking forward all summer to tasting over 200 varieties of apples and other fruit and vegetables grown by Cheryl and Tom Thornton, the farm owners, and their hard-working staff. Continue Reading
