Vancouver Food Network

A charming little red and white storybook house used for shareholders to pick up their produce greets visitors who enter 6-Acre Farm in Camas. Owned and operated by Paula and Scott Korell, this is the second year for their CSA and the fourth year at this property though Paula has always had a garden. Providing shares to others seemed the way to go for them so they researched the idea and put together a business plan. Operating a CSA farm also gives a venue for their three children to participate in a very real way, making it truly a family-run business as the years pass. Some crops are grown in raised beds which are made primarily of lumber recycled from old barns. To help ensure pollination of the crops, they have two hives of honey bees to do that very important work.

Last year, they offered ten shares but decided to reduce offerings this second year to ensure the continued high quality. They are serving a total of 12 families with the seven and one-half shares this year with some families sharing a single share. More shares may be offered in future years but they are want to ensure "the balance stays good." Paula said, "Our contribution is to the health and well-being of our family and the community." Their food is grown naturally and offers the benefits not found in the grocery store in that it is fresh with the shareholder being able to visit the farm and see how their food is grown. Additionally, it is affordable to the average family.

The traditional foods found in most gardens are offered by 6 Acre Farm but with different varieties of those foods and some new items to add depth to the baskets. The 2009 season started the first of June and runs 16 weeks to the end of September. Eggs are also available for those who wish to purchase them.

Recipes and herbs included with shares help teach people to cook seasonally. Paula said that people's palates are numbed by the sugars and salts in our diet. Learning to cook seasonally and naturally can help reduce reliance on those unnatural additions common to our food and open an entire new eating and tasting experience while helping to improve health.

Paula stated the favorite part of being a CSA farmer is when the families come to get their produce. The children can play and run in the open space and visit the chickens as well as see how the food is grown. She laughs as she adds, "taking extra dirt with them."

Visitors are welcome, but please call for an appointment and driving directions.

Contact Information

6 Acre Farm, CSA
1036 S.E. 283rd Avenue
Camas, WA 98607
Paula and Scott Korell
(360) 834-7000
6acrefarm@comcast.net

For Further Information

• 6 Acre Farm at Local Harvest
• KATU Article and Video

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Fifteen years ago, Clarence and Marge Herz visited Marge’s family in Wisconsin where her cousins are third generation beekeepers. After returning home, when Clarence told Marge they were going to start beekeeping, she “thought he was nuts” but believed in his vision. Clarence had a truck for sale which he traded for cash and bee hives. That was the beginning of something that evolved into a very successful honey business which consists of eighty percent wholesale sales. The remaining honey and all of the honey-related products are sold directly to the customers.

In the beginning, Clarence worked with longtime Clark County beekeeper Jim Wiemer who was his mentor until Wiemer’s retirement when Wiemer also sent many of his customers to Clarence. Sadly, Clarence died earlier this year, but their son, Steve, has “jumped in” to take care of some of what Clarence did and has added more to the business. Honey House Farms have always limited their business to family and one helper and do not seek commercial work; the customers find them. Honey House Farms sells to a large variety of customers including produce markets, feed stores, a dog food store, farmers markets, and health food stores.

The honey is all natural and local with two exceptions. They purchase coast wildflower honey for those customers who have a taste for that and have one eastern Washington honey supplier they occasionally use. All other honey is produced in southwest Washington area, primarily Clark County. Honey House Farms no longer keeps bees and uses as its chief supplier a local commercial beekeeper from whom they purchase honey by the barrel for processing.

Marge, who is Women’s Chairman for Clark Cowlitz Chapter of Washington Farm Bureau, said honey is a “great product, a perfect product, bacteria will not grow” in it. She said that everything from the hive is healthy, the propolis (called Russian penicillin), royal jelly, bee pollen, the honey and even the wax. Many people purchase the Ambrosia (one of Weimer’s recipes) believing it is helpful in fighting allergies.

When Honey House Farms started branching out into products, the first tried was sauces by daughter Karen. A local restaurant bought those first sauces and found customers were taking the containers of sauce so made arrangements to offer bottles for sale which was very successful. Jams were also tried and very popular. Then they started offering many other honey products as well as beeswax candles, soaps, jelly, syrups, lotions, etc. Marge said, “We have a lot of fun with the honey, the beeswax, anything that comes out of the hive ...” Marge’s favorite part of the business is the responses from the customers, everything is so welcomed with both the honey and the additional products. Customers have reported to her that they have sent honey and gifts to at least 46 states. Julie Wing, who works closely with Marge, also uses her clay-making skills for handmade bee-related gift items. Several times during the year, Honey House Farms, located in downtown Hockinson, has special events including an open house with a gift shop during the Christmas season. Visitors are welcome at prescheduled times; it is a working shop so call first if you would like to visit.

Contact Information

Honey House Farms, Inc.

Marge Herz

(360) 892-2875

honeyhouse@netzero.net

For Further Information

• WSU Farm Finder
• Washington State Beekeepers Association
• Propolis From Wikipedia
• Royal Jelly from Wikipedia

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Jackie and Josh Goodnight’s Grammy's Garden of Eat'n is a family operation which is not unusual for a CSA farm. What is unusual is that it is not a farm at all, but rather a city lot, just 7,500 square feet (75 feet by 100 feet) in size. They “like to do things differently ... a challenge to do this on a city lot.”

Jackie has been in the garden since she was an infant with her mother “but didn’t do much from the infant seat.” She admits to having actively gardened for 28 years. Last year, she fed their family of four with surplus left to give to others from their garden which was one-third of the size of this year’s garden. They started researching and used “Food Not Lawns” as one of their sources when considering offering CSA shares. When they chose a name for the farm, they decided to use “Grammy” which is what her children call their grandmother who is a Master Gardener and very involved. They plan to later expand to the family farm in Camas.

Driving up, the observer will notice a few raised beds but is unaware of the many additional beds in the back yard. The Goodnights have done a marvelous job of carefully planning and balancing garden space with play space for their children and friends. With their daughters in 4-H, they also have a few hens and rabbits.

Goodnights are offering many colorful varieties of traditional vegetables in the shares, emphasizing the good vitamins and phytonutrients reportedly more abundant in colorful fruits and vegetables. For 2009, they are offering a dozen shares which, Jackie said, are more like one-half to two-thirds of the usual CSA farm share. In addition to the shares, cut flowers and blueberries are available. Eggs from the family farm in Camas are also available.

Contact Information

Grammy's Garden of Eat'n
3414 N.E. 103rd Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98662

(503) 459-8405

grammysgardenofeatn@comcast.net

For Further Information

• “Food Not Lawns” by Heather C. Flores (Available on our bookshelf at http://www.powells.com/ppbs/33687.html)
• Are You Getting Your Phytonutrients?
• Maps from Google Mapquest Yahoo

Posted by Glenna at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The gently winding driveway into Wisteria Farms is reminiscent of farms from the past, embracing the visitor with a welcoming feeling. Kevin and Jo Lyn Cornelsen lived overseas for 12 years and longed for special property. When Kevin discussed purchasing the farm with his father, his father imparted a bit of wisdom to him, “Just go forward; don’t look back.” That is exactly what they have done.

Jo Lyn said they created this “wonderful, peaceful place ... to share it with others.” This year, they plan to offer four events at their farm with the first being the Spring Garden Party scheduled for Thursday, May 21st, 3:00-8:00 p.m. The Heritage Celebration Day is planned for July with other organizations invited to share heritage-related items and demonstrations. In mid-October, an autumn festival is planned to be followed later with a Winter Lights Festival.

When they purchased this farm in 2000, they started many fun and welcoming projects on it. Visitors enjoy a 1938 logging truck laden with antique garden tools and a beautiful flower bed where logs rested in years gone by. The mini-sanctuaries throughout the visitor-accessible area include the pavilion, a cottage garden and a fairy rose garden. Spring visitors will also be gifted with viewing the peacocks parading their finery. Wisteria Gardens seemed a fitting name for the farm with many beautiful wisteria vines.

Wisteria Gardens is one of Clark County’s newest CSA farms. Last year they grew the equivalent of four shares to share with family and friends and are offering twenty shares this year for 20 weeks. Half shares are the same but every other week. Traditional vegetables are offered in the shares with some surprises along the way.

Contact Information

Wisteria Gardens
14101 N.E. 144th Street
PO Box 1498
Brush Prairie, WA 98606
Kevin and Jo Lynn Cornelsen

(360) 907-1151

jolyn.cornelsen@gmail.com

For Further Information

• www.wisteriaphotos.com
• www.localharvest.org/farms/M28314
• www.swwa-csafarms.com/FarmListings.php
• Maps from Google Mapquest Yahoo

  Posted by Glenna at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Melissa Church grew up next to a nursery and has been growing for herself, family and friends for over thirty years. She has “always loved watching stuff grow” and sharing with others. Last year she decided to offer CSA shares, “so I could do what I love.” Part of the decision to convert to a CSA farm is choosing a name. It was when she was driving home one day and thinking how growing has provided an outlet for her creative nature, she realized “Creative Outlet” was just right for her farm.

When asked what her favorite part of being a CSA farm is, Church said it was like she gets “to give people a present every week” and enjoys the excitement as they look through their baskets to discover their bounty for this week. She only gives top quality produce, consistent with her beliefs that her shareholders deserve the best, and firmly believes that healthy eating deflects many health problems. This year she is offering 30 shares, with half shares available. Organic eggs are also available separately from the shares.

One of four Certified Naturally Grown farms in Clark County, Creative Outlet offers the basic vegetables found in a traditional garden plus a few of the unusual, including new items members may not have tried before. Different varieties of the “ordinary” vegetables are included. This year she is growing snap peas and said, “We will see what shareholders think of unbuttoning their peas.” She said the variety of shelling peas for “unbuttoning” is called Green Arrow. Strawberries are also available this year. A recently planted orchard, grapes and blueberries will provide a variety of fruit in coming years.

An enthusiastic farmer, Church, who became a Master Gardener in 2008 through the Extension Office, said she will “talk about growing and chickens with anyone who will listen.”

Visitors are welcome, but please call for an appointment and driving directions.

Contact Information

Creative Outlet Nursery & Farm LLC
11602 N.E. 192nd Avenue
Brush Prairie, WA
Melissa Church
(360) 608-2137
creativeoutletnursery@gmail.com

For Further Information

• Creative Outlet Nursery & Farm LLC

• Southwest Washington CSA Farms

• Certified Naturally Grown

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Members arriving at Dancing Crane Farm to pick up their shares are greeted by a huge and welcoming walnut tree, the kind that is meant for summer swings and long, lazy afternoons. The tree and 100-year-old red farm house across the driveway are reminders of simple summer days gone by spent under shade trees drinking iced tea.

Owner Bernie Crane has farmed or gardened most of his life and repeated an old saying, “To eat well is to live good.” He told a story about his brothers and him relocating branches from a neighbor’s rose when they were children. The resulting grafts were so good that even the neighbor did not realize they came from his own roses. Very interested in the old varieties of apples, Crane has planted several including King, an old-time apple, and Gravenstein. Roxbury Russet, originally sold commercially in colonial times is another. He said these old apples do not need refrigeration and can last until as late as May. These are pre-chemical era so most have more natural resistance to disease and possibly pests.

When naming his farm, friends reminded Crane of his love of dancing and his last name so Dancing Crane it became. Though he has been a regular vendor at Battle Ground Farmers Market for several years, this is Crane’s first year as a CSA farm. He farms because he wants to “provide good food with no compromise.” He uses only organic spray on his fruit trees and gardens by both Washington and Oregon organic standards. He said his father, a great cook like most fireman, “taught a lot of respect for food when I was a kid.” Crane “grew up an Irish kid in an Irish-Italian neighborhood” and learned to appreciate good food at an early age and loves to cook. He will offer 12 full shares and 12 half shares this year (equivalent to 18 shares) which will include vegetables and fruit, basics and some surprises. When members receive their shares, Crane will be giving directions for many of his original recipes, so be prepared to try something new, both new products and new ways to prepare what you already know.

Contact Information

Dancing Crane Farm CSA

28514 N.E. 172nd Avenue
Battle Ground, WA 98604 (Heisson)

Bernie Crane
(360) 687-1210
incana@teleport.com

For Further Information

• Dancing Crane Farm at Local Harvest

• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 11:39 AM | Permalink

With a southern exposure overlooking Vancouver, Celeste Kurth decided her yard would be a great place for a garden.  She has gardened for twenty years and moved to this home last fall.  After cancer surgery, she did not garden for two years and felt disconnected from the earth and is anxious to share with others the oneness with the earth that gardening provides.  Demonstrating that acres of land are not needed, Kurth is setting an example for what we can do in our own yards to help produce more food locally, for ourselves and for others.

Celeste had friends wanting to share the extra space who did not have access to garden space. She plans to prepare 4x4-foot raised beds in an area of 35x15 feet. A neighborhood plant exchange is in the works to help kick off the season where plants, seeds and garden tools will be shared along with collective knowledge of friends and neighbors.

She found limitations on assistance available for healthy living by state funded programs, especially for the working poor and wants to do her part to help. She stated only a 10x10-foot space is adequate to grow produce for a family of five. Celeste said she has “always been about creating community” and is offering eight CSA shares and/or garden space for friends and neighbors for the 2009 season. There will also be grapes, raspberries, cherries, pears and apples to share.

Contact Information

Celeste Kurth

Vancouver, WA
(360) 326-8631
dragonflyteahouse@gmail.com

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Heavenly Bounty Farm is operated by Liz Nelson and her mother, Jillian Nelson. This is the first year it operates as a CSA, but the farm has provided for family, friends, food banks, and neighbors since 1970.  The 200-year old farm was one of the first sections developed in Clark County.  Often, while planting, they have found artifacts from days long gone.  When they first moved to the farm, it had a log cabin, an out house and milk houses testifying to a past era.  Liz tells about horseback riding in the forest south of them which is now a golf course.

Because Liz and her mother garden for the love of it, Heavenly Bounty was a natural name for the farm, especially with the bountiful harvests it has provided.  The farm is subject to more wind than other areas of the county, and many native and non-native trees are planted throughout the farm to act as wind barriers.  The trees provide homes for the birds, nature’s insecticide.  The trees also allow them to exercise one of their passions, demonstrating how to prune trees. Both are Master Gardeners and grow chemical and pesticide free, working with nature by building soil structure and using beneficial insects and micro organisms.

Jillian was raised in Great Britain so has always grown a garden.  During World War II, everyone grew at least some of their own food.  Liz and Jillian grow a lot of heirlooms and order unusual seeds supporting a huge variety of old-fashioned vegetables.  They like growing in colors because people also “eat with their eyes and are attracted by colors.”  In addition to vegetables and fruits, eggs are also available separately.  In the spring, their heirloom tomato plant starts are big sellers, often never making it to the Farmers Market.

Heavenly Bounty is offering 20 shares for the 2009 season which includes half shares.  Full shares are available weekly with half shares weekly or every other week as preferred by the CSA member.  Heavenly Bounty will also be at Battle Ground Farmers Market again this year and the Woodland Farmers Market.

Contact Information

Heavenly Bounty

19811 N.E. 157th Avenue
Battle Ground, WA 98604

Liz Nelson
(360) 921-4299
ourheavenlybounty@gmail.com

For Further Information

• Heavenly Bounty at SW WA CSA Farms
• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

* Added that Heavenly Bounty is also at the Woodland Farmers Market.

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Brush Prairie’s Shamrock Acres is home to Garden Delights CSA , operated by Eloyce O’Connor and Erin Harwood, mother and daughter. They emphasize the “E” in “Delights” because it is Erin and Eloyce and decided to use “delights” because they “delight in gardening and want to share those delights.” They take pride in giving good service and operating as a CSA farm provides a better way for them to interact with customers, and they still sell at the Battle Ground Farmers Market.

One of Clark County’s newest CSA farms, Garden Delights offers “familiar family fare,” the traditional foods found in your grandparents’ gardens. Shares include greens, vegetables, herbs, several varieties of berries and other fruits. Everything is grown without pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Composting on the farm recycles the nutrients back into the soil for future crops.

With shares, CSA members receive suggestions, information and recipes and, every few weeks, customary herb blends and fresh herbs. Members often visit the gardens and specific areas of the farm. Little extras such as homemade grape jelly are included in the baskets from time to time and depend on the season. Last year, they gave cornstalks for fall decorations to members who wanted them.

Keeping the CSA relatively small and within the family allows O’Connor and Harwood to provide the personal touch from beginning to the finished product. All non-produce items, including pet products, are handmade on the farm. All members of the family are actively involved, and even the upcoming third generation will have a role and may begin this year by helping greet CSA members.

Garden Delights offers the equivalent of five to seven full shares for the 2009 season and encourages members to purchase half shares, also provided weekly. Beef and herbal products can be purchased separately. Herbal pet products are available individually or through CSA pet shares. Visit their web site for more information.

Contact Information

Garden Delights

15417 N.E. Parkinen Road
Brush Prairie, WA 986062

Eloyce O'Connor and Erin Harwood

(360) 892-4479
gardendelightherbs@netzero.net

For Further Information

• http://gardendelights.mysite.com
• Garden Delights at Local Harvest
• Garden Delights at SW WA CSA Farms
• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Northwest of Clark County Fairgrounds, Northwest Organic Farm started in 2000 and sells produce to Zupan, People’s Co-op, Food Front Co-op and Sheridan Produce. Beginning its first year as a CSA, Northwest Organic Farm is offering approximately thirty shares to members. The farm is USDA organic certified and a member of Oregon Tilth.

Along the driveway going into the farm is a large field of garlic, one of the several garlic fields. In September each year, Northwest Organic Farm holds its popular garlic festival. One of the more unusual items on the farm is a specially constructed garlic digger which helps to efficiently harvest the many varieties of garlic grown on the farm.

Joyce Haines and Greg Valdivia are pleased to also offer 15 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, several varieties of potatoes, carrots and peppers. Also included in CSA shares are such vegetables as purple broccoli, sugar snap peas, many lettuces and greens, cauliflower, and tomatillas. Heirloom and unusual seeds are purchased to add a wide variety to the produce available and are started on the farm. Decisions as to what to plant are customer driven.

In addition to CSA shares, members and customers can purchase dried tomatoes and dried garlic. Starter plants are for sale in the spring. Eggs can also be purchased when they are available.

For more information, to purchase a share and to see when events are offered, visit their web site.

Contact Information

Northwest Organic Farm

17713 NW 61st Avenue
Ridgefield, WA 98642

Joyce Haines & Greg Valdivia

(360) 573-4868
(360) 608-1483 - Cell
nwgarlic@pcez.com

For Further Information

• http://www.NorthwestOrganicFarm.com
• Northwest Organic Farm at Local Harvest
• Northwest Organic Farm at SW WA CSA Farms
• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Nestled cozily northwest of the fairgrounds is Gus & Company Farm, one of Clark County's newest CSA farms. When asked how the name was selected, owner April Jones laughed and said the short answer is, "After my dog." She went on to explain that while Gus has a significant part in the farm, the farm name was chosen to signify that more than humans are involved and a farm is composed of multiple living systems denoted by "Company."

Jones, one of five children, grew up on a farm near where she now lives and her siblings and she traded chores at this farm for milk. She later moved to the Midwest where she graduated with a degree in civil engineering and earned an MBA. Her ten years of working in facilities and construction project management and love of strategic planning are serving her well in her chosen profession as a full-time farmer.

When asked for her favorite time of year, Jones said it is impossible to pick just one, the changing seasons are her favorite. She said the winter is a good time to stop and pause to reflect on the past season and plan for the next one. Laughing, she said maybe her favorite should be April since that is her name.

Gus & Company Farm is Certified Organic by the State of Washington Department of Agriculture. She said that one of many reasons to buy directly from the farmer versus a supermarket is the transparency of knowing how your food is grown and the care given to the land

She has been selling to restaurants and grocers, with 2008 her first CSA season. For 2009, she is offering up to 35 shares including half shares. Each share includes vegetables, fruit and herbs for the 25-week season; visit her web site for specifics and to read her newsletter. Duck and chicken eggs are for sale as they are available, and CSA members can also purchase seasonal flowers, both edible and decorative.

Gus and Company also offers Tamworth Heritage Pork which is available in quarters, halves or whole. Be certain to place orders early to ensure delivery.

Contact Information

Gus and Company, LLC

P.O. Box 973
Ridgefield, WA

(360) 601-6671
april@gusandco.org

For Further Information

• www.GusAndCo.org

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In 1989, the Voisins began creating their dream potage garden, a kitchen garden. The French word potage translated to English is soup. The principal of a potage garden is a diversity of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, in a colorful and structured design.  Voisos have a deep appreciation for good food and understanding that it all begins with fresh, quality ingredients, which evoked their desire to share their passion and thus, Purple Rain Vineyard was established in 2006.

Purple Rain Vineyard, emphasizes the importance of providing the community with local food with meaning. Voisins believe that food with meaning begins with practicing the philosophy that there must be respect for nature as we are part of it and not separate beings. When joining Purple Rain Vineyard CSA, members can be at ease knowing that the food they consume comes from a farm that practices humane animal care and grows organic and ecological produce.  Purple Rain Vineyard is WSDA/USDA certified organic.  

Purple Rain Vineyard CSA season is for 34 weeks (April to December) offering small, medium and large garden shares and expanding to 80 shares for season 2009.  As well, members can purchase organic flowers, herb shares and Animal Welfare Approved organic pasture raised eggs.  For full details, please visit their website.

Contact Information

Purple Rain Vineyard

21313 N.E. 147th Street
Brush Prairie, WA 98606

Luisa DePaivat
James Voisin
(360) 256-8658
info@purplerainvineyard.com

For Further Information

• Purple Rain Vineyard
• Purple Rain Vineyard at Local Harvest
• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In 1990, when Nelson and Anne Lawrence purchased their farm, their children were only one, six, and ten. They started a family tradition of gathering under an enormous fir tree on their property, to tell stories. The tree became known as the Story Tree.

Anne Lawrence said when they decided to start their CSA farm, Storytree Farm was the natural name. Nelson Lawrence has gardened his entire life, even as a youngster. This is their fourth season as a C.S.A. with their share offerings growing from four during the first year, to thirty shares to be offered in the 2009 season. Since many members purchase half-shares, the total number of member families is around 45.

Produce is picked fresh every morning; biodegradable bags purchased from Trellis Earth in Portland are used when produce needs to be bagged. Herbs and recipes are included in the shares as appropriate for that week and help members learn new ways to use the produce and interesting ways to use less familiar produce. Eggs are offered as available from free-range chickens which share a three-quarter acre enclosure with pet goats.

Storytree Farm uses no herbicides or pesticides and starts their own seeds in a greenhouse. They grow heirloom tomatoes and use heritage varieties and only organic seeds when available. They recycle everything on their farm; tree branches are shredded and become pathways; the goats and chickens recycle vegetable scraps. Weeds, leaves, grass clippings, and animal manure are composted.

The farm offers an annual public tour, as well as participating in county-wide tours. Storytree Farm also offers classes at the farm. Check Storytree Farm’s web site for current events and tours.

Contact Information

Storytree Farm

6227 N.E. 124th Street
Vancouver, WA 98686
StorytreeFarm@gmail.com

Nelson and Anne Lawrence
(360) 576-7139

For Further Information

• Storytree Farm

• Storytree Farm at Local Harvest

• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kate Rae started her CSA in 2006 with this being her fourth season. Red Basket Farm became a CSA when Rae, a retired R.N. who has always gardened, decided to share her bountiful harvests with others from the two acres now dedicated to crops for her customers. She grows her crops using natural methods.

Red Basket Farm, located northeast of Battle Ground, offered 29 shares last year, including full and half shares, and will offer approximately ten more this year. Rae had to turn away CSA customers last year and doesn’t want that to happen again. Pick up at the farm is on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a limited expansion of delivery to Vancouver and north Portland this year with the help of another gardener friend. Seasonal herbs are included in each share.

Rae farms land given to her by her parents; this 70-acre parcel was was their second farm on which they built a family home. Rae said this is fun for her and enjoys the interaction with her customers. She relayed some of her most rewarding feedback comes from the children when the parents report how well the produce is enjoyed and eaten. She will also grow special request items if her customers tell her what they want.

Rae’s son, Angus Rae, grows pigs for market on the farm and uses grain from Salmon Creek Brewery in Vancouver in his feed for the pigs and chickens. Eggs are also offered by Red Basket Farm when they are available and are sold separately.

Contact Information

Red Basket Farm

23804 N.E. 182nd Avenue
Battle Ground, WA 98604

Kate Rae
(360) 687-7030
bkaterae@comcast.net

For Further Information

• Red Basket Farm at S.W. Washington CSA Farm

• Red Basket Farm at Local Harvest

• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rosemattel CSA Farms, located on 72nd Avenue has expanded to include a second location in Felida and is offering 100 subscriptions for the harvest year of 2009.  Produce is picked up at the farm by the farm's subscribers.    Each week, herbs are included in all shares as is fruit when it is season. Rosemattel also offers other off-farm items such as eggs, honey, sauces, jams, soaps, and the opportunity for weekly bread shares on a pre-order basis so that families do not have to take more trips to get other farm products that Rosemattel's is not able to produce on site.

Owner Brenda Millar-Stanton started growing produce in Cowlitz County when she realized she was growing too much for her personal use.  She is passionate about responsibly and organically grown produce and practices crop rotation, cover cropping and strip tilling.  Her favorite time of year is March when she feels she is  emerging from the darkness of winter.  It is then when she sees her “babies” ready for the beginning of the growing season.  She laughingly relates her children call her “The Crazy Plant Lady.”

Rosemattel joined the ranks of community-supported-agriculture Farms in 2007 after three years of planning along with the help of Dr. Carol Miles.  She met Carol while she was working on her Associates Degree at Clark College.   2007 was her first  year of putting the CSA in to full operation.  She initially offered 10 shares and grew enough to offer 25 and has expanded her growing area each year, offering 60 shares in 2008.

Twice a year, Rosemattel holds an open house and plant sale where nursery stock and informal garden tours are available to the general public. Visit their web site for current information and a complete listing of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and plants available.

Contact Information

Rosemattel's CSA Farm

10311 N.E. 72nd Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98686

(360) 576-9767
http://RosemattelsCSA.com

For Further Information

• Map from Google
• Map from Yahoo
• Map from Mapquest

Posted by Glenna at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"CSA" is the common acronym for community-supported agriculture, an economic model that more closely ties farmers to their market, using a subscription model.

Each farm and season is slightly different, but the basic idea is that eaters "subscribe" for a share of produce at the beginning of the season and receive a constant supply of vegetables throughout the growing season, subject to the vagaries of farming everywhere. This "sell before you sow" strategy helps guarantee the farmer a fair price in advance, and spreads some of the risk and reward. If the season is a terrific one, the subscribers get an astonishing amount of good food. If the season is a poor one, the farmer is not ruined. As importantly, eaters get fresh and nuritious food, while both farmer and eater form a relationship that enriches the entire transaction.

The Real Dirt on Farmer John

A recent movie that helped popularize the idea of community-supported agriculture was Taggart Siegel's 2005 film The Real Dirt on Farmer John, which chronicled the career and tribulations of John Peterson, as he was raised on and inherited a family farm in Illinois. This documentary became a major rallying point for many, with a web site that includes information on the history and evolution of modern community supported agriculture.

Predecessors to the modern CSA model were first seen in the form of community-based farming in Japan, Switzerland and Chile during the 1960s and 1970s. The first CSAs in the U.S. were established in 1986 in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. More than a thousand CSAs exist today, in 2006, throughout the United States, ranging from having a handful of co-owners to spanning hundreds of acres of land, all giving their members the opportunity to contribute towards supporting a cooperative, mutually beneficial agricultural effort.

Facing foreclosure and bankruptcy, Peterson went to a subscription model and was able to not only save his farm, but expand it as Angelic Organics, with multiple deliveries several days a week in and around Chicago. The success of the movie has allowed Peterson to tour the world promoting this model and Angelic Organics to support one of several emerging CSA learning centers.

CSA's in the Vancouver Area

There have been CSA's in the Portland area since the early 1990's, and at least a few in Clark County over the past five years. A third annual "meet the farmers" event focussing on local CSA's a few weeks ago estimated that the the number of Clark County CSA's has more than tripled in the past few years, and a newly-established web site for CSA's in southwest Washington lists at least a dozen of an estimated twenty. By providing a relatively simple way for small-acreage farmers to keep a larger percentage of the final food dollar than through commodity sales, community-supported agriculture (and related models such as direct-for-restaurant planting) seem a promising business model for eaters and growers alike.

2009 has also seen the emergence of a group and web page specifically for southwest Washington CSA's, as noted below.

For Further Information

In addition to various CSA's here on Vancouver Food Network, there are a variety of general CSA resources available online.

• One emergent list of farms is at http://SWWA-CSAFarms.com
• The CSA category at LocalHarvest.org
• The PBS page about The Real Dirt on Farmer John
• Available from Netflix, Real Dirt's FVRL call number is DVD 630.092 REAL DI
• The Portland-area CSA Coalition includes froms from the north side of the river
• Glenn Grossman often addresses CSA's at ClarkFoodFarm.blogspot.com
• "Small Farms, Big Following: More Families Turning to Locally Grown Foodstuffs" by Dave Kern. The Columbian. Monday, March 16, 2009. p. C1.
• "Doing farming (and Your Shopping) the CSA Way: Community Supported Agriculture Lets Customers Buy a Share in a Local Farm's Bounty" by Leslie Cole. The Oregonian. Tuesday, March 17, 2009. p. F1.

The Sierra Club is also sponsoring a "meet the farmers" event focused on CSA's this coming Wednesday, February 11, 2009, at the Clark County PUD, 1700 Fort Vancouver Way. Find info about this event and more at http://VancouverFood.net/calendar

* Amended to add news articles published after original posting

Posted by Rory Bowman at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Hunters Greens CSA in Brush Praire, Washington, is one of the longest-running CSA's in Clark County. With drop points in downtown Vancouver and east Vancouver near 164th Avenue, they are offering 35 shares for the 2009 growing season. Hunters Greens was founded by Jim and Diane Hunter in 1996 and has been a CSA farm since 2001.

Contact Information

Hunter's Greens Farm

11116 N.E. 156th Street
Brush Prairie, WA 98606

(360) 256-3788
http://HuntersGreens.com

For Further Information

• http://HuntersGreens.com
• Hunter's Greens on Local Harvest
• "Notes from the Margin," Jim Hunter's sometimes-column on farm life and agriculture in the modern age
• Maps from Google, Yahoo or Mapquest

  Posted by Glenna at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With two main goals - to promote small farms and improve access to good nutrition - the Washington State Farmer's Market Association (WFMA) is one of the most important resources for sustainable nutrition in the state. With over a hundred member markets, WFMA's vision is "a thriving and sustainable farmers market within reach of every resident." Central to this are what it calls "roots guidelines," to emphasize honest, small-scale production.

WFMA's "Roots Guidelines" for Vendors

WFMA's "roots guidelines" strengthen local, sustainable economics in several ways. First, they focus close to home, requiring products be from Washington or an adjacent county. This gives smaller producers a venue for ripe and flavorful produce that cannot be dominated by imports from distant, corporate farms. Secondly, they provide key distinctions between vendors which also promote local, value-added production. Vendors are divided into six types in two categories. WFMA also inspects and patrols markets to make sure that everyone is playing by the same rules.

WFMA Producers: Farmers, Processors, Local Resellers

One of the key problems facing local farmers worldwide is, of course, the dominance of "agribusiness," large corporate farms which can afford to ship produce all over the country (and indeed the world), taking advantage of warmer climates and two hemispheres to create the illusion that all foods can be sustainably grown year-around. Given that these growers dominate the retail food system, WFMA seeks to provide incentives for vendors to sell things grown in Washington state, preferably on land they lease or own locally. Folks who grow the stuff themselves are "farmers," while "processors" are those folks here in Washington who process such foods locally into baked goods, salsa, jams or other products such as smoked meats. "Resellers" are folks who distribute and bring to market foods grown in Washington or adjacent counties exclusively, serving as the single step between producers themselves and the consumer, without importing foods through other channels. This focus on immediate and local producers ensures that maximum value stays in the local economy, promoting economic development by maximizing local production and minimizing imports. Because dollars stay in the local economy, jobs and value stay as close to the land as possible.

Other Vendors: Local Crafters, Concessionaires, Others

"Crafters," according to WFMA guidelines, are those who use their own hands and skill to produce products, using "skills, personal handling and guidance by the crafter." Artisans should produce these goods themselves, and use of local materials from Washington state is encouraged. Woodworkers, potters and textile artists are all examples of crafters under the WFMA guidelines. "Concessionaires" provide prepared foods at WFMA markets and are "encouraged to provide a good variety of healthy foods," with an emphasis on local ingredients. "Miscellaneous" vendors are those who do not fit into (or violate) the other five categories, such as service businesses or non-profit organizations.

WFMA Markets in Clark County

In Clark County there are two farmer's markets who abide by and are members of the Washington State Farmer's Market Association. Both the Camas and Battle Ground Farmers' Markets are members of WFMA. Vancouver Farmer's Market is not.

For More Information

• http://www.wafarmersmarkets.com/aboutus.html
• http://www.wafarmersmarkets.com/resources/wsfma-Rootsmemberguidelines.html
• 2004 WSU Farmers Market Manual
• http://www.wafarmersmarkets.com/washingtonfarmersmarketdirectory.html
• "When Things Don’t Work: Some Insights into Why Farmers’ Markets Close." Oregon State University Extension Service, Special Report 1073-E, Originally published December 2006 and revised July 2008.

Posted by Rory Bowman at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)