Vancouver Food Network

On Monday, January 18th, VanRidge Garden Club will hold its January meeting.

The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. followed by the program. After the meeting, usually lasting 30-45 minutes, the program is presented. The program usually last 30-60 minutes, depending on the subject, after which potluck lunch is enjoyed by all.

You are welcome to come for the entire meeting or just the program. You are also welcome to participate in the potluck lunch (bring a lunch item if you wish).

The program will be a workshop for planting seeds and rootings led by Jackie Johnson. This is a member participation workshop. Many will be preparing for planting for our May plant sale.

There is no fee but visitors are encouraged to also bring a lunch item if staying for the potluck lunch.

Location:
Pleasant View Church of the Nazarene
801 N.E. 194th Street
Ridgefield, Washington 98642
(Fairgrounds exit from I-5, north on Tenth Avenue to 194th Street)

Posted by Glenna at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It is winter now but spring is coming, and it is time to start thinking about vegetable gardens.

To fill the need for more garden space and education about gardening, a forum to discuss local food garden options will be held at Luepke Center on Tuesday, January 12th.

The public is invited to a community forum to hear about the changes in the Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Department Community Garden Program and to discuss local food garden options. Discussion is planned to include changes to the community garden program and food gardens in neighborhood parks.

Representatives from the Growing Groceries Mentor Program (new from the Clark County Public Health Department), citizens who started the Rose Village Community Garden,

The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m., Jan. 12, at Luepke Center Community Room, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd.

Contact: Jane Tesner Kleiner, Parks Manager, (360) 619.1113

More information about the Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Department community and food garden program is available on the website at http://www.vanclarkparks-rec.org/. Click on "Community Gardens" under "Facilities & Locations.:

Posted by Glenna at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On Monday, September 22nd, VanRidge Garden Club will hold its September meeting.

The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. followed by the program. After the meeting, usually lasting 30-45 minutes, the program is presented. The program usually last 30-60 minutes, depending on the subject, after which potluck lunch is enjoyed by all.

You are welcome to come for the entire meeting or just the program. You are also welcome to participate in the potluck lunch (bring a lunch item if you wish).

The program will be "Culinary Herbs."
- Harvesting, drying, preserving
- Herb hot and cold teas, oils and vinegars
- Herbs in jams, jellies, preserves, condiments
- Herbs in quick breads, muffins, desserts
- Herb wines
Plus a variety of tastings to whet your appetite to do your own thing.

There is no fee but visitors are encouraged to also bring a lunch item if staying for the potluck lunch.

Location:
Pleasant View Church of the Nazarene
801 N.E. 194th Street
Ridgefield, Washington 98642
(Fairgrounds exit from I-5, north on Tenth Avenue to 194th Street)

Posted by Glenna at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On August 13th, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia's Shenodah Valley will be speaking in Portland. Salatin's family owned completely organic farm is featured in Omnivore's Delight by Michael Pollan.

Portland's Hollywood Farmer's Market's website states Salatin "will be speaking on the importance of the plant-animal symbiosis to heal the landscape, the community and the eater." He will also discuss farmers markets and supporting local farmers by patronizing those markets.

When

Thursday, August 13 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Where

Friendship Masonic Center
5626 NE Alameda Street (located at 57th and NE Sandy Blvd.)
Parking is across the street on Alameda Street
The Masonic Center is serviced by bus lines #12 and #71

Cost

$25 includes pastries and beverage with proceeds benefitting Hollywood Farmers Market.

For more information

• Ticket and event info http://www.hollywoodfarmersmarket.org/
• Polyface Farms http://www.polyfacefarms.com/

Posted by Glenna at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Pioneer Grange is celebrating its 80th Birthday this year.

Where: 3803 N.E. 199th Street, Ridgefield, WA

When: Saturday, July 25th, Noon to 3:00 p.m.

You are invited to the celebration, a free event for the whole community. Bring your family, friends and neighbors for a great afternoon filled with games and prizes.

Pioneer Grange rents their facility and there will be a drawing for a free grange rental in addition to the other prizes.

Posted by Glenna at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Opening July 10th, Vancouver has a Friday evening Farmers Market

Friday Nights at the Market
5:00pm - 9:00pm

Fresh - Family - Fun!
Downtown - 6th & Esther St.

Following the Market there will be Movies at 9:00pm in the Park on these nights:

July 10th - Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D – PG
July 17th - The Goonies – PG

Posted by Glenna at 08:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Vancouver Farmers Market is currently open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. featuring local farmers and many other types of vendors. Vancouver Farmers Market runs for 33 weeks so has a longer market season than many in our area.

Since starting as Market Master five years ago, Robert Ray has been using a different approach from most markets regarding booth alignment and displays. It seems to have worked well for the vendors and the customers. Ray’s favorite thing about the market is being outside with the community and says they have the best customers. When asked where the market is going in the future, Ray said he would like to see a better connection with the downtown businesses with perhaps a lane of vendors through Eighth Street making the market a big “L” on Esther and Eighth Streets. He has been working with the City Manager with that idea in mind.

Ray said Vancouver Farmers Market is extremely friendly and clean with close-in parking, and has become a community center on the weekend. Everyone seems to go to the market. He said there is a lot of synergy with business the best it has been in 20 years, up 70 percent from two years ago. More vendors are participating both Saturdays and Sundays, perhaps a sign of the times. The Sunday crowd of customers has responded by increasing though Saturday is still currently much larger.

Vancouver Farmers Market is important to the local economy; the money cycles locally with every dollar spent generating three dollars. Ray said this market alone contributes $2.5 million to our local economy with what the customers and vendors spend at the market and what they spend on the way to and from the market.

A potential addition to the market is a Friday night market with hours anticipated to be 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., it will allow customers to stop and shop for the weekend on the way home from work. Ray is also working with the Downtown Business Association for it to start its own market on Wednesday afternoons.

Contact

Vancouver Farmers Market
505 West Eighth Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360) 737-8298

For Further Information

• www.VancouverFarmersMarket.com

Posted by Glenna at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Many garden clubs hold plant sales each year to fund their public service projects. This weekend, VanRidge Garden Club is holding their plant sale. The project funded by this plant sale is an annual scholarship at Clark College.

Friday May 15, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday May 16, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Pleasant View Church
801 N.E. 194th Street
Ridgefield, WA

Exit at the 179th Street Exit from I-5, proceed north on 10th Avenue (on east side of I-5, parallel to I-5). Turn west (toward freeway) at 194th Street.

Plants are grown by garden club members.

Plants for sale include:

Veggies, herbs, berries, and grapes

• Tomatoes - multiple varieties, primarily heirlooms
• Red Runner Beans
• Swiss Chard
• Curly Kale
• Lettuce
• Chives
• Shallots
• Chinese Stir-fry Cabbage
• Brussel sprouts
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Sweet Banana
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Horse Radish
• Cicely
• Rosemary
• Tarragon
• Gold Oregano
• Bergamot sage
• Sweet Woodruff
• Cat Mint
• Orange Mint
• Spearmint
• Angelica
• Fever Few
• Cornation Gold Yarrow
• Raspberries
• Grapes

Ornamental plants

• Bishops
• Hosta
• Emerald Gaiety
• Pink Violet
• Wood Hyacinth
• Forget-Me-Not
• Nastursiums
• Siberian Iris
• Lady's Mantle
• Pink Nettle
• Bleeding Heart
• Sedum
• Horehound
• Ground Covers
• Ivy - Varigated
• Pine Trees

Garden Seeds

• Fox Glove
• Curly Kale
• Sweet William
• Delphinium
• Kale
• Sparky Marigold

Garden art including birdhouses and bird feeders

And more!!!

Posted by Glenna at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Monique Dupre and Rory Bowman found a unique way to celebrate May Day this year. They spent late afternoon on May Day collecting a swarm of honey bees that alighted in the tree near Hi-School Hardware on Main Street. Ms. Dupre of Sustainable Living on a Budget was prepared for new bees and brought her hive so the queen and her workers could be placed directly into their new home.

Backyard beekeeping is becoming more popular and is a tremendous asset to home gardeners. Typically, it takes one acre of land to support one hive. If the flowering plants and trees on a city block are abundant, that would mean that one hive would be supported and pollinate the flowers and gardens on that block and nearby.

When a hive has reached the point that it is time for the bees to start a new hive, they swarm which is what happened for the cluster of honey bees to be in the tree at Hi-School Hardware. This typically happens in the spring when the weather has warmed up and the bees become active. The bees themselves decide when it is time to produce a new queen and prepare for her. When the new queen has matured and is ready, the queen and her helpers leave and swarm to a new site to establish their own colony. When collecting a swarm, the queen must be included for the bees to stay; their life purpose is to protect and care for the queen as well as nurse and raise more worker bees.

Clark County is home to several beekeepers, many of whom belong to the Clark County Beekeepers Association which meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the C.A.S.E.E. Center in Brush Prairie. They have a display at the Bee Barn at the Clark County Fair each August.

The prime purpose of commercial beekeeping is pollination of food crops. In the spring, farmers and orchardists hire beekeepers to bring in hives of honey bees which are the most effective pollinator for most crops and are critical to our food supply. Contrary to popular belief, the honey is usually a secondary product of the commercial beekeeper's operation. Most sell their honey by the bucket or barrel to others for processing for retail sale to such companies as Honey House Farms.

If you see a swarm of honey bees, contact the Clark County Beekeepers or C.A.S.E.E. Center so the honey bees can be retrieved for their new home. Because the attention of the honey bees is on the queen while she searches for a new home, they are primarily docile so just wait patiently for the beekeeper to arrive to transfer them to a more suitable location. As long as they are not disturbed, only the scouts will leave the cluster while they search for a new location and report back to the queen.

If you are considering keeping bees, contact the Clark County Beekeepers and attend their meetings, and be sure to take an appropriate class. Many are offered in our area.

For Further Information

• Washington State Beekeepers (Click on Area 2 for Clark County)
• Beekeeping at CASEE Center (The Center for Agriculture, Science, and Enviromental Education)
• Bee Barn at the Clark County Fair
• Apiculture Newsletters
• Subscribe to Bee Culture

Posted by Glenna at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of many unsung heroes of our food supply is the redworm.  Doug Knippel is giving the redworm its full respect and teaching people how those wiggly little creatures are part of the important chain that ends at our dinner table. “It's called vermicompost,” Knippel said, “and this idea works because Mother Nature created it. Before us ‘Intelligent Humans’ started to throw chemicals on the ground to make things green, old Mother Nature was already giving us the perfect process to improve our style of living instead of creating giant piles of waste and contaminating our soil. Redworms are Mother Nature’s underground muscle that instinctively works to help decompose everything organic into rich humus. This includes our food waste, paper waste, yard waste and more. Put these guys to work and your waste footprint on the world will get smaller and smaller.”

The processing begins on Knippel’s Camas farm in a field with piles of vegetative material which is shredded along with “brown” material to feed the worm bins.  After partially composting, the shredded material is added to the worm bins to feed these appreciative creatures who express their gratitude by producing volumes of rich castings as well as more redworms.  After the redworms have diligently feasted in the compost, their castings are harvested to be used as a black gold fertilizer. With little disruption the redworms are put back to work to continue the cycle.

When asked why he raises redworms, Knippel enthusiastically responds the castings produced are superior to regular compost and other fertilizers. “I love to garden, so what could be better than taking material that many consider waste and using it to create something beautiful.”  

Knippel provides customers his specially designed worm bins and will custom build your bin for a specific area if that is your need.  One standard size worm bin can process all of the vegetative waste from your household and, properly kept, has no odor.  He also sells the worms to initially stock the bin. 

Every three weeks, Knippel teaches a vermicompost class at his farm in his Cat Chalet and is available for contract classes at your location.  The demand for redworms which are sold by the pound is high so he is always looking for new suppliers.  Those taking his classes who decide to raise redworms for sale have the income potential proportional to the amount of work they put into it.  With a properly maintained bin, the end result of these quiet fertilizer factories is rich castings with more worms as an additional marketable commodity since both are in demand for gardeners.  That is a pretty good deal for just letting Mother Nature do her work.

Knippel is experimenting with a system of raising Black Soldier Flies, a common insect whose larvae eats chicken manure.  As they reproduce, they produce larvae which the chickens then eat, supplying pure protein, a perfect example of the cycle of nature supporting itself.

Contact Information

Northwest Redworms
Doug Knippel
806 N.E. 202nd Avenue
Camas, WA 98607
(360) 513-7251

dougknippel@northwestredworms.com

For further information

• http://northwestredworms.com

• Cabinetmaker hits pay dirt with worms
• A Home Business Can Be a Dirty Job
• Maps from Google Yahoo Mapquest
• Wikipedia articles on vermicomposting and Eisenia foetida, as detailed in Worms Eat My Garbage!

Posted by Glenna at 09:12 AM | Permalink

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge includes the sentence, "Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink."

The Water Steward Program in Clark County is working to help that to never be a local issue. That is one of several programs offered by our own extension office, located at 11104 N.E. 149th Street, Brush Prairie, just west of State Highway 503 (117th Avenue).

Coordinated by Jenifer Naas, the Watershed Stewards Program is paid for with clean water fees billed to property owners of $33 per year (or less in cases of acreage). It includes the popular community workshops for rain gardens and rain barrels. The rain gardens class, taught on location at the extension office, includes a tour of the rain gardens at that location and many examples of others throughout Clark County . Students paying the materials fee for the rain barrel workshop leave at the end of the class with a finished rain barrel to use in their own yard. There is also a workshop for permeable pavers to educate people to help direct more water back into the soil and reduce run-off.

Naas said it was difficult to choose a favorite part of her job since she likes all parts of it but decided on outreach. During outreach activities, she meets a large variety of people and is always interested in their stories and what they have to offer.

The three parts of the program are volunteer training, community workshops, and storm drain stenciling. There are currently approximately 130 active volunteers. Each volunteer has attended ten weeks of training, offered twice a year, with 35 hours of training and two field trips. The training is free with each volunteer required to volunteer back 40 hours to do outreach or other watershed activities such as restoration, stenciling storm drains or taking on their own projects. Approximately 50 percent of volunteers who complete the program continue in some capacity after the initial 40 hour commitment with 25 percent being very active. The importance of continuing volunteers has become even more important with each budget cut.

When asked what she would put on a wish list, Naas said advanced skills offering and more different kinds of workshops. The volunteers are interested in learning more so they can do more.

There will be people representing the Extension Office on April 18th at the Marshall Center for Earth Day. They will also be at the Home and Garden Idea Fair, April 24-26 and at Clark County Fair, August 7-16. When there are volunteers available, they are also at the Farmers Market.

Contact Information

Jenifer Naas
(360) 397-6060, Extension 7703
Watershed.Stewards@clark.wa.gov

For Further Information

• Watershed Stewards, WSU
• Watershed Stewards, Clark County
• Storing Rain in the Pacific Northwest, Rain Barrels (pdf file with directions)
• Storing Rain in the Pacific Northwest, Rain Gardens (pdf file with directions)
• Landscaping in the Pacific Northwest, Native Plants (pdf file with directions)

Posted by Glenna at 08:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Clark County is home to several garden clubs composed of people who have a common interest, gardening. The gardening ranges from the very practical growing of traditional foods to the beauty of a fine rose and everything in between including heirloom vegetables and small fruit orchards. Many garden clubs also have community programs to which they contribute and participate in many others. Projects include garden clubs taking turns to provide floral centerpieces at the Vancouver veteran's hospital, scholarship donations to Clark College and donations to charities such as Share House. The clubs also participate in flower shows, including Clark County Fair, and hold plant sales. In keeping with a love of gardening, many members are also Master Gardeners and contribute to the community through the Master Gardening Program. Field trips to gardening related locations such as the heritage garden at Fort Vancouver or Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden are enjoyed by the various clubs.

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VanRidge Garden Club

VanRidge Garden Club meets the third Monday of each month, September through June. Meetings are usually held at Pleasant View Church, 801 N.E. 194th Street, Ridgefield. The business meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. and is followed by a program. After the program, there is a short auction of donated garden-related items after which members and guests socialize with a potluck lunch. Meetings are always open to anyone with an interest in gardening. In May of each year, VanRidge has a plant sale open to the public and will be held this year May 15-16 at Pleasant View Church.

Upcoming events include:

May 15 and 16, Plant sale
Many varieties of plants, food and decorative, grown by club members
Pleasant View Church, 801 N.E. 194th Street, Ridgefield

May 18 - Kris Alexander, coordinator and mentor for Clark County Community/Homegrown will talk about the program, goals, square foot gardening, mentors needed (training available), and responsibilities.

Contact Information for VanRidge

Maggie Vinnedge
(360) 263-2137
maggarden@tds.net

Van Ridge Garden Club

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Minnehaha Garden Gate Club

Minnehaha Garden Gate Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month, 10:00 a.m., at the Grange Hall, 4905 N.E. St. John Boulevard, Vancouver.

Upcoming events include:

May 8 and 9, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Annual Mother's Day Plant Sale
Many varieties of plants, shrubs, herbs etc.
Minnehaha Grange Hall, 4905 NE St Johns Blvd. 98661.
Meetings are open to anyone who would like to attend.

Contact Information for Minnehaha

Mary Ann Fitzgibbon
herbs39@juno.com

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*This page is periodically updated with new information.

Posted by Glenna at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Pacific Northwest Farm Direct Marketing Association is a group of farmers who work together to find ways to increase direct-to-consumer sales and profit margins through value-added products. Covering British Columbia, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, their annual meeting for 2009 will be held at the Phoenix Inn in Olympia, March 5-7, and will include a bus tour of various direct-market models in the Olympia area.

What is Farm-Direct Marketing?

"Farm-direct marketing" describes a variety of ways that farmers increase value to retain a larger portion of each food-dollar spent. USDA estimates consistently show growers receiving only 15-20 cents of every food dollar spent, with the majority going to processors and distributors. Direct marketing provides alternatives: Internet marketing, direct-to-restaurant, farm stands, pick-your-own or u-pick and direct-subscription models such as whole-animal sales or community-supported agriculture (CSA). Farm-direct marketing can also include such things as winery tours, "agritainment" events such as pumpkin patches and corn mazes, as well as value-added products such as jams, jellies and baked goods. By eliminating intermediate steps, consumers get a fresher product at a lower cost, while the farmer keeps more of each food dollar in the local economy.

Annual Meeting in Olympia, March 5-7, 2009

The association will hold its annual meeting this year in Olympia. In addition to normal business, this will also include a bus tour of various direct-marketing businesses in the area. Stops on the tour such as Jim's U-Fish, Wilcox Farms, Terry's Berries and others. Silver Springs Beef Ranch is an 1100-acre operation. Lattin's County Cider Mill hosts cider-related and other events. Johnson's Smoke House and Sausage operates a sophisticated operation under USDA HACCAP guidelines and the tour will also include other "agro-tourism" destination such as the Great Western Supply Barn & Nursery, the Rutledge Corn Maze, Schilter Family Farm and the Medicine Creek Winery. Lodging and main meeting shall be held at the Phoneix Inn Suites, 415 Capitol Way North in Olympia.

Contact Information for Pacific Northwest Farm Direct Marketing Association

Peggy Zimmerman, Secretary PO Box 1315
Brush Praire WA 98606

(360) 574-9119
http://www.washingtondirectfarmmarketing.org

For Further Information

• www.oregondirectfarmmarketing.org
• www.washingtondirectfarmmarketing.org
• www.bccanadadirectfarmmarketing.org
• WSDA has a small farm and direct marketing program, which publishes a convenient "green book" of rules and regulations, as well as tips
• The WSU Small Farms team also has a variety of resources, including support for diversified business planning

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

Oregon Tilth is a non-profit membership organization which works locally and nationally to encourage wholesome, organic food production. Based in Oregon and founded in 1974, it operates a variety of programs, including a USDA-recognized, international organic certification program. As a 501(c)3 membership organization, its general purpose is "to educate gardeners, farmers, legislators, and the general public about the need to develop and use sustainable growing practices." Unlike the Washington Tilth Association, Oregon Tilth is more centralized, with a much broader mission.

Organicology Conference in Portland, February 26-28, 2009

One excellent example of Tilth's work is this month's "Organicology" conference in downtown Portland. Designed to bring together growers, producers, distributors and advocates, it features a wide variety of activities designed to increase connections and build communities. In addition to a series of intensive workshops on various food issues, Organicology also features a variety of speakers, social events and a trade show. Further information is available at the Tilth web site, and is only one example.

In Good Tilth Magazine

Another superb example of Tilth's eclectic and ongoing mission is their magazine, In Good Tilth. Printed quarterly and available for free at various locations throughout the region, In Good Tilth provides free classified ads to Tilth members, and a variety of informative articles and display ads for organic suppliers and producers. New Seasons and all three Portland food co-ops carry the magazine, as well as many libraries. A list of distribution points and an archive of recent issues is available on the Tilth web site as well.

Membership in Oregon Tilth

Membership in Oregon Tilth can take a variety of forms, from individual to household to non-profit to for-profit businesses. With annual and lifetime options, individual membership starts at $30 per year and includes a free classified ad in the magazine, a subscription to In Good Tilth, voting privileges and discounts to various Tilth events.

Contact Information for Oregon Tilth

Oregon Tilth

470 Lancaster Drive NE
Salem OR 97301

http://Tilth.org
(503) 378-0690

For Further Information

• Oregon Tilth's website has general information and specific resources on organic regulations for businesses, OTOC certification, trainings and membership.
• Oregon Tilth's magazine In Good Tilth is also available around and online.
• "Growing Oregon Tilth Capitalizes on Sustainability: Revenue at the Salem-based Nonprofit Rose 50 Percent Last Year" by Melissa Chavez. Portland Business Journal. September 19, 2008.

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

The Clark County Community Grown program is a partnership whose goal is to create community through gardening. Formerly known as "Clark County Home Grown," they demonstrate how to garden and raise more of one's own, nutritious foods at home, with a special focus on low-income families.

Cooperation to Provide Supplies and Mentoring

Two major governmental partners include Clark County Public Health, Public Works and the Master Gardeners from the Washington State University extension service. Working with various grant money, the program helps qualified, low-income folks to build and manage a 32-square-foot, raised garden bed, including soil and plants. Participants are also provided with basic reference materials and a mentor who helps them do well in their new garden.

Immediate Success for Dozens of Families

The first year of the program established almost seventy home grown gardens throughout the county, with a strong concentration in the Rosemere (Rose Village) neighborhood, where there were enough to hold meetings and events such as potlucks where new gardeners shared questions, triumphs and advice. Over the next year, the program hopes to support even more families, and to provide composting education and compost bins, with the goal of improving quality of life through reduced food and health costs, while lowering disposal costs.

Plans to Expand Community Gardens County-Wide

The program also hopes to expand the county's 200 community garden plots by 25% over the next two years, by adding two new sites at Pacific Park and the "old poor farm" site on 78th Street, where the WSU Extension formerly had a research station. These two new sites would supplement existing gardens at four current locations: Ellsworth, Fruit Valley, Campus and Marshall Center. Community gardening "toolkits" and tips are also scheduled to appear shortly at www.CommunityGrown.com

Other Partners Host, Build Beds and Provide Plant Starts

Other partners include Friends of the Carpenter (which helps construct garden beds), Lewis and Clark High School (whose horticulture program grows starts) and the YWCA (with seven garden beds installed at a YWCA apartment)

Contact Information

Pete Dubois, pete.dubois@clark.wa.gov
Sustainable Clark County

For Further Information

• http://CommunityGrown.org (coming in 2009)
• The City of Vancouver and Clark County initiate sustainability programs" by Leslee Jaquette. City of Vancouver Senior Messenger, January 2009.
"Stake Your Claim: Community Garden Project" by Kate Dyer-Seeley. Vancouver Voice, February 26, 2009, p. 9.
• "Neighbors," The Columbian on Tuesday, October 7, 2008. Featured an article on a gathering of Rose Village "home grown gardeners."
• "Home Grown Answers," a Columbian editorial in support of the program on April 28, 2008.

* Updated to include additional article

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

The Washington State Farm Bureau is an affiliate of the American Farm Bureau Federation, representing twenty-five smaller farm bureaus throughout the state, most organized by county. As a national organization the Farm Bureau is a sort of rural chamber of commerce, which aims to "make the business of farming more profitable, and the community a better place to live." As a national organization, the Farm Bureau provides access to farm families, and pools buying power for services such as insurance, and to Most county-level bureaus sponsor safety classes around such issues as machinery and pesticides, and some may sponsor social events as well.

As a lobbying group, the Farm Bureau is headquartered in Washington DC, and issues recommendations on a variety of legislative issues, such as opposition to legislation regarding global warming and abolition of the federal estate tax. The Washington State Farm Bureau legislative "report card" gave governor Christine Gregoire a 50% rating, with a clear split for most legislators along party lines. For the state legislative session ending in 2008, Washington Democrats averaged 51.3% agreement with WSFB, while Republicans averaged 97.9%.

Other Farm Bureau programs include promoting awareness of agriculture among gradeschool children, a women's bureau, a young farmer and rancher program, and education around employment law. The Farm Bureua is a major player in America's Second Harvest, now known as Feeding America. This program aims to divert groceries nearing their "pull dates" to food banks as a humanitarian tax strategy.

Contact Information

Washington Farm Bureau

975 Carpenter Rd NE, Suite 301
Lacey WA 98516

(800) 331-3276, (800) 331-FARM
https://www.wsfb.com/contact

For Further Information

• Bill Zimmerman of BiZi Farms is president of the Clark/Cowlitz Farm Bureau
• Classroom resources from the Washington State Farm Bureau.
• Neighbors is the newsletter of the Washington State Farm Bureau
• The FB.org web site includes podcasts and other resources
• FeedingAmerica.org
• One young, local farmer's take on their first Farm Bureau meeting.

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

One of the hottest food books in Clark County right now is the second edition of Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, written with Mary G. Enig, PhD, and beautifully illustrated with line drawings by Marion Dearth. Much of its popularity is among devotees of raw milk, but the book has lots to offer those who don't even drink milk, such as vegetarians and vegans. Although it looks much like a cook book, Nourishing Traditions is really an invitation to reconsider what food is for, and how it fits into our lives.

Nutrition Includes Minerals, Bacteria, Wee Beasties

Opening with a chapter on basic nutrition, Ms. Fallon lays out not just the basics of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, but also discusses less-obvious things such as minerals and enzymes. Fallon was a co-founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which builds on the work of the late Dr. Price, a dentist and nutritionist who famously argued for the importance of a whole-foods diet for oral, bone and general health. Key to this view of nutrition is an attention to small things, including trace minerals that many people consider vitamins, if they consider them at all. As important are bacteria and enyzmes, the wee beasties that live inside our digestive systems, and which are encouraged by many of Fallon's recipes.

Anyone who has been prescribed antibiotics for an infection within the past dozen years has probably also been advised to purchase and eat a solid, "pro-biotic" yogurt with it, such as Nancy's brand from near Eugene. The reason for this is that, at a cellular level, people do not digest their food: enzymes do. From the moment food encounters saliva, a host of chemical reactions help break it down and make it available to to us as nutrients. Similar bacterial allies are present throughout our bodies, such as a woman's wholesome vaginal flora. When the body has too much available sugar in the wrong place, or these expand beyond their normal place, the results are things such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections or other problems. Those who have only read about E. coli in newspaper reports of produce scares may not appreciate just how full of the stuff they (and all healthy people) are. Fallon does a great service by explaining their relevance, and providing recipes designed to promote intestinal health.

Feed the Gut, Feed the Soul, Family and World

Nourishing Traditions provides a variety of recipes designed to maximize healthful intestines, by providing traditional fermented foods, whole grains and a variety of dairy products made from whole milk. Not everyone will be interested or comfortable in obtaining raw milk to create their clabbers, kefirs and cheese, but there are plenty of other good things to learn from Nourishing Traditions. Although not the best book on anything, Fallon does a wonderful job of being a good first book on many things, with terrific examples of fermented foods such as non-vinegar sauerkraut, extensive discussions of the importance of stock for key minerals and a solid introduction to the reasons and methods to sprout grains, nuts and seeds. As important as the solid science and microbiology of this approach is, though, the cultural and familial benefits are as important.

Agriculture and Bacterial Culture for Healthier Human Culture

Proponents of one diet or another are sometimes seen as zealots, with many folks viewing raw food, vegetarianism or veganism almost as cults. What Fallon's book does beautifully and in each section is to provide fertile grist for meditation on what the word "culture" means. Our word for "cult" comes from an older word that means to tend to and nourish, as in agriculture, bacterial culture and human culture. The ways we grow and use food are a key part of who we are, and by outsourcing so much of our food and nourishment to large corporations, all of us are made poorer. This is a key tenet of the "slow food" movement, and Nourishing Traditions provides a good starting-point for folks who wish to take control of their own lives by paying more attention to what they cultivate: in their yards, in their kitchens, and in their lives.

It is no accident that some of the oldest and poorest nations in the world have the richest cuisines. Consider China. Consider India. Consider Mexico. Fallon offers a roadmap toward creating similarly rich food culture at the home scale, for people of modest means.

"Slow foods" sometimes get a bad rap as affectation or luxury items for the well-off but, as Fallon demonstrates, the creation and nurturing of these foods is a basic part of human life. Rather than watch the Home and Garden Channel, learning different ways to braise deserts with a propane torch, Fallon shows how simply soaking grains, baking bread or a pickling crock can make wholesome, home-made foods a central part of one's life and home. This is very much in keeping with the home sustainability movement, as championed by local folks such as Monique Dupre. As importantly, and more convincingly, the things that Fallon describes are just plain fun. Although I don't think that her condiment recipes are the best, learning to make condiments and fermented foods is fun, turning something one normally pays too much for into something very personal that pays you back.

For Further Information

• Sally Fallon's Sally Fallon's 2001 book Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats is available through the Fort Vancouver Regional Library under call number 641.5 FALLON 2001 or may be purchased at Powell's.
• Sample chapters and more information are available through the publisher, New Trends Publishing.
• The Weston A. Price Foundation has a huge catalog of resources that explore these ideas at http://www.westonaprice.org/sitemap.html
• Yahoo Groups has an entire category of groups for discussing the values and techniques of lacto-fermented foods.
• Raw Milk Stirs Prohibition-Style Fervor: Health, Safety Cited by Both Sides in the Legalization Debate" by Amanda Pennely. The Portland Tribune, July 8, 2005.
• Vegetarians and vegans interested in fermented foods may wish to explore Sandor Katz' 2003 book Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, co-authored with Fallon and available under FVRL call number 641.7 KATZ or from Powells.com.

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Monique Dupre is a woman on a mission. A charismatic mix of down-home (raised up a dirt road outside Astoria) and sophisticated (married a handsome Frenchman), Monique pioneered the emerging genre of new-wave home economists, with a series of innovative classes to help people improve their lives with basic kitchen skills. She can single-handedly increase business for suppliers she mentions: a sort of neighborhood Oprah, promoting the idea of improved quality-of-life by consuming less and enjoying more. A rock-star inspiration for much of the younger, ladel-and-larder crowd, Dupre does this from a base in Vancouver.

Charisma, Common Sense, Condiments and Canning Jars

The Vancouver coordinator for a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Dupre was a proponent of whole grains, home fermentation and raw milk when some urban homesteaders couldn't tell a crock from a currant. A powerful proponent of pantry planning, she has been featured in The Oregonian's Food Day supplement, praised in a Columbian editorial, and even singled out as hip by hipsters at the Portland Mercury. Much of it is the solid information she presents, but what makes Monique distinct is her personal passion and her attention to "enough." Her classes are substantive, but not overwhelming, with an appropriate size for the subject matter and at a price that makes them possible for the folks who need them most. Each has enough to get the novice started, but also tips and tricks for the more seasoned, building on the others but also standing alone.

The Basics: Philosophy, Getting Started, Doing More, Continuing

Although Sustainable Budget adds new classes and workshops all the time, most people begin with her introductory class, which explains how living better on less is possible by paying more attention to things that matter most, like time and health and family. With a thick folder of handouts dense with information, this joy in life and spirit pervades all that follows. From learning the basics of whole-grain cookery to how to make better condiments at happen, a Sustainable Budget class might also be scheduled on a more specialized topic, such as bread-baking at home: the sort of thing Martha Stewart would do if she had less money, more sense, and lived locally. There is an entire thread on home dairy products and raw milk, for those who crave crème fraîche or just appreciate better yogurt. The fermentation class inspired one Vancouver man to make his first sauerkraut, and an active Google group of those who have taken Sustainable Budget classes is an ongoing resource, available to anyone who has attended.

Emerging Community and Stronger Home Food Cultures

Drawing on many of the same philosophies put forward in books such as Michael Pollan's, Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions or Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Sustainable Budget classes are a lifelong, daily thing. They encourage independence and deepening by design, so much so that admirers replicate them nationwide. Dupre herself travels to do workshops for garden clubs or church groups, and teaches many workshops in local homes. If one has a small group that can pay the modest fee, Dupre herself will come and freely share the same material that she has developed over several years, and inspired dozens of local groups and buying clubs throughout the region.

Clark County is a natural place for such a balance of influences to take hold. Between mountains and rivers, city and country, old world and new, Sustainable Budget demonstrates that a good life is accessible to all, and that health and pleasure are not only for the wealthy.

Contact Information for Monique Dupre

Sustainable Living on a Budget

Vancouver WA 98660

moniquedupre@gmail.com
http://SustainableBudget.com

For Further Information

• Sustainable Budget web site, group and list of classes.
  • "Meet the Locavores: These Folks Stick to Local Foods as Much as Possible, Even During the Winter" by Erin Middlewood. The Columbian, February 16, 2008.
  The Columbian, August 29, 2008, p. C4. A newspaper editorial which holds up Monique Dupre as a terrific resource.
  • "Sustainable on a Budget? Order Starts with a Clean Kitchen" by Sarah Gilbert. Culinate, June 5, 2008.
  • "Eat Healthy, Spend Less: Vancouver Woman Has Concocted Winning Recipe for Sustainable Living" by Erin Middlewood, The Columbian, May 30, 2008, p. D1.
  • "Sustainable Living on a Budget: Am I Inspired Yet?" UrbanMamas.com, May 22, 2008.
  • "The Backyard Economy: Attacking Rising Food Prices from My Urban Homestead" by Amy J. Ruiz. Portland Mercury food issue, May 15, 2008.
  • "Consumer Skips Grocery Store to Get Food off the Grid," The Oregonian, April 22, 2008.
  • "Eating SOLE Food: tips from local “Sustainability on a Budget” expert, Monique Dupre" at Oregon Environmental Council.
  * Additional articles added after publishing.

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"Square Foot Gardening" is Mel Bartholomew's name for a modified version of "raised-bed intensive," a very old technique that has gone by many names over the years. The idea behind raised-bed intensive is to create a finite, highly-controlled space, where dense plantings produce greater yields. What Mr. Bartholomew has done with his popular books, PBS series and videos, is to simplify this technique and make it easy, even for total beginners. In addition to his book and a foundation to promote its uses worldwide, Bartholomew also hosted a series of the same name on public television. A second edition of his 1981 book was published recently and is available through the Fort Vancouver Regional Library under the call number 635 BARTHOL 2005.

Building a Basic Square-Foot Garden

Although current gardeners may adapt some of the methods, the basic idea behind a standard square-foot-garden is to build an open-bottomed box, four feet on each side, into which one places an enriched soil mixture. A four-foot-square box is small enough that most people can easily reach in, without risk of stepping on (and compacting) the soil. This size can also easily be divided into sixteen separate "square foot" sections, with a different kind of plant in each section.

Materials to Build a Square-Foot Garden from Scratch

Many people already have the materials to build a basic square foot garden, and Bartholomew's method is designed to minimize the need for specialized tools and heavy labor, making it particularly useful for new gardens. If one were to purchase these materials from scratch, the cost is appreciably less than $100, using supplies from Shurway Lumber and Thrifty Feed on St. John's Boulevard. More experienced gardeners will recognize the soil amendments as the standard ingredients for commercial "starter soil," which Bartholomew modestly refers to as "Mel's Mix."

• Two eight-foot lengths of 2x10" or 2x12" lumber, in 4 four-foot sections.
• Approximately four cubic feet of vermiculite
• Approximately four cubic feet of peat moss
• Approximately four cubit feet of mixed manures
• Optional weed barrier (cardboard boxes will work) for bottom
• Optional 2x2" lumber (six, four-foot lengths) for top grid
• Different plant seeds or starts that you or your family would enjoy

Procedure to Build a Square-Foot Garden from Scratch

Basically, the idea behind the square-foot garden is to build an open-bottomed box in a sunny area and fill it with the "Mel's Mix" potting soil mixture. The mixture itself is designed to hold moisture (in the peat moss) while remaining aerated (thanks to vermiculite) and providing basic nutrients (from the manures). Starting with the artificial mix minimizes weed seeds and the immediate need to learn weeding, while the cardboard or weed barrier on the bottom discourages weed seeds already on the site from making their way up to take advantage of the potting mixture.

1. Find a good sunny spot that is pleasant and accessible, so you'll visit
2. Use the large boards to build an open-bottomed 4'x4' box
3. Place the cardboard or weed barrier in the bottom of the box
4. Mix the manure, vermiculite and peat moss together outside the box
5. Fill the box with this freshly-mixed and well-lofted material
6. Use the 2x2" lumber to create a grid of sixteen one-foot squares on top
7. Plant your seeds or starts directly into the squares, one variety per square
8. Stagger plantings and make sure that no square ever sits unused or unproductive

The Logic, Pros and Cons of Square Foot Gardening

The main advantage of square-foot gardening for beginners is its simplicity. The small, human scale and clear instructions remove a lot of variables and anxiety. Intermediate gardeners will recognize a few clear advantages.

• A finite, clearly-defined area is simpler to monitor and control
• Raised beds increase soil depth, warm faster and drain more evenly
• Small, defined spaces make it easier to add amendments and observe
• Lofty, from-scratch "soil" minimizes and simplifies weeding
• Small numbers of a variety of plants decrease chances and severity of pest damage
• Super-lofty soils require no special tools other than human hands

There are also disadvantages to square-foot gardening, which advanced gardeners will immediately see, including (1) a lack of biotic complexity in the soil, (2) the finite fertility of this soil over time, and (3) the way it renders all sorts of existing knowledge and techniques unnecessary. Advanced gardeners will immediately recognize the bio-intensive method as one popularized by John Jeavons, and will quibble over spacings and other errata, which is fine. "Absorb what is useful," as the saying goes, discarding what is useless and adapting what you would make your own.

The Square-Foot Method as an Introduction to Gardening

Key to appreciating the value of Bartholomew's square-foot gardening method is it simplicity. Boxes can be made smaller for children and smaller adults. Because even a full box weighs less than two or three hundred pounds (depending on water load), boxes can even be built on tables with plywood, for "accessible gardening" to people in wheelchairs or others who have difficulty gardening directly on the ground. Boxes can be built in a variety of shapes and sizes, providing new and less expensive options for "container gardening" on decks, patios and even steps. The main thing that Bartholomew's book provides is an introduction to possibility, with key hooks for the imagination.

In Clark County, square-foot-gardening methods are employed by groups such as Clark County Homegrown Gardens (CCHG), which provide boxes and instructions to help low-income folks grow some of their own food, and the method has been adapted in various educational settings, as a simple way to introduce gardens (and its associated science) to school children. The technique provides many simple opportunities for home-scale agricultural research, and landlords who might object to seeing shovels on their properties usually don't have a problem with a box. Boxes can even be built on driveways and patios, creating small gardens in sunny places that would otherwise sit more than fallow. The main advantage of square-foot-gardening is that it is accessible and adaptable for all sorts of situations. Visitors to the CASEE center in Brush Praire may recognize many SGF ideas in beds there which produce fresh produce for food banks and pantries, and some local gardeners plant their "row for the hungry" in a square-foot garden.

For Further Information

• Wikipedia article on square-foot gardening
• Google shows dozens of videos on SQF, as does YouTube.com
• A demonstration SQF in Arnada, as featured in The Columbian
• An April 28, 2008, Columbian editorial, "Home Grown Answer" in support of Home-Grown Clark County's program to help folks start their own square-foot gardens.
• "Introducing Square Foot Gardening" Video recording on DVD. FVRL call number DVD 635 INTRODU.
• All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space! by Mel Bartholomew. Cool Springs Press, 2005. FVRL call number 635 BARTHOL 2005, also available from Powells.com.

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Urban Farm School is the brainchild of two Clark County women, Toree Hiebert and Kendra Pearce. With the goal to increase community health and happiness by re-connecting people with their food and the land, they offer a variety of agricultural services, with a focus on small-lot, urban and suburban agriculture.

From Classes to Tutorials to Events and Parties

In addition to a delightful series of affordable classes in garden basics, they also sponsor a series of social events throughout the season and are available for in-home services. In-home services vary from consultation about a person's individual, site-specific issues to work-along tutorials. For individuals, church and neighborhood groups, they have also developed a series of "Garden for Life" parties, each with a specific theme. Designed to help small groups of friends learn a task and have fun together, these are a terrific group activity, with practical and lifelong benefits.

With years of varied teaching and agricultural experience (including past experience operating a CSA), Urban Farm School is a terrific business model for helping people to help themselves while improving quality of life for individuals and communities.

Contact Information

Urban Farm School

Post Office Box 393
Ridgefield WA 98642

(360) 852-3728
(360) 907-5814
http://urbanfarmschool.wordpress.com

For Further Information

• http://urbanfarmschool.wordpress.com
• Urban Farm School list of upcoming events
• "Eat Better, Cut Bills: Local Resources Help Save Money and Go Green" by Amaranth Wilson. Vancouver Voice, February 26, 2009, p. 9.
• Kendra's Garden Journal at Wordpress.
• Toree's Garden Journal, also at Wordpress.

* Updated to include new article

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The Grange is America's Foremost Volunteer and Grassroots Orgainzation. It is comprised of families and individuals who share a common interest in community involvement, agricultural and rural issues working together in a family environment. Programs, projects, and activities offered in every local grange reflect the interests and talents of its members with focus on family activities.

The Grange is for people who like gardening, photography, animals, baking, sewing, crafts, talking, contests, community affairs or rural life. Its a great place to meet new friends and neighbors in your community. Working together in a very rewarding way.

Clark County is home to thirteen Granges, all members of the Washington State Grange. The Washington State Grange was established in 1889, two months before the Washington Territories achieved statehood. It is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of our residents through the spirit of community service and legislative action."

Clark County Granges

Barberton Grange No. 571

9400 N.E. 72nd Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98665
Handicap accessible
Clark County Health Department Certified Public Kitchen
Organized November 21, 1914 by R.E. Gerard
Incorporated April 15, 1930
Rent chairman: Francie Taylor (360) 254-2463 (360) 901-3776

Fargher Lake Grange No. 853

379th off Wiehl Road N.W. of Fargher Lake
Organized May 9, 1927 by C. A. Sperber
Incorporated June 6, 1945
Rent Chairman: Rick Johnson (360) 263-4620

Fern Prairie Grange No. 866

1818 N.E. 267th Avenue, Camas, WA
Organized January 13, 1928 by C. A. Sperber
Incorporated March 17, 1930
Rent Chairman: Melissa McGuffin (360) 834-3473

Fishers Grange No. 211

814 N.E. 162nd Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98684
Organized Dec 10, 1907 by S.G. Schoonover
Incorporated March 15, 1930
Rent Chairman: Bob Richards (360) 687-2259

Hazel Dell Grange No. 1124

7509 N.E. Hazel Dell Avenue Vancouver, WA
Organized June 13, 1947 by Vern I. Tucker
Incorporated March 20, 1951
Rent Chairman: Linda Lundin (360) 604-0893

La Center Grange No. 48 (Oldest Grange in the State)

328 West Fifth Street, La Center, WA
Organized July 8, 1874 by H.M. Knapp
Incorporated Feb. 26, 1930
Rent Chairman: Ken Viles (360) 263-3641

Manor Grange No. 1101

17901 N.E. 72nd Avenue
Organized Sept. 22, 1939 by Heye Meyer
Incorporated Nov. 15, 1939
Rent Chairman: Phil Smith (360) 576-0953

Minnehaha Grange No. 164

4905 N.E. St. Johns Road, Vancouver, WA
Organized Dec. 27, 1905 by S.G. Schoonover
Incorporated Sept. 24, 1908
Rent Chairman: Floyd Barrett (360) 694-9326

Mt. Valley Grange No. 79

40107 N.E. 221st Avenue, Amboy, WA 98601
Organized Aug. 6, 1889 by John Simpson
Rent Chairman: Jim Malinowski (360) 247-6295

Pioneer Grange #901

3803 NE 199th Street, Ridgefield, WA 98642
Organized April 25, 1929 by C.A. Sperber
Incorporated Jan 12, 1931
Meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
Rent chairman: Francie Taylor (360) 254-2463 (360) 901-3776

Salmon Creek Grange No. 849

1900 N.E. 154th Street (N.E. 20th Avenue at 154th Street) Vancouver, WA
Organized March 1, 1927 by C.A. Sperber
Incorporated April 28, 1928
Rent Chairman: Rose Cooper (360) 573-0236

Washington Grange No. 82

7701 N.E. Ward Road, Vancouver, WA (Entrance off 76th Street)
Organized Aug. 19, 1889 by John Simpson
Incorporated Sept. 19, 1902
Rent Chairman: Rodger Lance (360) 687-1503-Day (360) 892-8371-Evening

Washougal Grange No. 69

621 17th Street, Washougal, WA
Organized March 31, 1883 by A.F. Miller
Incorporated Oct. 26, 1885
Rent Chairman: Jeff Miller (360) 835-2489

For more information

Contact one of the two Clark County Grange Deputies:
Janice Anderson (360) 835-8206-Home (360) 921-3038-Cell
Elinor Collins (360) 798-2303-Cell Home: (360) 695-2179-Home

OR visit

Washington State Grange
924 Capitol Way S #300
P.O. Box 1186
Olympia, WA 98507-1186
(360) 943-9911 (800) 854-1635
Fax: (360) 357-3548
E-mail: grange@wa-grange.org

Grange membership application

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The Washington Tilth Association is a 501(c)3 organization organized in 1977 as part the general "tilth movement" within the Pacific northwest. Serving as an umbrella organization for several autonomous chapters, WTA itself has a board made up of chapter representatives who meet annually but have no centralized staff. WTA functions as a "fiscal sponsor" for four of its chapters, but not all.

Chapters in the Washington Tilth Association

The Washington Tilth Association is organized into chapters, with six chapters at the end of 2008:

• Seattle Tilth
• South Whidbey Island Tilth
• Sno Valley Tilth
• Spokane Tilth, since 1999
• Tilth Producers of Washington, for farmers
• Vashon Island Growers Association

For Further Information

• WTA website with information on , bylaws and structure
• Oregon Tilth, a more active chapter, with a rigorous certification program

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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.

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There are relatively few restrictions on livestock within Clark County and, although individual cities may regulate animals, for the most part the county has a complaint-driven system. This means that small domestic animals (such as fryer rabbits or egg-laying hens) are allowed for personal use, so long as they and their products are not sold, traded or bartered.

City of Vancouver (Washington) Chicken Law

Poultry and livestock within the City of Vancouver are defined in section 20.150.040 and governed under chapter 8.24 of the Vancouver Municipal Code (VMC). Roosters, swine and peacocks are explicitly prohibited under VMC 20.895.050 (C) while larger animals are only allowed on properties with one acre or more as per VMC 20.150.040 (B).

Clark County Urban Livestock Task Force

In late 2008 the Bureau of Clark County Commissioners (BOCC) voted to establish the Urban Lifestock Task Force (ULTF) to address the issue of horses and other livestock within Clark County within and outside of designated urban growth areas (UGA's).

First meetings of the task force were scheduled for 10 December 2008, then on 14 and 28 January 2009 at the county's Public Services Center, 1300 Franklin in Vancouver, 98660. In addition to identifying minimal conditions for the lawful upkeep of livestock, the ULTF is also asked to help with legal definitions of livestock and related concepts such as "stable" and "agriculture." The designated contact person for this is Gordy Euler of Clark Community Planning. ULTF task force members appointed include: Art Stubbs, Cheri Cornelius, Clarence Petty, Denise Smee, Loren Carlson, Mary Ann Simonds, Norm Welsh and Tom Meyer.

For more information and minutes please visit the offical ULTF web page at http://www.clark.wa.gov/longrangeplan/projects/urban-livestock-review.html.

Clark County 4-H Programs for Washington Youth

4-H is a nationwide youth organization, administered through state extension services under the United States Department of Agriculture. Historically the program has had a strong rural focus. In Clark County, Washington, the 4-H program is managed through Washington State University's cooperative extension office at the "CASEE Center" (Center for Agriculture, Science, and Environmental Education) 11104 NE 149th St, #C100, Brush Prairie WA 98605. For more information on 4-H in Clark County, including youth programs related to livestock, please visit http://clark.wsu.edu/youth or phone (360) 397-6060.

For Further Information

• Clark County Washington's 4-H program is administered through the WSU Extension Office.
• Vancouver Municipal Code (VMC) Section 20.150.040 defines a domestic animal as "Any animal other than livestock that lives and breeds in a tame condition including, but not limited to: dogs, cats and other pets."
• Vancouver Municipal Code (VMC) 8.24 "Animals"
• BackYardChickens.com has more information on keeping chickens than you can shake a stick at.

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