Features
Draft Power: Using horses, oxen and mules on the farm
by Marnie Jones
Farming with draft animals may appear, to some, as a nostalgic diversion or an antiquated practice, a vestige of times gone by. For many farmers, it is much more—a practical means of accomplishing the daily work of farming without sacrificing economy, beauty, or sensitivity to the land and soil.
When it comes to
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Recent Posts
News
STATE – Last month Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law the establishment of a State Food Policy Council, called Executive Order 10-02. Gregoire signed the order, entitled “Strengthening Washington’s Food Systems through Policy and Collaboration,” at the Food Systems Strategies Summit on the University of Washington campus. The event was sponsored by the Access to
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STATE – The Washington School Nutrition Association and Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Farm-to-School Program is seeking to partner school districts with nearby farms for “Taste of Washington” Day on Sept. 29. The focus of the day is to bring students a fresh lunch comprised of local ingredients, present farmer-focused curriculum in the classroom, and
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WHATCOM – Marine biotoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) have been detected at high levels in shellfish samples collected from Squalicum Harbor, Birch Bay and Semiahmoo Spit. As a result, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has closed all of Whatcom County to the recreational harvest of shellfish. The County Health Department will
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WHATCOM – Whatcom Farm Friends is holding a call for photographers to help show the story of Whatcom County agriculture during an exhibit slated for the Northwest Washington Fair in August. All amateur and professional photographers are welcome to submit photos. The juried photographic exhibition will highlight Whatcom County’s rural people, crops and product diversity,
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The way to CSA: How it works and where to get it
Community Supported Agriculture: How it works and where to get it
compiled by Becca Schwarz Cole
Northwest Washington is home to many farmers, some of them offering Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, in which residents can subscribe for a season’s worth of produce. Most farmers provide weekly baskets, in either half or full share sizes (a full
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People
Bite of Skagit: Local eating for a good cause by Jessica Harbert
This year the Bite of Skagit has already doubled in size compared to last year’s event. With 10 vendors participating, the second annual fundraising event is helping bring more visibility to the abundance of local farmers and food available in the area.
“We want everyone to enjoy (it),” Susan Lanahan, the Bite of Skagit
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DIY
Beekeeping: Backyard basics by Bruce Vilders
Thinking of raising and keeping honeybees? Having your own backyard hive is becoming increasingly inviting for those of us who want to guarantee that our gardens and fruit trees will be pollinated. Your decision to keep bees will also promote bee health in the face of the ubiquity of chemical weed killers and
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Cooking
Garden cooking with beets and raspberries by Christina and Charles Claassen
The summer growing season is kicking, and gardens are full of good food. Many fruits and vegetables stand out on their own, and taste delicious when completely unadulterated. But sometimes it’s fun to experiment with recipes from the garden. While we could choose from dozens of great fruits and vegetables to
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Gardening
Container Gardening: Always room to grow by Jennifer Olson
Got containers? You can get gardening! No matter what kind of space you have – whether it be a small balcony, tiny windowsill, porch, yard or acreage – anyone can do container gardening.
There are a few basic rules to container gardening: sunlight, adequate container size, daily watering and good soil.
You can grow just
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Crafts
Profile: Moth and Squirrel by Brent Cole
Making stuffed animals, hats, pins as well as baby products out of recycled materials has gone from a fun hobby a decade ago to sustainable business for local crafter Libby Chenault. Primarily using old sweaters and other worn out materials, Libby breathes new life into used and often discarded garments.
A lifelong crafter, Libby
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