WHATCOM – The 2012 Wild Seafood Exchange, presented by Fishermen’s News in partnership with the Port of Bellingham, will be held in Bellingham on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn & Conference Center in Bellingham. Previously held in Seattle, the one-day conference is aimed at the independent commercial fisherman who wants
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EVERETT – The Washington State Department of Agriculture is holding a series of Harvest Against Hunger Area Summits where farmers, processors, packers and hunger relief organizations can share ideas and insights about ways to effectively work together to alleviate hunger in communities. Using funds from the WSDA Specialty Crop Block Grant, Harvest Against Hunger Area
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WHATCOM – The Backyard Beans and Grains Project has released an instruction manual “Growing Dry Beans & Grains in the Pacific Northwest: a Step-by-Step Guide to Producing Your Own Staple Foods” as a 26-page book, according to organizer Krista Rome. The book includes full instructions for the “13 major legume, grain, and seed crops we
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SKAGIT – The 6th Annual Organic Seed Alliance Conference will be held Jan. 19-21 in Port Townsend, and includes a pre-conference field tour in the Skagit Valley, a major vegetable seed production region. An all-day field tour co-sponsored by Southern Exposure Seed Exchange will visit major cabbage, beet and spinach growing regions, as well as
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SAN JUAN/ANACORTES – The San Juan and Anacortes Farmers Markets are hosting winter farmers markets. The San Juan Island Winter Farmers Market will be held the first Saturdays in January, February and March. Produce, goodies, arts and crafts, and more will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Friday Harbor High School
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WHATCOM – The WSU Whatcom County Extension is hosting an Open House on Thursday, Dec. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 1000 N. Forest in Bellingham.  The public is welcome to attend and learn more about programs, meet the staff, and view current and future efforts the Whatcom Extension is involved with locally and
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WHATCOM – The 4th annual Bid Local First online auction, which serves as a fundraiser for the Food To Bank On beginning farmer training project, will take place through Dec. 4. The auction is organized by Sustainable Connections. For more information, visit sconnect.org.

BELLINGHAM – The Port of Bellingham’s 21st annual Holiday Festival will be held Dec. 2-4. Entry forms for those wishing to participate in the Gingerbread House Contest are now available, and are due Nov. 29. This free contest showcases edible structures of all kinds within nine categories. First place in each of the categories will
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EVERETT – Snohomish County’s eighth annual Focus on Farming Conference was held Nov. 3, with more than 500 people in attendance. Hosted at the Comcast Arena, this year’s conference theme was “Harvesting Opportunity,” with keynote speakers including attorney Bill Marler, who has been a major force in food-safety policy, local chef and James Beard Award
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STATE – The WSU Small Farms Program is offering three classes from the Cultivating Success: Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching series as online webinars. The cost is $20 per webinar, or $40 for all three. Registration is open to everyone, and past and present Cultivating Success students can join the program for free. Scholarships are
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