Stories

September 11, 2024
By Alison Lorenz, WSG Science Writer Photo: Mendoza and his company’s fish jerky. Photo courtesy of Nick Mendoza. To friends and family, Nick Mendoza has always been “the fish guy.” From what he describes as an “uncanny obsession” with fish in his youth to his work as a marine scientist, a love of the...

September 2, 2024
By Alison Lorenz, WSG Science Writer Before Thomas Foster-Kibbler got into commercial fishing, he wanted to be an EMT on a firefighting crew. He was living in sunny Los Angeles County, training to help others. The problem? He was spending all his spare time and cash sport fishing on charter boats and spending, as...

August 28, 2024
To practice “eating locally” is to embrace the creativity and abundance of the foods and producers all around our communities. We can choose ingredients that come from nearby sources, and like the guest chefs at our May Community Kitchen event, we can go deeper by learning about and using ingredients indigenous to our region. A Celebration...

July 10, 2024
Why U-pick organic blueberries? Have you experienced the magic of gathering food on a farm? We’ll give you a bucket, and off you’ll go for a delightful activity that connects you to nature, offers fresh and delicious fruit, and supports sustainable farming practices. At Chelan Ranch, we believe that U-picking organic blueberries is an...

June 7, 2024
This blog is re-published here with permission from Blue Ridge Farm (originally published on their site on June 19, 2023). Blue Ridge Farm is located just outside of Colville, Washington, on 81 rolling acres of farmland and timber.  The farm is named for the beautiful mountain peak to the west. Formerly a cattle ranch,...

June 5, 2024
Full Bloom Farm is a small family-owned and -operated farm offering a wide variety of produce, pastured chicken eggs, flowers, solar-evaporated sea salt, and dry goods sold in their farm stand on Lummi Island. Their farm stand embodies Lummi Island’s culture of community and care, as they nourish their community with fresh and local goods. ...

May 16, 2024
The Farm Stand Where Everyone Is Family Nestled in the South Fork Valley on Highway 9, you’ll find Mama’s Garden, a unique farm stand offering local produce, meats, honey, flowers, maple syrup, and more to their community. At the heart of Mama’s Garden is a deep commitment to integrity, quality, and care.  As Renee Kalsbeek,...

May 10, 2024
Washington is home to a rich, varied, and delicious food system. Anyone who’s been to a farmers market or local grocery store will tell you about how fortunate we are to live in an abundant region, where food artisans and farmers work together to bring creative and nourishing products to our plates. Those of...

April 8, 2024
Local Food, Local Money, and the Power of Storytelling “How we eat can change the world,” said visionary Alice Waters. At first, that statement may seem idealistic or exaggerated, but as we’ve seen through Alice’s work in the California School systems and around the globe, it has changed the world. We got to witness...

April 3, 2024
We at Eat Local First have been long-time fans of Port Townsend Coop‘s blog The Beet! Check them out for Olympic Peninsula food news, product highlights, amazing recipes, and more! This story was originally published there on March 26, 2024. SoulCedar Farm is a small scale, holistic farm located on the Olympic Peninsula in...