The Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) star continues to rise. Under the management of the Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC), the association grew from 19 to 35 cidermaker members in just 8 months. Also, new categories for membership were adopted creating opportunities for orchardists, vendors and beginning cidermakers to also participate in the organization in 2014….
With Washington’s unique laws, craft distillers are popping up all over the state. NABC is collaborating with Skip Rock Distillers in an effort to assist those interested in starting a craft distillery. Beginning nearly four years ago at their location in Snohomish, Ryan and Julie Hembree built their family business in a way that promotes…
The building that will house a new fresh vegetable processing facility located at Cloud Mountain Farm Center in Whatcom County is near completion. This new facility is several years in the making and is the result of a collaborative effort of NABC and Cloud Mountain, and funded with the support of the Whatcom Community Foundation,…
NABC’s 2014 Transitioning to Value-Added Products course schedule is now uploaded to our website. NABC offers comprehensive agri-business workshops throughout the year to provide agriculture producers with the tools and knowledge to develop and launch value-added products into the marketplace. Topics range from basic feasibility evaluations, to advanced production techniques, sales and marketing, tapping…
NABC has been awarded $200,000 in grant funding to support the development of agricultural cooperatives throughout northwest Washington. This fourth round of funding for NABC comes through the USDA Rural Development Department and its Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) Program. Established as a Rural Cooperative Development Center in 2010, NABC will continue its operation as…
On May 27th, the North Sound Food Hub opened for business to serve farms in Skagit, Whatcom, Island and San Juan Counties as well as commercial and institutional customers throughout the Puget Sound region. A USDA Value Added Producer Grant is funding NABC to provide technical assistance to several farmer-owned food hubs, including the North Sound…
NABC helps to “bring the farm to market” in many ways – including through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Two CSA programs are just about to launch deliveries for 2013 – the Evergreen CSA operated by Klesick Family Farm for its second year, and the pilot North Whidbey CSA, developed by the Whidbey Conservation District in…
Established in 2011, Red Mountain Organics currently farms 28 acres, specializing in growing certified organic medicinal herbs to supply regional and national processors of natural remedies. The farm also grows certified organic broccoli and cabbage to supply regional wholesale distributors. Clay Godbolt, owner of Red Mountain Organics began his exploration of horticulture working at Lyon’s…
We congratulate the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild and their community on the successful opening of the Brickworks, a community facility in the center of Friday Harbor. In their words: The Brickworks Project is a major initiative by the San Juan Islands Agriculture Guild to re-purpose an historic property in the heart of Friday Harbor,…
